How Many Sockets...

[Calpol]

...and how far between them? Gonna need a fair few obviously, anybody any suggestions on how many to get in and how far between them? The building is probably a bit bigger than the size of a garage

 

[Newbie_Neil]

IIRC, I have thirty'ish sockets in a single garage.

I worked on the basis that they didn't cost a fortune and I wanted power everywhere. They're all on the same ring as I will only have a limited number on at any time.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[AndyBoyd]

I too have 30:

6 per wall evenly spaced (24)

4 in the floor (put down flexible conduits before the concrete floor was poured ) (under bench, table saw and planer)

and 2 in the beams above the bench

Some are rated 16A and they can be rewired if the 16A location needs changing.

 

[AndyBoyd]

a g

 

[Calpol]

One wall is taken up by the door, but one of the other walls curves round so is about 1.5 times the size of t'other ones. (does that make sense?)

30 sounds pretty good though, I'm trying to price it up so I can talk to the 'lectrician about it when he comes round. And will probably get some put in under the concrete as well, good point as it's nearly going down! Cheers Neil & Andy

 

[p111dom]

It can be a bit of a mine field this one. If you're in England as (far as I can understand it) the current regulations say that installaton have to be done by a qualified person and list a definition as to what qualifications you need so be careful you don't fall foul of the law here. You have to have work carried out to be tested and a certificate of compliance with BS7671 supplied. Some people say that you can do you own wiring and get an electrician in to do the final connection/commissioning and providing the relevant cert. The difficulty is that many find problems finding a sparky who's prepared to certificate a job he hasn't fitted so it's easy to get stuck.

In Scotland there's nothing to stop you installing your own electrics (contrary to popular belief). The law says wiring must be undertaken by a competent person but provides no definition as to what you need to hold to be considered as such. That said, the laws up here also say that all work carried out has to comply with BS7671. This again usually means letting an electrician do the final connection to issue a cert. Or you could ignore the cert but if at a later date you had say a fire and your insurance found out you have done your own wiring without it being cheacked and a cert issued then they may not pay out. Also if you ever sell your house a buyers solicitor may require you to provide a cert to prove the work complies with BS7671. In this case you can just pull the wire out and call it decommissioned.

If you're in any doubt there ia a electricians forum on the screwfix direct web site where you can ask. I've found it very helpfull in the past.

 

[Calpol]

Wahey, I live in Scotland! I have spoken to an electrician already and he's running an armoured cable through the barn (where the power goes in) and into the workshop, and fitting a new consumer unit. I'd rather a qualified gadgy did that bit, but my pal knows a fair bit about electrics so if he's able to fit the sockets and lights and stuff, then excellent!

Still at college y'see, trying to keep the costs of sorting out the building down so I can get some stuff inside it when it's done!

 

[Chris Knight]

Just make sure some of them are wired and rated for 16 amps or more as when you inevitably buy a bigger saw etc you will need it - DAMHIKT.

 

[Calpol]

Sounds like a plan, I'll ask the electrician about that

 

[woodbloke]

I've got about 20 with a few in the middle of the shop for the csaw etc. As I have a suspended floor to the 'shop it's quite easy to run the cable underneath...bit trickier with a concrete floor tho' - Rob

 

[Calpol]

Well the concrete isn't down yet so I'll do the flexible conduit thing and run them to where I think they should be... In theory!

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Calpol

AFAIK, there's nothing to stop you doing all of the "grunt" work by drilling holes, fitting and wiring the boxes so that the electrician can verify your work and connect it all to the box.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Calpol]

That's also a plan. He said he'd come round in a week or two for a blether about it, so might draw up some plans and see what he says. I'll keep you all posted though, thanks for all the help

Calum

 

[OllyK]

It can be a bit of a mine field this one. If you're in England as (far as I can understand it) the current regulations say that installaton have to be done by a qualified person and list a definition as to what qualifications you need so be careful you don't fall foul of the law here. You have to have work carried out to be tested and a certificate of compliance with BS7671 supplied. Some people say that you can do you own wiring and get an electrician in to do the final connection/commissioning and providing the relevant cert. The difficulty is that many find problems finding a sparky who's prepared to certificate a job he hasn't fitted so it's easy to get stuck.

Fortunately my Sparky is happy to work on that basis, I've laboured for him on other occasions so he knows that I know what I am doing, I just check the spec of cable with him for the job before I start. I do believe that you can also do the work yourself and get the local council to inspect and sign off, no doubt for a charge.

 

[White House Workshop]

Biggest problem I've got is not enough light! Loads of flu-tubes, a couple of fixed bulbs and an Anglepoise is just not enough at times. Fine during the day, but at night it's sometimes just too dark....

 

[Calpol]

There is only 2 tiny windows in it justnow, about 100 x 400mm and they'll be covered by any work surfaces anyway as they're only about 300mm from the floor, so I'm going to make the doors half glass I think... But I'll talk to the spark and see what he reckons

 

[Karl]

I do believe that you can also do the work yourself and get the local council to inspect and sign off, no doubt for a charge.

That's if your local council have got somebody who is qualified to inspect & sign off - mine haven't :shock:

Cheers

Karl