Plastic or metal sockets in garage ?

[shd1970]

Hi all

can anyone confirm whether plastic sockets and back boxes are allowed to be used in a garage, or are only the metal (far more expensive) type allowed please for a 5 x double socket ring main ?

The sockets will be for an under counter small freezer , a washing machine and a tumble dryer, and then the odd occasional power tool, plug in the lawnmower etc

I was thinking of using these from Screwfix:

Item : 8458R (£18.75 for 5 although I know I need some back boxes !!)

…over these : 49437 (£14.51 !!)

Thanks in advance !

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, you can use plastic sockets - assuming it is a domestic garage and not a main dealership.

 

[shd1970]

Yes, you can use plastic sockets - assuming it is a domestic garage and not a main dealership.

Absolutely domestic EFL !!!
Thanks for quick reply

 

[SUNRAY]

In a main dealership plastic is suitable in many areas.

 

[shd1970]

So onto next question…..

1. do the cables need to be in trunking or can they simply be clipped to the brickwork ?
2. And the same question re:need for trunking where the cables need to go underneath some central heating pipes ?

the central hating pipes are secured with pipe clips so there is a gap behind although I’ve tried a piece of 25mm x 16mm trunking and it’s tight….really tight !

thanks again in advance

 

[blup]

I believe they can be clipped, trunking that close would still transfer the heat from pipe to cable.

Blup

 

[Tigercubrider]

I’d price up large trunking, or even trunking that includes sockets.
It would be more expensive, but way quicker to install compared to banging in clips.

 

[crystal ball]

I often use 100 x 50 trunking with inserts for sockets, switches, easy peasy & allows for additions

 

[plugwash]

UK regs don't go into much detail on such things. Equipment must be suitable for it's environment, but what exactly that means is generally down to the judgement of the installer. If it's likely to get bashed then you want metalclad makes sense, if it's likely to get wet then you want IP rated, otherwise white plastic is fine.

Similarly for cables, surface clipped is fine most of the time, but conduit makes sense if you think it's likely to get bashed, it also looks more proffesional.

 

[Taylortwocities]

When installing circuits you need to consider a lot of things including:
Requirement for mechanical protection
Effect of thermal (and other) influences.

The need for mechanical protection will depend on many things. If there is possibility of damage to cables and sockets etc turn you may need metal clad sockets, pvc(or even steel) conduit.

In a garage thermal shouldn’t be an issue. Don’t forget get that pvc cables are assumed to have an operating temperature of 70degs C. That’s more than central heating and DHW pipes.

Therefore you’ll have to survey your environment and decide what is best. You’ll know if you will be using a lathe with lots of sharp swarf peeling off. Or a welder, or a thermal lance.

 

[shd1970]

Thanks for all the input so far !
So for a little more context, here is a photo of the piping I want to trunk behind :

that trunking piece is 25x16mm and as mentioned, it’s a really tight fit….too tight, just like my suit trousers from too much WFH and eating rubbish
I’m sure I could force it though or perhaps loosen off the pipe clip screws even
From top to bottom, the top 2 pipes are the central heating so both get warm, and the 3rd one down is the hot water so is warm only whilst there is demand

so I guess what I’m after is some trunking like 30x10mm if it exists

 

[Taylortwocities]

Looks like the 16mm will slide under the gas pipe.

Not a perfect way, but you could loosen the screws in the double pipe clips along the run of the four lower pipes. They’ll probably lift up a mill or two, enough for the trunking to go under. Run your cable and tighten up again.

 

[shd1970]

When installing circuits you need to consider a lot of things including:
Requirement for mechanical protection
Effect of thermal (and other) influences.

The need for mechanical protection will depend on many things. If there is possibility of damage to cables and sockets etc turn you may need metal clad sockets, pvc(or even steel) conduit.

In a garage thermal shouldn’t be an issue. Don’t forget get that pvc cables are assumed to have an operating temperature of 70degs C. That’s more than central heating and DHW pipes.

Therefore you’ll have to survey your environment and decide what is best. You’ll know if you will be using a lathe with lots of sharp swarf peeling off. Or a welder, or a thermal lance.

thanks for the input
There won’t be any long term heavy usage of the types you mentioned
Simply it’s a small freezer, washing machine and a tumble dryer, and then occasional tools (chopsaw, sdsdrill etc) and a heat pad for my home brew

 

[shd1970]

Looks like the 16mm will slide under the gas pipe.

Not a perfect way, but you could loosen the screws in the double pipe clips along the run of the four lower pipes. They’ll probably lift up a mill or two, enough for the trunking to go under. Run your cable and tighten up again.

t he at was my thought/solution also, but will the 3 pipes that can get warm, not affect the cables in anyway where the conduit passes underneath the pipes, or will it be insignificant and of no concern ?

thanks again for your input

 

[SUNRAY]

Remove the screws and fit a 10mm spacer, such as a strip of 10x12mm wood, fit longer screws.

I know it doesn't show in these magnified pics but the horizontal white trunking stops short of the pink wooden vertical (historic sliding partition frame) by about 70mm due to heating pipes (just make out the shadow). I placed 2 pieces of 16 x 25 minitrunking behind the pipes to get some cables from the trunking and through a hole in the wood, I used M6 nuts as spacers behind the pipe clips (painted pink to nearly match). The most difficult part was drilling the holes in the wood.