New Garage wiring

[surfer69]

I'm looking into getting my garage wired in by a professional.
I was thinking of putting a freezer out there and was worried that if the the garage tripped and I didn't know, the freezer would defrost if I hadn't been out there for a while
Is there any way to indicate within the house that the garage circuit has tripped / is working ok without physically checking every day ?

Thanks in advance

 

[ericmark]

There are a number of ways from auto resting RCD (£350 so not really) to fitting RCD in the house. As you are likely aware alarm panels scream at you when supply is lost and I have seen to alarm supplied from same supply as freezer but not really a good idea.
Simple is normally the best and a small outside security type lamp with a 6W CFU on same supply as garage is likely easy way as in the main a freezer will keep food cold enough for 24 hours in a non heated room so no outside light is enough to warn you.

 

[ChrisRogers]

just provide a non RCD protected socket/fcu to the freezer would be the best idea.

either use a multicore SWA from the house, or use a split load or RCBO board in the garage?

simple

 

[bernardgreen]

An emergency lamp that comes on when power fails is a simple solution.

Fitted where it can be seen from the house and on the same circuit as the freezer it will give an indication that power has failed. They should remain lit for at least three hours, they also have a small red light to show power is on and they are charging their battery.

 

[londonboy]

Good answer Bernard.

Eric are self resetting RCD's compliant in a domestic situation?
I (maybe wrongly) assumed they were only suitable within a supervised installation.

 

[riveralt]

I'm looking into getting my garage wired in by a professional.
I was thinking of putting a freezer out there and was worried that if the the garage tripped and I didn't know, the freezer would defrost if I hadn't been out there for a while
Is there any way to indicate within the house that the garage circuit has tripped / is working ok without physically checking every day ?

Thanks in advance

Me thinks you are worrying too much about it.

Has your freezer in the house ever tripped the CU?

If you put a light in the circuit you will still have to be there to see it and take the appropriate action.

If you really are worried then I would take ChrisRogers advice and put the freezer on its own part of the garage circuit protected by an MCB only.

 

[empip]

Spur from source of garage supply to socket - positioned for easy, in house viewing, plug in low power night light - If light is off then suspect garage supply off too. Plus gaining a useful little used socket hopefully close to CU!

Could perhaps utilise :-
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CM4906.html

Replaces ordinary sockets, requires a single socket box.
Latched RCD remains on when power is restored, Ideal for freezers

Perhaps not for connecting portable tools - we may not desire sudden reconnection !!

-0-

 

[JohnD]

I don't think a latching RCD FCU will help. Although it will still be on after a power cut, it will not reset its own RCD.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No, but nor will it trip and remain off if there's a power cut, which is what a non-latching, or passive, RCD will do.

 

[surfer69]

Thanks everyone for the advice.
I must admit that a lot of it was way over my head.
All I needed was a few different ideas I can suggest to the contractor.

Thinking about it I probably do worry too much !!

Great debate though !

My idea was an rcd within the house that buzzed or made a noise when it tripped !!!

 

[ricicle]

a non-latching, or passive, RCD will do.

The non-latching type are active

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So they are...

 

[roberta1000]

And read the spec for the freezer before you buy it.

Some aren't supposed to be installed in a place where the temperature drops below say 10 degrees so if you get a prolonged cold spell the freezer will possibly stop working but not stay as cold as its recommended temperature.