So having established where to put the Earth bond (which all types of Energisers need), should we go for a battery type, or a mains type?
For me mains has the advantage of not having to worry about the battery going flat.
Battery has the advantage of working in a power cut (which we do get).
Looking around there are even solar recharged battery powered Energisers. I like that thought but they are a frightening price - and I can build better for cheaper. So my first thought is "I want to be able to fit solar later".
We have found that some Energisers offer the choice of using mains power or battery power. So we will go with one of those.
This means that, when we want to run on mains power, we will need to run wires from the cottage to the Earth bond site. We will plug the Energiser into an indoor socket and run "lead out" wires (2.5mm heavily insulated underground cables) to the connection site. If running on battery, I will build a water proof housing for the battery and connectors at the same point. This means that whatever power source I am using, I will connect to the fence at the same place. I also intend to get my electrician buddy to run me an external socket to this point since I am going to have to trench from the cottage to that point anyway for the "lead out" cables.
I need to put a post in to mount the socket to, run the wires up etc. I have decided to put a tall one in and then, later, I can mount a photovoltaic panel to the post to charge the battery.
Having a hunt around I found an 8' length of pressure treated 3x3 which will do the job nicely
8 foot post by
British Red, on Flickr
I put a point on it
Sawing Point by
British Red, on Flickr
..and marked a 2' line from the point.
Mark 2' Line by
British Red, on Flickr
When setting fence posts I work on 1/3 of the post being underground, but this post is not going to take any strain, so 2' rammed into earth and then set in concrete, leaving 6' above ground should be fine.
I use a drain spade for digging post holes (must get a proper fencing spade one day). A regular spade makes too wide a hole meaning the concrete ends up wide and shallow rather than narrow and deep.
Drain Spade by
British Red, on Flickr
Post hole diggers are a real boon when removing soil from a 2' deep hole
Post Hole Diggers by
British Red, on Flickr
..and I like to put the spoil into a barrow or on a tarp - no point in ruining the grass
Barrow of spoil by
British Red, on Flickr
Then, when nearing the right depth, I use a post rammer to drive the spike into the soil
Post Rammer by
British Red, on Flickr
A few checks with the spirit level gets it good and square. I find its important that a post goes into the soil below the hole where the concrete will go - this provides a drain hole rather than the post sitting in a concrete sump after rain.
Once the post is set, I fill the hole 1/3 deep with water
Postcrete by
British Red, on Flickr
Water Hole by
British Red, on Flickr
and then add a bag of postcrete
Pour Postcrete by
British Red, on Flickr
After 15 minutes it has gone off
Concrete "gone off" by
British Red, on Flickr
and a little soil and turf neaten the job
Set Post by
British Red, on Flickr
So thats my post in the right place to host my electrical supplies.
More as it happens....