Extra socket in garage. Unsure if can be done..help? anyone

sweenytodd123

Hi,

I have power supplied to my garage, which was put in when the house went up some 10 years ago. The cable is buried and rises into the garage to a fuse box with trips. One trip for the one light and one for the one double socket.

I want to put another double socket on an opposite wall, I have the cable etc, but unsure of whether I can take power from the existing socket.

The existing socket has one cable (the usual 3 wires) going into it and thats it, can I run my new wire and socket from this or am I stuck.

Apart from the light and single double socket, there is no other electric in the garage.

Thanks for your help. Rich

ColJack · Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:04 pm Post Subject:

should be no problem at all..
2.5 cable..

the breaker feeding the socket/s should be a 16 or a 20.. no more than a 20..

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sweenytodd123 · Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:00 pm Post Subject: Worked a treat..many thanks

Many thanks ColJack for the advice, it worked a treat and is up and running as I type!!

Thanks again. Rich

sweenytodd123

Hi again,

I have finally got atreound to running a further socket in the garage, but I could do with another.

Just to recap, power to garage from house into fusebox in garage, one light and one double socket from this fusebox, I have run a double socket from the original double socket.

Can I run another from the new socket I have put in or the original one. Just thought I could do with a socket on the far wall or are any further sockets too much.

Thanks again for any advice.

Cheers, Rich

PrenticeBoyofDerry · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:58 am Post Subject:

If it's a radial circuit you can string a line of sockets on 2.5mm cable. 3 sockets not a problem, providing the breaker is 20 or16A. Should be fine.

If you decide to use equipment such as welders which have a high inrush current you may need to think about upgrading cable and breaker size or using a type c breaker.

A radial circuit link
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:socket_circuits:a2_radial
part p link
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p

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sweenytodd123 · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:08 am Post Subject:

Thanks PrenticeBoyofDerry,

As for the ring, am I right in thinking as the power is supplied from the house underground to a fuse / circuit breaker unit in the garage, that the circuit in the garage now becomes a ring?

If thats the case I can put another spur in.

Thanks, Rich

PrenticeBoyofDerry · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:57 pm Post Subject:

It depends how it's configured.
If the circuit in the garage goes from one socket to the next and so on and then stops at the last socket it's a radial.(which I believe yours is by your previous post)
If it continues from the last socket back to the consumer unit in the garage it is then a ring final circuit, so it will create one whole loop and a pair of lives with be terminated into the breaker a pair of neutrals to the neutral bar and a pair of cpc(earths) to earth bar.
This a ring final circuit (aka a ring)
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/_detail/electrics:socket_circuits:ringcct.jpg?id=electrics%3Asocket_circuits%3Aa1_ring_final_circuit&cache=cache

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Taylortwocities · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:10 pm Post Subject:

The amount of current you can draw from the circuit will depend on the fuse/contact beaker,

There will be more than one fuse/breaker in the supply to the garage sockets.

Where does the garage feed come from in the house?
From the fuseboard on its own breaker? What size is that?
Then you have the breaker in the db in the garage. If that is (say) 16A when that's the total current limit for the sockets.

You could make it a ring in the garage and put in a 32amp breaker, but that would be pointless if the garage is fed from a fused spur in the house with a 13A fuse in it!

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sweenytodd123 · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:54 pm Post Subject:

Thanks all for your replies.

The garage feed from the house comes from my main box in the house with its own fuse/trip, then into another fuse box in the garage, currently supplying one light, a double socket and another double I have run from that original one, so the idea is to run one final one from the extra one I put in.

Ive had a look for the fuse ratings but its not marked or written on the box.

Thanks again for all your help. Rich

PrenticeBoyofDerry · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:06 pm Post Subject:

The fuse rating will be on the MCB in the house CU for the cable powering the garage and garage CU rating will be on the isolator switch, this will tell what that unit can safely carry,
each circuit normally two in a standard garage CU. Will be rated again on the MCBs.
It will be marked something like B6, B16 etc.... or could be a C6/16 etc.....

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davelx · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:14 pm Post Subject:

But note that you cannot just increase the rating of the MCB feeding the garage circuit in the house CU without checking that the cable can support the additional current. This will depend on the size of the cable, the length of the run and the physical environment and method of installation.

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sweenytodd123 · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:30 pm Post Subject:

PrenticeBoyofDerry wrote:

The fuse rating will be on the MCB in the house CU for the cable powering the garage and garage CU rating will be on the isolator switch, this will tell what that unit can safely carry,
each circuit normally two in a standard garage CU. Will be rated again on the MCBs.
It will be marked something like B6, B16 etc.... or could be a C6/16 etc.....

The MCB in the garage fusebox for the power is marked B16 and the one for the light B6 and the one in the house at the CU is marked B16 to supply the garage. Any help ?

Filo · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:38 pm Post Subject:

sweenytodd123 wrote:

PrenticeBoyofDerry wrote:

The fuse rating will be on the MCB in the house CU for the cable powering the garage and garage CU rating will be on the isolator switch, this will tell what that unit can safely carry,
each circuit normally two in a standard garage CU. Will be rated again on the MCBs.
It will be marked something like B6, B16 etc.... or could be a C6/16 etc.....

The MCB in the garage fusebox for the power is marked B16 and the one for the light B6 and the one in the house at the CU is marked B16 to supply the garage. Any help ?

Naughty, you`ve got a 16A mcb supplying a combined mcb of 22A

sweenytodd123 · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:54 pm Post Subject:

Filo wrote:

sweenytodd123 wrote:

PrenticeBoyofDerry wrote:

The fuse rating will be on the MCB in the house CU for the cable powering the garage and garage CU rating will be on the isolator switch, this will tell what that unit can safely carry,
each circuit normally two in a standard garage CU. Will be rated again on the MCBs.
It will be marked something like B6, B16 etc.... or could be a C6/16 etc.....

The MCB in the garage fusebox for the power is marked B16 and the one for the light B6 and the one in the house at the CU is marked B16 to supply the garage. Any help ?

Naughty, you`ve got a 16A mcb supplying a combined mcb of 22A

Naughty...no not me, thats why I come here to ask the questions before getting under way with work, naughty yes to the so called professional electrician, who would have done this in the first place, this is the only extra work (sockets in the garage)that has been done electrically since the house was built 10 years ago. Just hope he's not amongst you all on here giving the advice

Anyway, I take it the answer is no then to the extra socket without upping the CU fuse...

ban-all-sheds · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:57 pm Post Subject:

Filo wrote:

Naughty, you`ve got a 16A mcb supplying a combined mcb of 22A

So?

What is the total of the MCB ratings in your CU, and what is the rating of your service fuse?

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