Garage power instalation

[i_am_fubar]

I've just moved house and am doing the garage up into a nice new workshop. Now, despite a degree in electronic engineering, house wiring scares me, mainly due to legal complications than actual dangerous instalation.

At this moment, I have a consumer unit inside the house with a 6A MCB feading the garage supply (litterally just through the wall). Connected to this is a duel socket and a floresent strip light.

I want to gut this current instalation and install the following (the *'s indecate things I believe I can legaly do myself)

1) Install a new 4 way light switch with fuse protection and 4 strip lights. *
2) Install an RCD/MCB protected circuit for 3x duel 13A standard sockets. *
3) Install an RCD/MCB protected 32A socket (for welding gear/3ph inverter)
4) all sockets (13A and 32A to be run through an emergency stop switch)

In theory, all I see needed doing is for a higher amperage MCB to be installed in the existing consumer unit, and wire that through to the garage and into a secondary CU with the MCB and RCD for the sockets and lights.

Does anyone have any idea on the legality of this instalation idea? and also, what sort of non-obvious work would need to be done (modifying existing CU for example)

Cheers,
Sam.

 

[slider45]

Just in the process of doing exactly what you've described.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=103952

I had:
Lighting & sockets tapped off upstairs ring.

Now:
New Garage lighting ring with 3 way switching (from MCB in house CU
New 32a ring circuit supplying numerous double sockets from new garage CU
New 32a radial to supply high power outlet for welder / compressor from new garage CU

Only concern is the high current at startup on the motors, so was advised to go for a type D MCB.

Technically, AFAIK, installing any new circuit is difficult to be legit, as a DIYer can't test or certificate his/her own work and many sparks won't / can't certificate other peoples work.

After doing the above, I had a new CU installed in the house a week or so later so had the spark test and cert the whole installation. Just got the paperwork through today from the spark & building control.

 

[i_am_fubar]

Hmmm, what is it with people doing garaged up into workshops at the moment.... there is sertanly a crazy breed out these days.

Anyways....

I know a spark that I'll be going over the socket insalation with, as well as the 32A socket. I'm happy installing the lighting myself. but will be connecting it to the existing lighting circuit in the garage... This connection will be wired into the new CU once its installed. As it is, I'd like to think anything I put in will be better than what I have at the moment (though I can't be too harsh, it was my dad who installed it before I was born).

Guess the only real problem I have to worry about now is how to attach the floresent lights to the asbestos ceiling

Will keep on posting as I get on with it. walls to paint tomorrow

Sam.

 

[securespark]

How do you think a 6A breaker & it's cable will supply what you want of it?

 

[slider45]

Only other thing to mention, is that if you have both power & lighting on the same RCDd 'garage CU', if your sockets trip the rcd, that'll cut out your lighting too. Perhaps not ideal.

My lighting is on a separate MCB on the non-RCDd side of the house CU.

Just a thought

 

[comms]

At this moment, I have a consumer unit inside the house with a 6A MCB feading the garage supply (litterally just through the wall). Connected to this is a duel socket and a floresent strip light.

I'd split the meter tails at house cu & run new tails through into garage to supply a new cu & put new circuits into garage.

In theory, all I see needed doing is for a higher amperage MCB to be installed in the existing consumer unit, and wire that through to the garage and into a secondary CU with the MCB and RCD for the sockets and lights.

Ok here you will fall foul of part P & all it entails, with the installation of the second cu & new circuits.
Dont forget you can as a diyer do any electrical work, you just have to go through the due proccess of notification & paying to lbc.
As for just upping the mcb, that depends on the cable size, as it's only running a socket & light I'd surmise it is currently 1.5 or 2.5mm so not big enough for what you propose installation wise.

Hope that makes some sense.

 

[slider45]

higher amperage MCB to be installed in the existing consumer unit, and wire that through to the garage .....

Perhaps I'm reading into it, but I read that as
1) install higher amp MCB
2) install new wire to garage CU

its the bit where he says he plans to rip the whole existing circuit out which suggests this.
Don't know which circuit he plans to wire the 32a outlet off though!

 

[comms]

Guess the only real problem I have to worry about now is how to attach the floresent lights to the asbestos ceiling

Florries on the wall

 

[i_am_fubar]

Ok, Dont think I was quite clear, my bad.

The current MCB in the CU in the house will NOT be used. Nor will the wire leading from that CU to the garage, or any of the current socket/lighting arrangment.

From what I've read, I have two options

1) Have a seperate line feading from the meter to a garage CU, then protect the sockets on the RCD/MCB. And the lighting on its own, seperate MCB.

2) Fit a higher amperage MCB in the house CU and replace the existing camble from the house CU to a new garage CU with something appropriatly rated. Then have the garage CU set up as in option 1.

As much as part P isses me off, I'm not planning on breaking the law and will have a qualified spark to come in and do all the CU/cable replacment.

I do however, plan on upgrading the current lighting spur to the 4 floresents as said earlier (Like the idea of having them wall mounted). This will be taken though a master fused switch that can be attached to the new arrangement when fitted.

Hope this clears things up.

Sam.