workshop wiring

[Bradshaw Joinery]

HI Guys

Im currently renovating a steel framed buildingfor use as my new joinery workshop. im stuck for a method of getting the power to the machines, im currently thinking dropping the wires down from above on some sort of trunking mechanism. (i dont want cables in the ground as i dont know the layout yet....

is there a prefab trunking for doing drops of this type or am i better off making something myself from steel sections//timber?

 

[kostello]

Unistrut is probably what you need or cable tray, or both

I am not an electrician...

 

[woodpig]

^^ What he said, I'm not a sparks either but have used unistrut! It's available in a couple of different sections depending on what you need.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Most economical way is Unistrut with cable tray on it.
Then fix to the cable tray appropriate number of sockets, more than you think, trailing lead dropping down to each machine. Make any switchgear accessible i.e. not 3 metres in the air.
Then if you move or add something its just plug and play.

There are more sophisticated systems. i.e. busbar. just depends on needs, budget and how long you will be in the space.

HTH

 

[RobinBHM]

I rewired our whole factory and used 75mm x 75mm trunking (although in hindsight would've gone for larger), the trunking allowed me to run multiple single wires to each 3 phase machine rather than SWA. I also ran singles for lighting and 240v ring for sockets.

If your running a 4-sider or widebelt sander you may want 16 or 25mm SWA cable which is really heavy and is a pain to terminate, wheras single cables are cheap and easy to run. Where I needed to exit for a machine, I drilled a 25mm hole in the trunking, connected plastice conduit and ran that down to the machines isolator. The key always is that the distribution board mcb rating must always be lower than the cable rating, so the fuse will trip before the cable overheats.

Cable sizes are calculated on whether they are run in an open cable tray, enclosed or in an swa cable form, as heat loss varies.

I ended up installing the distribution board and all of the trunking and cable runs to save money, I was quoted £13k+vat! materials cost me about £4k including 30 6ft HF fluorescent lights with polycarbonate covers

 

[Bradshaw Joinery]

Hi robin,

Thanks for the info, we actually finished the wiring yesterday, or very nearly atleast, and have done pretty much exactly as youve suggested, similar to how our old workshop was done, 4" galv trunking around the edges, and 25mm pvc pipe to sockets lights and machinery. I will get some pictures up, really happy with how its turned out!
We did two workshops 20 way board, about 70m trunking, 4000m cable 11 3ph commando switches, lights, outdoor lights, sockets etc, and i think its probably cost £4k with the sparkys connecting everything up. Alot of work though.

 

[Bradshaw Joinery]

Couple of pics of the wiring/conduit incase it helps anyone.

 

[n0legs]

You need some blanking plates for all the empty mcb ways in the consumer unit.
Looks good, nice size workshop

 

[CHJ]

Looking neat and tidy, did you incorporate any safety stop points around the shop?
In the hangar installations I had them every 10metres or so in main thoroughfares in case of machine accidents, does help in the conscience stakes if you have multiple operatives, mind you that was with a shop consuming 4 megawatts at full load.

 

[RobinBHM]

Neat job

It looks like youve put white melamine mdf sheets around or similar, then run the trunking near the top -Ive done very similar. I then went on to run a air ring main around 22mm ring and 15mm drops using thr blue john guest pipes (actually sold at toolstation).

Take lots of pics now, to remind yourself what a workshop looks like with no dust!

 

[Higon]

Neat job
snip...

I then went on to run a air ring main around 22mm ring and 15mm drops using thr blue john guest pipes (actually sold at toolstation).

snip

Don't suppose you have a link for the 'blue john guest pipes' (gas?) do you? Toolstation search is coming up blank on it..
TIA

 

[RobinBHM]

On the toolstation website try this link

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p24118

In the catalogue it is difficult to find, somewhere in the automotive section AFAIR

 

[Bradshaw Joinery]

The blankimg plates are on order, but otherwise its complete. Its nice to have a start button for the extraction inside the building!!!

The panels are cold store pannels, 100mm thick, so hopefully help to keep the room nice and dry. And warm if i ever sort heating out... The floor has 2" celotex under it too, and the roof 2"spray foam from the top of the cold store pannels.
With the plastic pannels, are there supports wherr you plug.your airline qr fitting in, like a brass Block. I think were probably going to use galv piping as we have done next door and connect onto that, weve got the threading tool.etc and its nice and solid once its up.