New feed need for 32A machine?

[dagoof]

I've got a garage workshop that I run some machinery from, at the moment there's the cable feeding power into the garage on a dual 32A RCD.
I've just brought in a new machine that alone is 32A, so had a spark mate of mine come over to check it out.

At first he reckoned we could replace the 32A breakers with 40A breakers and that might be ok but he's pretty junior and after speaking to a couple of more experienced mates they said it might still trip. Running another/new line would be a major PITA (long distance, concrete path etc), so just looking for other opinions on whether we can work with the existing line somehow.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

a dual 32A RCD.

What do you mean?

looking for other opinions on whether we can work with the existing line somehow.

How is the garage supplied?

i.e. from what - a CU, a switchfuse?

What is the rating of the protective device for the supply?

What is the size of the cable supplying the garage?

How long is the cable supplying the garage?

What type of machine have you just bought, and do the installation instructions say what supply it needs?

 

[dagoof]

I'm on hols atm so don't have all info but will provide what I know - the garage is supplied from an old style wire fuse CU just now but my mate was going to replace this with a modern style RCD one next week. The cable supplying the garage is on its own spur from CU and is probably about 20m from the CU. Mate said the cable was "two and a half" but I reckoned it looked about 15mm (20 max)diameter.

Re. The dual RCD, there's 2 32A Breakers on the feed, I'm guessing one lighting, one sockets.

The machine in question uses high powered heat lamps for varnish curing, I've been told it will use close to 32A on initial load (though can get more info when back).

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's all going Pete Tong, sensible, useful information-wise.

The cable supplying the garage is on its own spur from CU

That's not a spur.

Mate said the cable was "two and a half" but I reckoned it looked about 15mm (20 max)diameter.

Cable sizes are measured in cross-sectional area of the live conductors, not diameter. Your mate thinks the cable is 2.5mm². If it is it had better not be on a fuse bigger than 15A, and even when replaced with an MCB there's no way it can carry 32A for the whole garage, let alone one circuit in there, so your question is moot - you are going to have to either replace the cable or not use the new machine.

Re. The dual RCD, there's 2 32A Breakers on the feed, I'm guessing one lighting, one sockets.

Those are MCBs not RCDs, and you'd better not have lighting on a 32A one.

Running another/new line would be a major PITA (long distance, concrete path etc).

You probably have no choice.

 

[dagoof]

Thank you for highlighting the fact I'm not an electrician

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well, indeed you are not, but highlighting that was not my intent.

The fact that you are not an electrician does not mean that your cables can carry more current than other peoples, it does not mean that we don't need accurate information, and so on.