Electric supply to garage

[Hickorystick]

Hello
In my new workshop I'm currently lining the garage and will be putting in a set of 5 fluorescent lights on a ring circuit and also 6 double sockets on a ring. The double sockets will be purely for hand tools, radio, extraction etc.
My shopping list of machines includes a bandsaw and a tablesaw both needing 16amp supply. I will only be using one of these machines at a time.
So, I will have one lighting circuit, one power socket circuit and also a need for a minimum 16amp outlet for the machines.
2 questions for those who are electrically savvy...
Do I need a separate consumer unit in the garage in order to do connect these 3 different circuits ?
Will the supply to the garage just connect to a spare slot in the consumer unit in the house - except with a 16amp+ fuse in it ?

Im planning on putting in the lighting and power outlet circuits in myself and will have an electrician make the connections back to the house. Just want some understanding before I talk to a sparky...

Thanks
Phil

 

[orchard]

Hello
In my new workshop I'm currently lining the garage and will be putting in a set of 5 fluorescent lights on a ring circuit and also 6 double sockets on a ring. The double sockets will be purely for hand tools, radio, extraction etc.
My shopping list of machines includes a bandsaw and a tablesaw both needing 16amp supply. I will only be using one of these machines at a time.
So, I will have one lighting circuit, one power socket circuit and also a need for a minimum 16amp outlet for the machines.
2 questions for those who are electrically savvy...
Do I need a separate consumer unit in the garage in order to do connect these 3 different circuits ?
Will the supply to the garage just connect to a spare slot in the consumer unit in the house - except with a 16amp+ fuse in it ?

Im planning on putting in the lighting and power outlet circuits in myself and will have an electrician make the connections back to the house. Just want some understanding before I talk to a sparky...

Thanks
Phil

Fwiw mate, I think the Hammer N4400 needs 20A. I've similar issues that I need to research and resolve

 

[Hickorystick]

Ah - well spotted ! Thanks..
I do need to talk to the sparky - Ive heard some machines draw a lot of power and will trip out on startup.
Maybe 30amp to be sure ... !

 

[Newbie_Neil]

I do need to talk to the sparky

You will need to have the work certified(Part P), so it's better to get the sparky involved beforehand. It will save a lot of grief.

 

[Hickorystick]

Yes - agree. Im just trying to do some of the more basic stuff myself to save some money and get the sparky to do the connections, consumer unit etc ...

 

[SeanG]

I had my lights and sockets on the same circuit, when the tablesaw tripped the CB the lights went out too.

I now have a consumer unit in the garage too .........

 

[Wildman]

Fuse a spare way in the house consumer unit to 30 amp, ensure the cable you run is thick enough for the supply needed in the workshop bearing in mind the distance involved and fit a second consumer unit in the workshop.

 

[Kev]

Had a similar issue when I did my workshop a few years back. FWIW I had a consumer unit added in the workshop itself (same as you, lighting circuit, sockets and a few 16amp sockets for different machines). Mine was then wired back to the main circuit board in the house with suitable ampage (is that a word?) breaker. Has worked well and had no problems with it whatsoever (kiss of death!) As others have said this needs a part P certificate and would always get someone in to do this as don't trust my own electrical.competence. The other good thing about having a separate circuit board is that you can isolate the workshop if needed (comes in handy when on holidays etc) for that extra piece of mind.

The other thing I would say is that don't under estimate how many lights you need to give you a good level of working light. I don't know how big your workshop is but it always surprises me how much light is needed to give you a good working environment in all parts of the workshop.

Hope this helps in some way.

Kev

 

[Deejay]

Afternoon Phil

Have a look at this thread ...

wiring-small-workshop-t84047.html

It seems to answer your questions.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Hickorystick]

Fuse a spare way in the house consumer unit to 30 amp, ensure the cable you run is thick enough for the supply needed in the workshop bearing in mind the distance involved and fit a second consumer unit in the workshop.

aha - this is what I'm interested in. WHen you say "fuse a spare way" do you simply mean finding a spare slot on the house consumer unit and plugging in a 30amp fuse then wiring back to that ?

