Waterproofing power plugs

Hi all

I've got a small pond outside with some comets and two small Koi. Running a standard gravity filter fed by a submersed pump bought at the local nursary.

As I seem to go through pumps like they're consumables, I did not want to buy the one with the 10m cord attached as the price is quite a bit higher. So now need to run an extension cord out from the garage to plug new pump in with its normal +/- 2-3m cord. In order to keep the warrantee in tact, I can not cut the the sealed plug off to join onto extention and seal myself with my old cut-hosepipe-piece trick.

So for now the plug is plugged into the extension cord's plug, and this assembly wrapped up in a plastic bag, tied and taped up at the open end. Not very pretty.

Does someone not make a nice little plastic box with waterproof lid to cater for this? Surely I'm not the only person that needs to plug a waterpump into an extension cord?

Cheers

 

You will have to go to a hardware, preferably an electrical shop thats sells everything to do with lights and electric. You can ask them for an outside electrical box. You get them in different sizes, it is made of some mix od plastic and fibreglass and it can house electrical points. You will have to mount it against the wall though.

 

Not a bad idea. I don't have space to mount onto a wall though, but will still look into that...maybe I can find an electrical box without holes in it for wall screws etc. thx!

 

I have the same problem
I have managed to wrap the connection in a plastic bag fits inside a 2 liter ice-cream tub in upsidedown 5 litre bucket on two bricks to keep away the water when it rains
Not pretty

 

they do come without holes in, the problem would be the lid. It slides so maybe if you can put it on somthing away from a puddle of water, then it should be fine

 

Cool, will check it out Riyad.

I hear you Khalidmanack, my pond is on my patio in the main garden and entertainment area. No space for 2L tubs or buckets. I only have a small (very narrow) space behind my pond (its on top of the surface, not burried) that I can hide stuff. So I feel your pain... and must make a plan!

 

riyadh, I have this on the outside wall.
works fine only if mounted on the wall.
I am concerned that the front slider will leak if it gets water

 

You get a waterproof box that mounts on the wall, with a lid that slides over. You would need to buy the box, a plug point, and the correct cabeling. (NOT extension cabling, as this is illegal... you need either twin and earth, or norsk cable.)

As you cannot mound the box onto the wall, you could plant a gum pole into the ground and mount it onto the gum pole?

The box needs to sit mounted onto something as this is the only way it is weatherproof. At the bottom is a slot where the cable to the pump slots in and when the lid closes, the entire thing is rain resistant. Please bear in mind that this is ONLY resitant to water coming from above it. If water was to splash UP is, (i.e sprinkler system) it would trip.

 

there we go exactly what zoom has said, I forgot about the openings for the cables

 

What about putting a square wooden pole in the ground with either a cement base or just cut it pointed and "moer it into the ground, then fasten the box to pole then saddle a piece of conduit to pole and run in ground to house.

u must run cable in conduit coz the wire u will use is probably cabtire and its not uv treated!!

 

If it's Norsk or T&E it doesn't have to be in conduit.