16 amp upgrade

[siggy_7]

This from the IET website

Part P applies to electrical installations located in outbuildings such as detached garages, sheds and greenhouses.

and confirmed on many other sites. Even to the extent of adding new sockets. Here for instance ...page 9

See the Part P regulations Page 8 additional note f, I quote directly: "Detached Garages and sheds are not special locations. Work within them is notifiable only if it involves new outdoor wiring". This would clearly indicate to me that any work in detached buildings is not notifiable to building control. That would be squarely at odds with page 9 of that document you sent to me. Certainly I disagree with the notion in that document that a bedroom circuit modification is not notifiable, whereas a detached building modification is.

 

[chippy mark]

There are no simple rules as to whether a 16amp supply is needed. It varies from machine to machine and from different electrical installations and with temperature.

Before embarking on any significant expense, I suggest you try the machine (maybe via an adaptor) on a 13amp supply and if it works OK continue to use it and only move to 16amp if you are getting an annoying level of fuse blowing in the 13amp plug.Bob

This is what I shall do also It will depend on whether the table saw and the dust extractor will run at the same time without continually tripping the breaker in the consumer unit.

the consumer unit has a 16 amp breaker (type b)fitted for the socket ring at the moment do you think this will cope?

 

[Digit]

Depends on the size of the extractor motor, one thing is certain though, you have a better chance if you do not start both simultaneously.

Roy.

 

[9fingers]

I am curious as to why the socket ring is only fitted with a 16amp breaker
Breakers should be rated to protect the cable downstream (not the appliances!)
If this was professionally installed then the reason could be that the ring is only wired with 1.5mm2 cable maybe
If this is the case then the saw and extractor are likely to overload the circuit.

I would suggest that you get to the bottom of why the breaker is only 16amp and provided that the installation can stand it, consider raising this to the standard 30amp. You stated earlier that the feed to the workshop was 40amp which implies 6mm cable out to the shop, making the following 16amp a strange choice?

Bob

 

[Digit]

And unless you have a very large workshop, (you lucky swine!) re-cabling in 2.5 mm is unlikely to break the bank, then as Bob points out you should be able to take the ring breaker upto 32Amp.
As regards adding a second 2 way consumer I would suggest that instead you remove the existing one and install one with an RCD and a number of spare 'ways' to allow for future expansion of facilities.

Roy.

 

[chippy mark]

I'm not sure why it's only a 16 amp breaker maybe because there is only 6 double sockets fitted.
The sockets are definitely wired with 2.5 mm cable so should be able to take a higher rated one without any problem

 

[Digit]

Problem solved! One of the 'joys' of following up behind another sparks was always wondering, 'what the hell did he do that for!?'
I hated domestic wiring jobs and avoided them like the plague.

Roy.

 

[misterfish]

It's most likely to be 16 amp because the garage consumer unit came ready populated - several I've seen come with a 6 and a 16 amp MCB. The one for our garage was like this but the electician changed the 16 to a 32 amp for the socket ring circuit.

Misterfish