Electrics in Garage

[ml1936]

If you have an integral garage, what are the electrical regs for it? What i mean is, does it have to have its own garage consumer unit or can the power/lights come directly from the houses consumer unit, which incorporates a RCD? Also do sockets need to be metal or of an IP rating?

 

[the_jinj]

Doesn't have to have it's own CU but makes sense to - doesn't have to be metal sockets but again good for mechanical protection - IP rating only if going to be exposed to moisture etc

 

[ml1936]

Would it be easier to put new CU inside of garage and run all electrics, new and old, from it, than to have seperate Home CU and Garage CU? Whats procedure with turning electric off, does electric company have to come out and turn it off then back on? Do there check it or does build inspector?

 

[Adam_151]

Would it be easier to put new CU inside of garage and run all electrics, new and old, from it, than to have seperate Home CU and Garage CU? Whats procedure with turning electric off, does electric company have to come out and turn it off then back on? Do there check it or does build inspector?

Is your CU currently in the garage? and is it in need of replacing? (if either of these are no, providing you have space for a submain in the CU, then that would probably be the best option)

The correct way to have the electricity cut to a CU is to have the DNO remove the fuse and replace it when you are done, or have them install you a switch (what they do, depends on your area of the country) Many sparks pull the fuse themselves and very rarely is the missing security seal questioned by the DNO, however doing so is potentially dangerous because live terminals are exposed, also some older metal cased fuses can break up and short out when being removed

It sounds like you are planning on doing a CU change yourself, do you have the test kit to test such a job?, and the no-how needed in order to opperate it? If not, then you might consider employing someone who does to do the job for you, sorry, but thats how it is

 

[ml1936]

I've just done college course on electrics and feel confident doing it, i've done some before pulling the fuse, but wanted to do it properly now. The CU in the house is old rewirable type which could do with being replaced. The new garage extension i thought could have the new CU which all circuits come be fed from and would also have a RCD which the old one dosnt. Does this sound ok?

 

[ml1936]

Could i not, put new CU in garage extension, connecting alll new and old circuits to it. Obviously i would do all test. Then run meter tails from the old CU. Then once electric company been to isolate supply connect meter tails to meter and get them to reconnect it? Would this procedure be ok??? How much does it cost for the electric company to do it? Does a building inpector have to check it and sign it off?

 

[Bright_Spark]

ml1936,

ive just done my attached garage.

i have a henly block at the meter end. ive run from that to a metal clad enclosure with dp mcb. from that ive run a length of 3 core SWA to an incommer in the garage. it has a 63a 30ma rcd protecting a 20a radial and a 6a lighting circuit.

of course my cable sizes and methods may be different to yours due to the my earthing arrangement and the length of my SWA run.

thats just to give u an idea. should you chose to go with a similar set up, get your calculator out and do yourself some cable cals etc.

hope ive thrown some light onto it there without actually talking you through how to do the job...because that would just be pointless!

which college did u attend just out of interest?

 

[ml1936]

Cheers, it was swindon college but i did it home study