Garage Electrics

[rjm2k]

Oh well, tested it today with a N-E fault and both the main and garage RCD tripped so as you say, pointless.

Rather than removing the stuff from the garage I may look at splitting its feed in the main CU to be off the current breaker, I assume that's possible by wiring directly to the incoming feed or the main switch? I'd rather use the rcd/seperate fuses in the garage to my advantage than simply remove, would be a pain if the whole house loses power due to a garage fault!

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You'll need to split the tails using service connector blocks (aka Henley blocks) and put in a switchfuse suitably rated to protect the cable supplying the garage CU.

See

• http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcbtocable
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm[/list]
  
  And to do that you'll need to find a way to isolate your incoming supply.
  
  Also, if the cable supplying the garage is concealed in any walls or partitions you may not remove its RCD protection.
  
  
  You really need to get an electrician.

 

[rjm2k]

Yeah thanks, I've looked in the CU and decided such a change is beyond what I'm willing to do myself anyway.

I plan to get the electrics tested at some point so I'll get them to look at this and another small job at the same time. The cable feeding the garage comes straight out of the floor and upto the rcd in a circular black pipe, I guess in the house it's behind plasterboard as it goes upto the CU so maybe it's not as simple as altering the wiring in the CU.

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I guess in the house it's behind plasterboard as it goes upto the CU so maybe it's not as simple as altering the wiring in the CU.

It never was.

Even if it were surface mounted in the house it could not safely be connected directly to the incoming supply - firstly there's the physical issue of not being able to just put other wires into the main switch, and secondly there's the circuit protection issue - the cable is w a a a a y too small to be protected by just the service fuse.