Garage Consumer Unit

[stevep119]

Hi,

I am building a lean to on the side of my house. It does not require planning permission as it is classed as a covered walk way or temporary structure.

We are planning on using the space as a utility room and will move the washing machine and tumble dryer out there.

I have bought a garage consumer unit from Toolstation (link below)

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Garage+Consumer+Unit+IP55/p42773

I am planning on running 4 double plug sockets and 2 ceiling lights.

I have run the ring in 2.5mm and will run the lighting in 1.5mm

Once all of the cables have been connected to the CU I was wondering what my best option is

To keep things "temporary" can I connect the new CU to the mains via a 13amp plug, plugged into an exisiting socket in the house? This would then only be turned on when we need to use the washing machine etc?

Or would it be better to run a 6mm cable from the new CU?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RF Lighting]

It would be better not to install a pointless consumer unit at all. Plugging it in certainly is a waste of time.

The best option would be a 2.5mm² radial circuit from the house CU to feed everything in the lean to.

 

[stevep119]

It would be better not to install a pointless consumer unit at all. Plugging it in certainly is a waste of time.

The best option would be a 2.5mm² radial circuit from the house CU to feed everything in the lean to.

The problem is, the house CU doesnt have any spare breakers.

So i thought by adding an aditional CU from an existing socket it would solve the problem

 

[RF Lighting]

No as you're limited to a maximum of 13A from an existing ring circuit, be it hard wired or plugged in. Yoru washer and dryer will draw more power than this.

If there are no spare breakers in your existing cu, you will need to either have it replaced, or an additional unit fitted at your intake position.

You may be able to use your garage cu for this, but it's installation is not a DIY job, and will also require notification to local authority building control.

 

[stevep119]

No as you're limited to a maximum of 13A from an existing ring circuit, be it hard wired or plugged in. Yoru washer and dryer will draw more power than this.

If there are no spare breakers in your existing cu, you will need to either have it replaced, or an additional unit fitted at your intake position.

You may be able to use your garage cu for this, but it's installation is not a DIY job, and will also require notification to local authority building control.

Thanks for the input...

As the kitchen is on its own breaker, can I run the additional sockets etc from this?

I'm currently running the tumble dryer off an extension lead... just wanted something a bit tidier and some light

 

[diyer56]

Hi,

I am building a lean to on the side of my house. It does not require planning permission as it is classed as a covered walk way or temporary structure.

We are planning on using the space as a utility room and will move the washing machine and tumble dryer out there.

I thought it would need to go through building control if it contains a washing machine? We were provided this advice in our area although I suppose it may be different elsewhere.

 

[JohnW2]

I am building a lean to on the side of my house. It does not require planning permission as it is classed as a covered walk way or temporary structure. ... We are planning on using the space as a utility room and will move the washing machine and tumble dryer out there.

I thought it would need to go through building control if it contains a washing machine? We were provided this advice in our area although I suppose it may be different elsewhere.

Even if that were true (and I'm by no means sure that it is), then (a) planning permission and building control are two totally separate issues and (b) at the time of building, it presumably would not contain a washing machine - only sockets, and there's no telling what might subsequently get plugged into those sockets after it's built

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Wales retained the previous rules for notification of outside power and lighting (if this is).

I don't know that the washing machine is relevant.

See hear for things which are NOT notifiable in WALES so everything else IS.

 

[JohnW2]

Wales retained the previous rules for notification of outside power and lighting (if this is).

I realise that, but I had presumed (perhaps wrongly!) that a 'lean to' attached to a house didn't count as 'outside' - and what the OP was proposing seemed to be extensions of existing circuits, so potentially not notifiable, even in Wales.

Whatever, the OP hasn't commented on whether or not the electrical work requires notification (in England, let alone Wales) - he merely commented that plannoing permission was not required. I suspect that planning and building regs issues may be getting confused in subsequent posts.

I don't know that the washing machine is relevant.

Indeed. As I said, there's probably not necessarily any reason why a washing machine needs to be 'mentioned' at building stage!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, but it was someone in Wales who said he thought he would have to go through Building Control. He would.

 

[stevep119]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I want to make sure everything is done properly and have sent an email to building control to confirm the rules regarding the washing machine.

I have a foul waste drain in my garden and will run a waste pipe underground from the washing machine directly into it. I will await BC response.

As for the wiring, I need to get power from the house into the lean to.

My house was only re-wired in 2010 and a brand new CU was installed.


The sparky who did the job told me that the biggest CU was fitted inside a metal cupboard that was already on the wall.....

At present I am running the tumble dryer off an extension lead...

I have run a 2.5mm ring and bought the 1.5mm for the lighting...

Before I get another sparky on site I just wanted to know what the best option was...

I was hoping I could run it like a temporary circuit (like an extension lead but a bit neater)

 

[flameport]

I have run a 2.5mm ring and bought the 1.5mm for the lighting...
Before I get another sparky on site I just wanted to know what the best option was...
I was hoping I could run it like a temporary circuit (like an extension lead but a bit neater)

1.5mm could have been 1.0mm, and a ring seems totally pointless in this situation.
If you want a temporary thing, use an extension lead - but that will only be useful for a single item, certainly not the washer and dryer at the same time.
To do it properly, extend one or more existing circuits into the lean to.

Washing machines are not notifiable, and never were in England, Wales or anywhere else.
Installing underground drainage is another matter entirely.

 

[stevep119]

.
To do it properly, extend one or more existing circuits into the lean to.

Thanks for the advice.

So to extend one of the existing ciruits, i'd would take a feed off the back of another socket inside the house???

 

[flameport]

So to extend one of the existing ciruits, i'd would take a feed off the back of another socket inside the house???

If it's a radial circuit, yes.
If it's a ring, it must still be a ring afterwards. Connecting a single cable to supply multiple sockets is not permitted.
In both cases, the total load for the circuit(s) must be considered.

 

[stevep119]

So to extend one of the existing ciruits, i'd would take a feed off the back of another socket inside the house???

If it's a radial circuit, yes.
If it's a ring, it must still be a ring afterwards. Connecting a single cable to supply multiple sockets is not permitted.
In both cases, the total load for the circuit(s) must be considered.

Thanks....

Ideally I want to run the cables, and then get a sparky in to connect them up to the CU/mains.

As the lean to is a timber frame, and none of the plasterboards have been put on all of the wiring is clear to see....

I have a CU in the hall but its in a metal cupboard and so the sparky who did the re-wire was limited to how many breakers he could fit....

If I run the additional sockets are radial, how does the lighting fit in?

I was hoping that the garage CU i bought would of solved the problem...