Electric Supply to Garage

[matt]

I know there are numerous threads on the subject of workshop electrics but they tend to be quite specific. So...

My current supply to the workshop (garage) is a 2.5 T&E spur off the house consumer unit from a MCB labelled B16 (which I think is MK's reference to 16amp).

Within the garage the sockets are all on a loop.

My tablesaw is in the habit of tripping the MCB, particularly when I have a heater on in the garage too.

So... what are my options? Where do I need to upgrade?

Is the 2.5 T&E good enough?
Is a single spur from the CU good enough?
Can I/should I increase the size of the MCB to deal with more amps?

Thanks in advance...

 

[RogerS]

Hi Matt

You might like to post this on the Askthetrades forum where there are some very knowledgable and helpful electrical chaps.

Not to say that there aren't knowledgable and helpful here !

You don't say how far the garage is from the house.

 

[OLD]

So... what are my options? Where do I need to upgrade?

Is the 2.5 T&E good enough?
Is a single spur from the CU good enough?
Can I/should I increase the size of the MCB to deal with more amps?

No at least a 2.5 in parallel with the exiting.
yes if it is larger and you are talking about the feed end.
yes at feed end and add extra 16a at distribution end to feed table saw dedicated supply.
All this is against part p regs as you are altering the design and protection

 

[matt]

So... what are my options? Where do I need to upgrade?

Is the 2.5 T&E good enough?
Is a single spur from the CU good enough?
Can I/should I increase the size of the MCB to deal with more amps?

No at least a 2.5 in parallel with the exiting.

Run a second 2.5 to a dedicated supply for the tablesaw from the distribution point within the garage?

yes if it is larger and you are talking about the feed end.

So beef up the supply from the house to the distribution point in the garage?

yes at feed end and add extra 16a at distribution end to feed table saw dedicated supply.

Oh, now I'm confused... feed from the CU in the house or feed from a CU in the garage?

All this is against part p regs as you are altering the design and protection

I'm going to invite my mate the electrician over for the weekend. He can have a beer whilst supervising me...

I think I may have caused some confusion mentioning the tablesaw in particular. What I'm really up for is installing a bomb proof supply to the garage so I can then distribute as required in the garage.

I'm thinking 6 or 10mm supply from a 32A fuse on the RCD side of the house CU to a non-RCD protected CU in the garage and then feed out from that as required - (perhaps a dedicated supply for the tablesaw).

 

[LarryS.]

ring main as i understand it should be 32AMP and a 'ring' . So running multiple sockets and a table saw off 16amp seems insufficient

 

[RogerS]

......

I'm thinking 6 or 10mm supply from a 32A fuse on the RCD side of the house CU to a non-RCD protected CU in the garage and then feed out from that as required - (perhaps a dedicated supply for the tablesaw).

Spot on!

Roger

 

[LarryS.]

......

I'm thinking 6 or 10mm supply from a 32A fuse on the RCD side of the house CU to a non-RCD protected CU in the garage and then feed out from that as required - (perhaps a dedicated supply for the tablesaw).

Spot on!

Roger

thats exactly what i've got