Adding additional sockets in garage

[novice82]

Hi all,

I want to add some more electrical sockets to my garage, but I'm not sure where to start.

Here's what we have:

View media item 52491There's one of these boxes in the garage. I'm a complete newcomer to electricals, but I think this is called a circuit breaker?

View media item 52492A look inside the box, where there are independent toggles for lighting and sockets.

View media item 52493Here are the only two sockets in the garage, fixed on the back wall.

What I want to do is add another two sockets to an adjacent wall, and an extra single socket in the middle of the roof, above the garage door motor (it's currently powered by an extension cable). While I'm at it, I think this might be a good time to also add an outdoor socket as well.

But I'm not too sure on how to do it. I want all the sockets to be controlled by the main toggle switch in the circuit breaker, so I can turn them all on or off easily. I get the impression I can just daisy-chain new sockets off the ones that are already there, but how many sockets can you have in a chain?

Can anyone point me in the right direction? And is it a fairly simple job, or should I be calling an electrician?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dhutch]

There's one of these boxes in the garage. I'm a complete newcomer to electricals, but I think this is called a circuit breaker?

Can anyone point me in the right direction? And is it a fairly simple job, or should I be calling an electrician?

Its not a huge job, and I dont belive it would be notifiable, maybe a few hours work. That said, while im all for DIY your not filling me with confidence, have you done any electrical work before or seen anyone do any? Do you know anyone who could do it with you?

Im not an electrician but without know exactly whats in that box, or what feeds it, and how the one socket is wired to it, exact detail is hard to give.


Daniel

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I want to add some more electrical sockets to my garage, but I'm not sure where to start.

• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electrical+circuits+101
  
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=multimeter+101
  
  
• http://kevinboone.net/electricity.html
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:books
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics

There's one of these boxes in the garage. I'm a complete newcomer to electricals, but I think this is called a circuit breaker?

Consumer unit.

A look inside the box, where there are independent toggles for lighting and sockets.

Circuit breakers.

What I want to do is add another two sockets to an adjacent wall, and an extra single socket in the middle of the roof, above the garage door motor (it's currently powered by an extension cable). While I'm at it, I think this might be a good time to also add an outdoor socket as well.

If you live in England or Wales, an outdoor socket is notifiable.

I get the impression I can just daisy-chain new sockets off the ones that are already there, but how many sockets can you have in a chain?

I imagine the circuit is a radial - the number you want to add will be fine. As it would if it were a ring, but you would need to extend the ring properly, not put all of them on a spur.

• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/6.3.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:socket_circuits
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm[/list]
  
  
  

  And is it a fairly simple job, or should I be calling an electrician?

  It's not very hard, but testing will be an issue for you, and I agree with Daniel - you don't give the impression of being clued up enough....