Garage Fuse Box and Spur

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Hi,

My garage has a metal Wylex fuse box with two fuses. Wire fuses are 20A for the socket and 5A for the lighting. The house CU was replaced 8 years ago and the installed a 20A MCB for the feed.

Ideally I'd like to replace the metal fuse box with a CU and then run a radial circuit of sockets, 4x 2 way around two walls of the garage. No intention of going above 20A with loading.

Is replacement of this fuse box notifiable? (it's not the main house CU)
Should I change the house CU 20A MCB for something different?
Can I just keep the fuse box and wire in a radial circuit described above?

Many thanks,

d4ve
 
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Is replacement of this fuse box notifiable? (it's not the main house CU)
By the wording of the Building Regulations - Yes.

You could remove it - not saying you should; the 20A fuse in the garage is unnecesary.
A Fused Connection Unit with a 5A fuse would do for the lighting.

Should I change the house CU 20A MCB for something different?
Not without ensuring the cable is suitable.

Can I just keep the fuse box and wire in a radial circuit described above?
Yes.
 
Thanks EFLImpudence. I'll go for just adding the sockets then. I don't mind the metal fuse box, it performs the same as removing it I guess.
 
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**Update**
The CU in the house only has a B20 MCB feeding the garage. There is no RCD to the garage. I'm assuming this is bad and is why the single socket that was in the garage is a metal clad RCD socket.
Without and RCD in the circuit am I left with little choice but to swap out the garage fuse box with a new CU?
 
Change the B20 feeding the garage for a RCBO. Does your main CU have any RCD at all?
 
The CU in the house only has a B20 MCB feeding the garage.
Yes, you said that.

There is no RCD to the garage.
Ok. is there one in the house CU covering the circuit?

I'm assuming this is bad
Unless there is one in the house.

and is why the single socket that was in the garage is a metal clad RCD socket.
Nothing to do with it; just stronger.

Without and RCD in the circuit am I left with little choice but to swap out the garage fuse box with a new CU?
You do not really need a CU in the garage so it is irrelevant.

As Winston said, you can swap the house MCB for an RCBO (if available), or swap the garage MCB for an RCBO (if available).
 
Thanks for the comments and questions. The CU in the house has two RCD's but neither are associated with the garage MCB.
The house CU is wired, ¦Main Switch ¦ Garage MCB B20 ¦ 80A RCD ¦ (rest of house MCB's)¦. When the house CU was upgraded 8 years ago I remember him saying now that he'd leave the garage off of the RCD circuit so it wouldn't trip the house and that upgrading the fuse box in the garage would be the best idea.

*edited
 
Unless the wire from house to garage is not surface run, and not of a suitable type.
 
The English building regulations do say changing a consumer unit is notifiable, which does seem odd, one would expect it to say distribution unit, so if you do anything which removes the type testing status you can technically change it.

Unless already done and a court case has resulted making case law.

It does seem daft that you can fit a double socket box with 4 fuse holders but not a CU, well really we do it is because in the house hard to isolate to work on it, but some times common sense is required.
 

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