Garage CU needed?

[emailrob]

I'm converting our garage into a playroom for little 'un. At the moment there is an old MEM unit with two fuses (ceramic types). I have four double sockets, and three lights in the room.

I have the electricity wired up and working ok, but am concerned about long term use. Would a consumer unit such as Here

I have a standard cu in the main house, and the garage feeds off this, with it's own breaker. More protection would obviously be better, but would a 'garage' cu or a standard small cu (how many breakers??) be better?

Thanks as always

rob

 

[breezer]

the one you have linked to would be fine

 

[emailrob]

thanks breezer. Is it just simple as swapping over the current one I have?
Do you know of any online tutorials just to keep me in check? The ones on here weren't really in depth enough

thanks

 

[breezer]

it is.

just make sure you turn the power off when when you do it. The lights should go to the smaller mcb and the sockets to the bigger mcb and the incoming supply is usually at the top (into the rcd first)

 

[emailrob]

cheers m8, wish me luck!

 

[breezer]

NO, Luck is the last thing you need, so long as you do it slowly and carefuly and make sure all connections are tight (and switch the mains off before you start) it will be fine

 

[emailrob]

OK wish me good 'following instructions carefully!!'

thanks

 

[breezer]

that i will.

 

[emailrob]

me again

I've received my shiny new garage cu. couple of q's

what is the purpose of the busbar? Do the wires just go into the screws above it as normal? The is a screw at the top and bottom of each MCB.

The unit has 1 RCD and two MCB RCDs. I assume the RCD is for incoming power, and the two MCBs are for the 'outgoing' wires, such as lights and sockets?

The instructions are reasonable although I thought I'd double check before starting work

thanks

 

[breezer]

right idea wrong terms.

MCB is minature circuit breaker, (quicker and better than a fuse)
RCD is residual current device (save you getting an electric shock if there is an earth fault)

The busbar is to conncct the outgoing side of the RCD to the incoming side of your mcbs.

your incoming mains should go to the RCD first

 

[emailrob]

cheers m8, my learning curve is getting there!

one other thing. The instructions mentioned a neutral wire running from the bottom of the RCD to one of the neutral points on the bottom of the unit. Do ALL the neatrals go here?

 

[breezer]

thesere should be a seperate terminal (or a separate bus bar for the neutrals) if not then you have no choice but to put them in the same place, similarly for the earth connections

 

[emailrob]

yeah that's the one. i have a bar for earth at the top and a bar at the bottom for neutral. Got it. cheers

 

[emailrob]

Thanks for your help. Successfully fitted CU and all electrics and trips working great!

cheers

rob