Band room Wiring? - shed

[skyrat1991]

Hi there everyone. i'm very new to this site but i was just wondering if any electricians could help me.
I have a shed that i'm using as a band practice room and it has been getting on fine with its cabling, which is basically a long extension with a mains socket stuck on the end. The only loads it has had to deal with is 2 amps- Speaker lol, a 3 amp light and an ipod dock, but in the next couple of weeks we are going to be extending the shed from 8x6 to 8x14. Well be getting new electrically equipment which will include a fridge, a strip light, a kettle and the original stuff. I'm not a electrician (yet) so i have no idea if the 2 socket 13 amp extension will be able to take the strain.
Can anyone tell me if it will be able to cope or will i have to rewire it.
Thanks for any help you can give

 

[electronicsuk]

The kettle alone is likely to be between 2.5-3kW, so that's the entire capacity of the extension lead gone already. Besides, it's hardly a proper solution for a permanent electrical supply to an outbuilding even with small loads...

 

[skyrat1991]

hmmm guess I'll forget the kettle lol. the extension that runs to it I practically made myself. its a grey high capacity cable with a 2 way socket in the shed and at the other end is a 13 amp plug, plugged into a wall socket in my garage. its been like that for a year now and I've never had any problems. I know it isn't textbook, but it works. and I know I'll never be an electrician with that attitude lol.
I'm not sure what else i can do to make it better though. there's no way I can afford to get a professional in. Whatever I do has to be safe, but most importantly CHEAP!

 

[electronicsuk]

I know it isn't textbook, but it works. and I know I'll never be an electrician with that attitude lol.
I'm not sure what else i can do to make it better though. there's no way I can afford to get a professional in. Whatever I do has to be safe, but most importantly CHEAP!

Well, you're right on one thing, there's not much you can do to make it better if you're not willing to spend any money. My suggestion would be to rip out what you already have, buy a pre-made RCD protected extension reel, and only use it when you're in the shed. The rest of the time, unplug it and reel back in. Still not ideal, but cheap, and a little safer than what you already have.

 

[Lectrician]

No. Most importantly safe, and preferably cheap.

What size cable are you using?

What type of cable is it? Grey? Flat? Hopefully not Twin and Earth?

 

[skyrat1991]

there's a problem with unplugging it, there's going to be a fridge in it. I have an RCD plug in-between the extension plug and the wall socket. This might sound daft but i have no idea what it does, it just sits there doing nothing, But its like a johnny suppose, better it being there not doing anything than not there and needed.
The cable is a Twin and Earth Grey 1mm. what's wrong with it?, its been working fine all year far as i know

by the way its not that i'm not willing to spend money, its that i have no money to spend.. The recession's . hit me like a torpedo

 

[flameport]

a grey high capacity cable

The cable is a Twin and Earth Grey 1mm

The cable you have is totally unsuitable. It's too small, and is for fixed wiring only. There is no way it could be properly fitted to a plug.

If you won't pay someone to install this properly, your only safe option is to get the RCD extension lead and use that. (and even that is not ideal, since it will probably be left installed permanently)

There is a massive difference between making something work and it being safe to use.

 

[ColJack]

by the way its not that i'm not willing to spend money, its that i have no money to spend.. The recession's . hit me like a torpedo

but you're willing to spend money on a new shed, fridge, lights, kettle and probably a bit more kit for the band?

go to the DIY store and buy some underground drainpipe and some radiused bends dig a ditch from house to shed 18 inches deep and bury the drainpipe so the ends come up in the shed and in / near the house ( drill a few dozen drain holes in the bottom of it at foot or so intervals.. )
run the new RCD extension through this for now ( socket should fit.. put rope through as you fit it together and bury it. )
later when you can afford it, a sparky will be able to use this duct to run his cable to the shed and install a small CU in there..

you could also run a blue water pipe while you're at it.. no need to run to the house to fill the kettle then..

 

[spark1]

This post sounds like a wind up [excuse the pun... wind up / extension lead etc ]

 

[skyrat1991]

i'm pretty sure the grey cable is safe. It is fixed. It goes though an armoured plastic tube under my patio. The shed end is basically a in wall house socket (My shed has interior walls btw) and the garage end never moves because the socket has a switch, if i need to turn it off for any reason i just flick it.
It has a 13amp fuse so i'm not sure why the cable is too small. If the load surges the fuse will blow. not the wire.
I guess if this is unsafe I'll just have to shut off power until i get enough money to buy a proper fuse box... It'll be the year 2050 but, what choice do i have

 

[sparkyspike]

I agree, it's a wind up.

 

[Spark123]

None, 1mm T&E isn't up to the job.
I'm thinking it's a wind up too

 

[skyrat1991]

why do i get the feeling some people don't give a ****. I've got a fire extinguisher, if it bursts into flames it'll make a cool backdrop for our video. btw we found the fridge fly-tipped so we repaired it, the kettle is a spare my friend gave me and the light cost a quid also the shed is made out of scrap wood... I'm not sure any of you know what its like to be an unemployed student in this day and age. Well i can tell you it aint nice...
If its unsafe there's not much i can do. The shed has an emergency exit so we'll be ok

 

[ColJack]

unemployed student? easy life..
try being an unemployed house owner with a £600 a month mortgage and bills to pay..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It has a 13amp fuse so i'm not sure why the cable is too small. If the load surges the fuse will blow. not the wire.

Was that what you worked out when you did your Ib <= In <= Iz, having adjusted Iz to take account of the installation method and In to take account of the type of protective device?

why do i get the feeling some people don't give a s**t.

No idea, given that what you've got here are people who do give enough of a s**t to not want to support you doing something dangerous.

If its unsafe there's not much i can do.

You can stop using it.

And you can certainly do nothing which makes it worse.