 

[Hickorystick]

Deejay - thanks for the link - useful stuff. Seems like there's many a woodworker has been through this before me !!

Kev - my workshop is roughly 3.1mt x 6.5 mt
I was thinking 2 x 4ft fluorescents up each side and one more across the top end above the workbench - I think they are 36w.
So thats 5 tubes in total and I would then supplement that with a moveable (magnetic) spot where required.
Once Ive finished boarding it out and plasterboarded the ceiling it will all be painted off-white colour
I've not started yet so can easily put more in if it wasn't enough.
What do you think - does that sound like its enough ?

Phil

 

[woodpig]

I've used four of these 5 foot sealed units in my 5 x 3 metre workshop and the light levels are very good.
Having said that the walls have been painted a light colour.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/5ft-HF-W-Proof- ... W/p/118097

Being sealed means no dust or insects crawling about inside the units.

 

[The Bear]

To prevent your machines tripping on start up I believe you need to change the type of breaker, not the rating. If I remember correctly from a B to a C, but I'm not an electrician so please check which type you need with an expert.

Mark

 

[powertools]

I've used four of these 5 foot sealed units in my 5 x 3 metre workshop and the light levels are very good.
Having said that the walls have been painted a light colour.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/5ft-HF-W-Proof- ... W/p/118097

Being sealed means no dust or insects crawling about inside the units.

+1 for those lights

 

[Kev]

They are similar lights to mine and are very good as the cover diffuses the light and makes it easier to keep dust free. My workshop is about 7m x 5m with a high ceiling so have two double lights along the top and then five singles along three sides on the wall. I would think what you are suggesting would be fine.

Kev

 

[Eric The Viking]

+1 for getting a sparks involved early on.

For example, if the run to the workshop is between buildings, I believe you need a separate isolating switch (double pole) in the house, and you can't just to use a 30A MCB in the 'consumer unit' (distribution board).

In any case, because workshops tend to be the source of electrical problems fairly often, it's sensible to have a proper distribution board in the workshop, easily accessible, and to separately protect workshop lighting and power. Then you're (probably) not plunged into darkness when the inevitable happens. And yes, type 'C' breakers for inductive loads (i.e. bigger motors).

Most sparks prefer testing and signing off to the grunt work of running cable and hacking out holes for patress boxes.

Find someone whose work recommends them. Pay them to advise you (it shows you mean well). Explain about your woodwork kit. Do what they say, and pay them to connect it in and sign it off afterwards.

Either that or buy a lot of rubber gloves and matting:

 

[devonwoody]

have you allowed for dust extractors to machines if not, the time will come, even continuous running ones.

 

[Dee J]

Get your local friendly sparks to come and have a look and a chat. If the coffee and biscuits are good then they'll probably do a survey/quote for free. See if they're happy to work with you. Certainly I'd much prefer to be involved early on a project than be presented with a fait accompli. and I'm always happy to let the customer take on some of the basic slog of trench digging, wall chasing or cable pulling if they want to.

Dee (Napit Sparks)

 

[RogerS]

Fuse a spare way in the house consumer unit to 30 amp, ensure the cable you run is thick enough for the supply needed in the workshop bearing in mind the distance involved and fit a second consumer unit in the workshop.

aha - this is what I'm interested in. WHen you say "fuse a spare way" do you simply mean finding a spare slot on the house consumer unit and plugging in a 30amp fuse then wiring back to that ?

Yes, that is what he means. But if you don't have one then panic ye not as what you will need are Henley blocks which are inserted between your meter and your existing consumer unit and then a new feed is also taken off from the Henley block(s) to - here I'm not too sure whether it's a fused switch or what but get your sparky involved - that feeds the cable to your workshop. Armoured cable can also be tricky/awkward to terminate and not something easily fitted into a plastic cased consumer unit without a lot of care (but it's been a while and I could be off the mark here).

 

[Hickorystick]

Thanks all for the advice.
The moral of the story here is put the kettle on and ask the sparks to come round for a chat..
8)