Rough idea on price per point

[CortinaV8]

My server room is lacking quite badly in sockets, the current ones are supplied by a 4mm radial run inside compartmented 100x40 trunking.

Sockets don't need to be anything special (i.e filtered) as everything is protected by UPS with decent battery life.

Just looking for a rough idea on what I should expect to pay, I guess it's not work I could do myself as it's in a business premesis?

 

[timtheenchanter]

im confused, if its for a server room, how many UPS do you have? at home I have one UPS, running from one 13A socket, all my IT stuff then plugs into that. (it has 3 circuits out, 6 IECs each circuit.

at work we have 2x 16A sockets, one for each UPS fed from different supplies, these then have 3 circuits each, 8 IEC outlets on each.
we have 6 physical servers, a SAS, main switch and a few peripherals, all run via the 2 UPS. off power we have about 1-1.5Hr runtime (tested last week from a real power cut)

surely the equipment in there all needs running from the USP, so actual sockets rather insignificant??

 

[CortinaV8]

Indeed, we have two double sockets, yet in the main offices an abundance of random totally useless sockets, I have the visio diagram of what we asked for here, but it doesn't correlate to what we actually got.

As to what we have
10 Servers
4x EMC Clariion SAN
3x Tape Archives
1x Bank of 10 machines
1x Standalone FTP server
various switches/firewalls and VPN equipment.

Currently powered by 4 UPS supplies plugged into 2 doubles, the plugtops feel warm to the touch, so obviouly not good.

Thing is, I need more points in order to connect non UPS equipment, i.e more machines, test rig etc. If the current setup was workable I would be doing something about it, not posting on the internet.

 

[chapeau]

If you need more sockets then add more sockets. Part P doesn't apply to business premises, and even if it did, you could still add more sockets to an existing circuit if the same rules applied as to homes. However if I was an employer I think I would pay somebody else, not because I didn't know how to do it, but because of liability. If you paid more than £50 per socket I'd be asking why. Get quotes.

You need to take account of the expected current requirements when deciding what cable and protection to use in a circuit. So add them up and see if 4mm2 is suitable as installed. the On Site Guide will provide guidance.

Why is having a 'warm' plug 'obviously' not good? Current flowing in metal causes heat and this is designed for. How warm is too warm? Too hot to handle? 69C? 71C ?

 

[timtheenchanter]

Fair enough, seems like you have similar to use a server/work room.

I would be looking at getting the whole thing looked at, warm plug tops whilst just running seems not good to me, when was the last power cut? if they are warm is tells me they are drawing around 10A whilst just on run, which would give you more than the 13A charging/running following an outage.

be aware also that most twin 13A sockets are not rated at 26A, but 20A over the 2 sockets.

if it were mine, I would be thinking about smthing a bit more bespoke for the servers, Im guessing its not built for them, just a room that now has the servers in it.

without seeing it, or anything, I would be looking at.
C/U in server room, 4x 16A sockets for UPS fed from 16A breakers (not RCD protected) in C/U
16A radial with general sockets (RCD or RCBO protection) this would be fed from the exisiting 4mm presumably on a 32A breaker at the other end, or upgraded if required.

to reply to the original question, I beleive we just paid around £50 per outlet for addition to our trunked wall sockets.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I guess it's not work I could do myself as it's in a business premesis?

You guess right.

As to what we have
10 Servers
4x EMC Clariion SAN
3x Tape Archives
1x Bank of 10 machines
1x Standalone FTP server
various switches/firewalls and VPN equipment.[

Currently powered by 4 UPS supplies plugged into 2 doubles,

That's not a home office setup, and it should not end up being plugged into BS 1363 sockets.

the plugtops feel warm to the touch, so obviouly not good.

Unplug one, and see how hot the pins are.

 

[Chri5]

A couple of things, since the UPS's will need to have the power in disconnected to add, alter, change the existing sockets then the work will be timed out of hours.

Someone needs to sit down and design requirement / confirm suitability of existing circuits to carry new load- if that's the supplier / contractor it will add to the hours.

Might be best to consider a new circuit for new sockets and avoid any hassles with maths / in service items.

A pet hate is people that suggest a price cost without having ever looked at the job, the critical nature of the work, the business continuity, the support should equipment go pop or a UPS die.
I'd imagine that your IT kit requires 24/7 x 365 use so a risk assessment and planned outage with some support for problems will be required.

It would also be helpful if you consider if an expansion of kit requirement (over the next few years) is required and factor that in and do the work once, with a decent minds eye on future needs.

Sure £50 a outlet will cover a donkey doing work of a simple nature with all design and load requirements presented like the oracle to him on start, but how likely is that ?

More likely:-

Survey
Meeting
Quote options
Quote accepted
Internal risk assessment
Planned outage
Work
Test
Cert
Handover
Invoice

£50 a point

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you need more sockets then add more sockets.

You mean have someone competent add them.

Part P doesn't apply to business premises, and even if it did, you could still add more sockets to an existing circuit if the same rules applied as to homes.

But what does apply are the Electricity At Work Regulations. Have a read of #16.

 

[CortinaV8]

Plug tops are hot, but not too hot to touch, I'm aware that the sockets are probably drawing more than they are rated at. Not had a powercut/circuit trip for many years, just the odd outage/dip due to the fact we are in the middle of nowhere.

No, the company moved a few years back and i was given this room to install it all in, in the last building all the machines were on a ups which fed the sockets, that building was even more remote and dips in the power were very frequent.

I agree, dedicated circuits for equipment would be ideal, but the management is shortsighted in this respect and i have no chance of such things happening.

I didn't realise there were no/less rules covering who could do work in business premesis, I've added plenty of sockets in houses previously so wouldn't have any issues doing it, however, I'm not really comfortable with doing this at work on the off chance it comes back and bits me in the butt.

I will seek prices, <=£50 per point was the figure I had in my mind roughly anyhow.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Plug tops are hot, but not too hot to touch,

Unplug one, and see how hot the pins are.

I'm aware that the sockets are probably drawing more than they are rated at.

So you are aware of a possible safety violation in a workplace which carries a fire risk.

What have you done about that?

I didn't realise there were no/less rules covering who could do work in business premesis,

Click.

I've added plenty of sockets in houses previously so wouldn't have any issues doing it,

Well you should have, and even more so should the company management.

I will seek prices, <=£50 per point was the figure I had in my mind roughly anyhow.

But if that's a totally unrealistic figure plucked out of the air....

 

[CortinaV8]

*sigh* You make me laugh with your version of the real world.

Point 1 - Yes, the pins are hot, but I figured they would be anyhow.

Point 2 - I've brought the matter up with the MD of the company, besides switching off all non essential loads, there is nothing more i can do besides badgering her.

Point 3 - You quoted half of my post, I actually said I had no interest in doing it.

Point 4 - I guess we will see.