Power to a Garage

[robinofsherwood]

Hi folks!!


I recently had a very old prefab garage knocked down and replaced with a more modern and larger prefab.

The previous garage had power supplied from the house CSU on a ring main 2 sockets and a couple of flourescent lights. Obviously I disconnected all this long ago as there was no CSU in the garage and the roof leaked all over the sockets in there.

Anyway I now want to run power back to the garage and although the previous supply was off the CSU it's not that easy be re-connected as it means taking up a LOT of laminate floor upstairs. Really I should have thought about this before laminating but hey ho!!

The garage is detached but less than a meter from the house. Can I take a spur from the back of a kitchen supply into a RCD protected CSU and then run a double socket (that's all I need in terms of plug in power) and then say 4 flourescent tubes from the respective supply out of the consumer for this ok?

What about the cable from house to garage. Seems crazy to have to bury 700mm deep or whatever to cover about a 800mm span? Or can I run conduit it the house wall and then across to the garage?

Oh the load in the garage from powerpoint will not be huge although I may use welder from time to time. On saying that I did all my wleding previously by plugging into a kitchen socket and an extension!


Thanks in advance ...

 

[robinofsherwood]

Sorry ..

2.5mm T&E from house to feed garage RCD CU ... 16A to supply 2.5mm from garage CU to garage double socket (maybe an adidtional socket not sure yet).
6A supply 1.5mm to feed lighting circuit

Ring main in garage

House does not currently have RCD only MCB protection.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Really I should have thought about this before laminating but hey ho!!

That's the spirit!

Hope you can keep it up next time you find something that's a complete pain because of the laminate, and the time after that.....

The garage is detached but less than a meter from the house. Can I take a spur from the back of a kitchen supply into a RCD protected CSU and then run a double socket (that's all I need in terms of plug in power) and then say 4 flourescent tubes from the respective supply out of the consumer for this ok?

No. (I assume by CSU you mean consumer unit?)

Anything more than one socket on that spur will require it to be a fused spur - you certainly can't put a CU on an unfused spur, and there's no point to it on a fused one.

And a CU would be notifiable, but then so would an FCU added to the kitchen circuit...

Why were you considering an RCD protected CU in the garage? Are your house sockets not already on an RCD? If not you should attend to that.

What about the cable from house to garage. Seems crazy to have to bury 700mm deep or whatever to cover about a 800mm span? Or can I run conduit it the house wall and then across to the garage?

You can run it overhead. Can't remember the height it should be, but I guess there's no vehicular access. Someone here will let you know.

It has to be suitable for external use, and properly supported, so not a bit of T/E just hanging free....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

2.5mm T&E

Not a suitable cable type for running outdoors.

16A to supply 2.5mm from garage CU to garage double socket (maybe an adidtional socket not sure yet).
6A supply 1.5mm to feed lighting circuit

That's 22A from one point on the kitchen ring. Too much.

Ring main in garage

For a 16A circuit wired in 2.5mm²? Pointless.

I really think you need to spend some time learning more about circuit design, the Wiring Regulations and so on.

 

[robinofsherwood]

2.5mm T&E

Not a suitable cable type for running outdoors.

Oh not even in conduit? I have to use SWA for such a small run?

16A to supply 2.5mm from garage CU to garage double socket (maybe an adidtional socket not sure yet).
6A supply 1.5mm to feed lighting circuit

That's 22A from one point on the kitchen ring. Too much.

Yes .. obviously ... now haha ... almost as daft as laminate flooring!!!

Ring main in garage

For a 16A circuit wired in 2.5mm²? Pointless.

I really think you need to spend some time learning more about circuit design, the Wiring Regulations and so on.

Ok .. socket supply is not really that much of an issue TBH as I can run an extension if I need to drill etc.

Lighting is my main issue as I have none currently and after 6pm I can't see bugger all even this time of year.

There is a FCU currently running off one of the upstairs sockets which powers a external security light. What if I run a garage lighting circuit off this? I could actually move the security light onto the garage then and feed that off the same circuit as its not in a good position on the house anyhow!

I'll forget power points too much hassle.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You could do the lights like that. Same concerns about the overhead cable apply though.

 

[robinofsherwood]

You could do the lights like that. Same concerns about the overhead cable apply though.

So conduit is no longer acceptable?

I was going to run a batten of 2x2" and secure the conduit to that?

Like I say there is only about 800mm gap and sealed at one end so access is only via the outside door.

Thanks for your advice here btw

What would you suggest as a means of getting the power cable and type then into the garage?