Workshop socket layout

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DomP

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I'm at the stage of laying out my sockets and lighting in my workshop, I plan on running 25mm conduit but cant decide whether to run it horizontally from socket to socket or across the top of the wall and drop down to each double socket. What are everyone's thoughts?

Spacing I thought 12-1500mm between each socket and at minimum of 1200mm from the floor.
 
I am not sure about whether vertical or horizontal is compliant or really matters - but I would plan on double the number of sockets/halve the spacing.

Any machine may additionally require a task light. If you have machines on castors because of space constraints you don't want wires trailing across the floor to a spare socket. Finally, whilst some machines may take up 1200-1500mm, some like bench grinders may be much closer.
 
Not sure if it’s relevant and I’m not an electrician, but the one who did my workshop put 50mm square trunking all around the top of the room with 25mm circular drops every 2400, some have never been used whilst I could have done with another where a workstation for sanders is. He used loose wires in the trunking etc, I think it saves cash on buying and his time stripping off the outer covering.
How many and where does depend on the size of your workshop to some extent. But definitely worthwhile planning with a scale drawing and bits of card of your equipment also to scale.
Ian
Edit, one important thing I got wrong was that I had lined the interior with 2x4’s with insulation between, where I went wrong was using the big timbers for the wiring and sockets on the drops, this meant there was precious little else to fasten things to on the walls. Planning is so important.
 
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@Cabinetman mentions the way to go, it is how it is done in industrial plants where you have box trunking with drops to metalclad 13 amp sockets or three phase isolators and makes it easy to add in the future. In a home workshop PVC conduit is fine for the drops and use metalclad sockets as the normal plastic types are just brittle and don't like impacts. When it comes to the wiring forget you have ever heard of the word ring main, do it properly with radials and make sure it is fully tested to ensure that it not only functions but is safe and compliant.
 
+1 for 16a sockets. I used the cheapest twin sockets I could find on the theory that nearly everything I used would be plugged in permanently, and if I every damaged one or had one fail it would be cheap to replace - metal clad are ideal, but if you install 25 as I did the cost escalates dramatically. In ten years I didn't damage one or have one fail. I had three led panels fail within 12 months of installation.
 
I was fortunate that the garages / workshop was part of the house which is built into a hill so came ready wired but if I was doings it from scratch I would have a look at dado trunking which is neat and does allow some moving and adding sockets once you know how you will use the space.
If your workshop is wide I would also install an overhead cable reel that can be used in the middle and also stretches outside for some of the messier jobs so that there’s less chance of tripping etc
 
Put conduit or better, trunking around the top of your wall and drop 20 or 25mm conduit down to your sockets as required.
For a diy workshop, plastic is good enough.
Keep as much of your wall clear as possible. My walls are covered in shelving, french cleats, wall mounter air filter, wall mounted motor drives, etc, so place your conduit drops where they won't overly restrict your use of the walls. Eg on narrower features of the walls or between your storage.
Take time to plan this and have your workshop layout figured first.
Surface mounted outlets, conduits etc can be reconfigured if you have a major revision of your shop layout. Wire it up in what electricians call "singles". Individual reels or brown, blue and green/yellow wire. The conduit serves in place of the sheath on ordinary twin and earth wiring.
Use metalclad double power sockets in surface mount boxes.
Include one or two strategically placed 16A blue CE sockets if you are likely to use machines with bigger than 1500-1600W induction motors. These should be "switched, interlocked" types that lock the plug into the socket when you turn them on.

A trick for a small shop if you need a power point above a bench or wherever is to fit a fused switched outlet high on the wall or even the ceiling, and wire a blue CE 16A trailing socket into that on a couple of feet of flex. This limits you to 13A but protects the circuit as CE plugs and sockets don't have a fuse like a normal mains plug. The trailing socket can then be hung from the ceiling on a short length of chain. This is handy if for instance you want to plug in an orbital sander. My pillar drill is plugged into one of these.
Using CE connectors here isn't about power, it's because they are physically robust and have a sprung cover which acts as a latch to hold the plug in place. They also often have a strong eye on the side where a chain or cord can be connected.

Finally, once the wall is covered in benches and storage, access to the lower part of the wall is awkward. I have no power outlets on the lower half of my walls. Every socket is above bench height plus a few extra inches so the cords have room to hang and bend before they hit a surface. Install them like you would the sockets above your kitchen worktop.

A few vine eye type metal eyelets screwed into the ceiling timbers is handy for suspending cables. If I need an extension cable, like as not it gets plugged into a 16A switched socket or one of the suspended ones I mentioned, then I string the flex from eyelet to eyelet across the ceiling with a quick cord tie. The huge advantage of this is that the cord doesn't drag across machines or work surfaces, nor is it on the floor which is already small enough and I'm not stomping or tripping on it.
 
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Something you may wish to consider is a master cut off for all or most of the sockets. I'm planning on doing this in my garage. The point being that whilst I know not to stick my hand in any of the equipment it is easy for my kid to wander in and switch something on. This would be in addition to ensuring things are left as safely as poss (blade guards down etc) and numerous warnings to my kid about how dangerous things are.

Or maybe if your benching is all setup installing kill switches for certain sockets at the front of the bench so you can hit them with your knee. When you finish just knock the kill switch. I've got an extension lead I setup with a killswitch so I can stand on it if I can't let go of something to get to the machine stop switch.
 
On my home workshop I opted to run the conduits horizontally (pictures here). In my case I did it for two reasons: first, as the workshop is build using solid wood "logs", I was advised by the manufacture to account for seasonal expansion and contraction, hence I wanted to avoid verticals as much as possible. I explained this to the electrician and he ensured to allow for the vertical conduit to move. Secondly, I thought that if in the future I decide to run French cleats along the walls, I would not like to have the conduits as obstacles.
One thing that helped me was to layout on the wall exactly where I wanted the conduits and the sockets using masking tape (you can see on the picture here). when the electrician came, it was much easier to explain and discuss the layout this way.
Good luck with your new workshop.
 
Blimey, I wasn't expecting such a reaction to this so thank you everyone, lots of good points to ponder.

I'm torn between vertical and horizontal conduit, they both have their pros and cons. As I regularly fit kitchens I'd decided to place the sockets at around kitchen height so no less than 1200mm. Running trunking around the top of the walls would clash with my rafters which are exposed due to having insulates panels on purlins unless I drop the trunking down 150ish mm. Too many decisions!
 
I’d personally run it across the top and drop down to each socket. It keeps things cleaner and more out of the way, plus you don’t have to worry about the conduit interfering with your workspace. I spaced my sockets about 1200mm off the floor, and it worked well. I think your spacing sounds good too—it gives you room to adjust without making the space feel cramped. Just be mindful of where you place everything to avoid any future annoyances, like blocking tools or equipment.
 
I think no matter how much I plan my space (30m²) it will evolve and things will be moved so that might include the sockets which is why i went with surface mounted.

One question, why do people say to go for a radial circuit? My electrician says ring all the way.
 
Not read all the posts, however if you drop wire down ….. think about protecting it. So easy to move a machine and smash the covering over the wiring
If iam teaching gran ma to suck eggs…..sorry gran lol
 
The majority of electrical socket's in my workshop are over head height over the workbench and assembly area. Saves cables dragging across the floor, getting worn and preventing trip hazard. The only ones that aren't are the ones for the grinder, radio, phone charger base and router table.
 
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