Wire and cable suppliers in the UK?

Looking to sort out proper cabling for my garden office solar setup and honestly finding it a bit of a minefield. Been to a couple of the usual suspects but the pricing's all over the shop and I'm not entirely sure I'm getting decent quality.

Currently running a 4kW system with Victron gear and need to upgrade my DC wiring from the panels to the battery bank. Also need some robust AC cable for the inverter side of things. The distances involved mean I can't skimp on gauge or I'll lose everything to voltage drop.

Few questions really:

DC side — anyone recommend suppliers for proper solar cable? I've seen some sketchy stuff online that claims to be rated for it but I'm not convinced. Need something that'll actually handle the current without melting.

AC cabling — similarly stuck. Need heavy-duty stuff rated for outdoor conditions since some of it'll be running along the garden perimeter.

Bulk buys — are there any suppliers that don't completely fleece you if you're ordering decent quantities? Or do you lot just bite the bullet and pay?

Ideally looking for UK-based so I'm not waiting weeks for delivery and can actually speak to someone if something goes wrong. Local electrical wholesalers seem to think I'm mad asking for solar-specific cables though.

What're you all using? Any particular suppliers you'd actually recommend?

The usual culprits are Screwfix and Toolstation for quick fixes, but you'll pay a premium. For proper solar cabling, I'd go straight to the specialists:

Littelfuse and Nexans stock proper PV-rated cable — worth the drive to a distributor rather than mail order given the weight. SunCulture do competitive pricing if you're in the southeast.

Fair warning though — once you factor in crimpers and the proper MC4 connectors, the bill adds up fast. I ended up getting most of my stuff through CPC (Farnell's trade arm) because I could grab other bits at the same time.

What size system are you looking at? The cable spec changes dramatically between a couple of kW and something proper, so worth getting that right first.

Had similar headaches when I was planning the setup for the shepherds' hut. The big box stores are convenient but you're right about the pricing — they weren't geared up for solar runs anyway.

Ended up going with Solar Trade and Wyle Electronics for the proper spec stuff. They actually know what they're on about when you ring them up, which saves time faffing about trying to work out if you need 6mm² or 10mm² cable. Victron dealers often stock quality cabling too if you're already buying their kit.

One thing that caught me out — don't just assume what's in stock locally will suit your runs. I needed longer cable runs out to the boat for EV charging and had to think properly about voltage drop. Worth calculating before you order or you'll be back on the phone.

Electrical Discounts isn't bad for bulk orders either, though their website's a bit clunky. Saved a decent wedge when I was doing the main runs.

What's the distance you're working with from your array to the office? That'll make a difference to what gauge you actually need.

The minefield you're describing is exactly what caught me out when I first wired up the van. Ended up paying silly money at Screwfix for stuff I could've sourced properly elsewhere.

For solar-specific cabling, I'd skip the big box stores entirely and go direct to suppliers like CPC or RS Components. Bit more admin but the pricing's genuinely better once you're buying proper gauge DC cable rather than domestic AC stuff. They stock decent Victron-rated connectors too.

If you want something in between, Fogstar do a tidy range and their customer service actually understands what they're selling—not just shelf-fillers. Bit slower to deliver than high street but worth the wait.

The real game-changer for me was ringing ahead and asking for bulk pricing. Most suppliers will shift if you're buying 50m+ of cable. Even smaller runs, they sometimes do.

What amperage are you looking at for the garden office setup? That'll determine whether you can get away with smaller suppliers or need to go full industrial. Makes a difference to where you'll actually get decent stock without three-week