Workshop/Garage Power Upgrade

[Jim22]

Hi all,

I have been lurking on this forum for advice for a long time now, but not found an answer to this particular question.

I currently have power to my garage which consists of 6mm cable feeding into a 32A cartridge fuse, which then feeds one socket :? . I would like to add another 4 or 5 sockets, but from what I have read it is Part P work. Is this the case?

All my tools are 13A and I only use a tool (tablesaw) and a Vac in tandem. Therefore i was planning to wire the 5m stretch with 4mm T+E in a radial circuit, ran in conduit. Would anyone suggest doing it different, using a ring instead etc?

Was hoping this would be a cheap upgrade, but if i do need to get a sparky in, can anyone in the Bristol area recommend one?

A long winded questions, so thanks for any help and advice.

All the best,
Jim

 

[LancsRick]

So is the feed to the garage at the moment a spur (32A?!), or is there a proper ring return?

If it's a ring then you're fine adding sockets yourself, adding them to an existing ring is not notifiable under Part P.

 

[DaveyP]

As your power requirements are low, for simplicity and major cost effectiveness....

A home made or shop brought extension lead / collection of sockets that are not permanently fixed (detachable) would seem to escape the slings and arrows of part p, even if the extending cable was protected by conduit.

Providing of course that the 'lead' was protected by a fused plug, (I'd really consider using an rcd version)

Using flexible cable in the conduit rather than T&E is an option to make wiring the plug easier.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hi - the simple fact that the garage CU contains cartridge fuse(s) indicates that your garage wiring could probably do with updating. I can't remember what Part P says with enough clarity, but regardless of what it does say I'd take professional advice. One thing which may not be obvious, for example, (and can't be checked without expensive/specialist test gear) is the quality of the earth connection in the garage - is it good enough to enable a 'safe' disconnect time for an RCD/RCBO? Your health and safety (and your continuing insurance cover) are worth the cost of professional advice IMHO. Cheers, W2S

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Do it properly. Do it once.

 

[MMUK]

Hi - the simple fact that the garage CU contains cartridge fuse(s) indicates that your garage wiring could probably do with updating. I can't remember what Part P says with enough clarity, but regardless of what it does say I'd take professional advice. One thing which may not be obvious, for example, (and can't be checked without expensive/specialist test gear) is the quality of the earth connection in the garage - is it good enough to enable a 'safe' disconnect time for an RCD/RCBO? Your health and safety (and your continuing insurance cover) are worth the cost of professional advice IMHO. Cheers, W2S

+1.

As you don't know the condition of the existing wiring, adding sockets to this circuit could prove dangerous regardless of load. As a minimum you would need to replace the cartridge fuse for a trip. How is the 6mm supply cable terminated within the house? Does it pass through your main house fuse board or a separate isolator? Is the 6mm cable above or below ground? Is it armoured or contained in a conduit? Is the 6mm cable sufficiently earthed?

As far as the internal circuit goes, a ring using 2.5mm is sufficient and most cost effective.

 

[Jim22]

Hi all,

Really sorry for the late response - I did read the comments but some family stuff happened. Anyway, I think i will refit the garage with electrics at a later date. Delving deeper into the older forum posts here, it seems fitting new electrics outside the new wall boards will be a better solution - and so I can do it when I have got everything back in and know where i want it.

After reading the comments here I will certainly get a sparky in to do the work too! Looking back over the paper work for the house (we bought it a few years ago), i am not so sure much of it was professionally done to start with.

Thanks again all,
Jim