Long post and questions!!! (sorry)

[Doc955]

Since the garage is part of the house, do you really need a separate CU for it. You could give it its own ring and lighting circuit from the main CU.
Is there any regulation that I don't know about that says otherwise?

I suppose one advantage of a CU actually IN the garage is that you wouldn't have to come back into the house covered in oil and sawdust - or worse - to reset a breaker.

Also, I only have to run one cable instead of 3.

 

[Doc955]

It might be if you are operating a rotating power tool, something happens and all the power goes off. While in the dark you table saw your arm off.

So what would you do to make sure the lights stay on?

 

[mdbalson]

It might be if you are operating a rotating power tool, something happens and all the power goes off. While in the dark you table saw your arm off.

So what would you do to make sure the lights stay on?

You could have an emergey light fitted.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I suppose one advantage of a CU actually IN the garage is that you wouldn't have to come back into the house covered in oil and sawdust - or worse - to reset a breaker.

You should never have to reset a breaker, no matter where it is.

 

[Space cat]

You should never have to reset a breaker, no matter where it is.

That's fine in theory but --

When a lightbulb blows in our house you can almost guarantee that the six amp breaker will pop.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You're absolutely right - mine too - for some reason I just didn't think about that.



Sorry.

 

[conny]

Oh dear B.A.S.

Not on form in this post are we?
Thats a couple of embarrasing faces for you!


RF.

Doc955 wrote:
So worst case scenario would be that the 40A trips and the lights go out too instead of just the sockets going off. Not ideal, granted, but not a total disaster.


It might be if you are operating a rotating power tool, something happens and all the power goes off. While in the dark you table saw your arm off.

How would he do this if there is no power?

 

[ColJack]

blades don't stop right away..

it's quite possible if he has one of the cheaper tablesaws that doesn't have breaking on them that they continue to spin for a good minute after shut off..

plenty of time to over-react to the lights going off and lose a finger or thumb to the saw..

 

[Doc955]

Update:

The job snowballed a bit once I started and resulted in rather a lot of remedial/extra work. However, yesterday I received my completion of works cert and I now have an electrical system that I trust not to catch fire and/or kill me when I'm putting the kettle on!

Other than a couple of earthing issues (supplemental bonding in the bathroom, missing lug on the earth connection in the gas cupboard.) the inspectors were pretty happy with what I'd done.

Thanks to all those who gave their input on this thread.