Help Need Some Work Doing In The Garage,

[Rizla.Riz]

Currently just had a garage make and it has eleticial shutters.

The builder ran a wire from the kitchen to the garage using a normal plug, was wondering could l use that 1 power supply into the garage and add a consumer unit and run 3 tuble lights and 5 power sockets or would l need more power to the garage

 

[ProDave]

No

Get an electrician to do a proper job. Cascading that lot off a bit of flex and a 13A plug is just asking for something somewhere to overheat.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Currently just had a garage make and it has eleticial shutters.

The builder ran a wire from the kitchen to the garage using a normal plug, was wondering could l use that 1 power supply into the garage and add a consumer unit and run 3 tuble lights and 5 power sockets or would l need more power to the garage

1/ Welcome to the forum...

Just saying you have five power sockets does not give any indication of what you want to have plugged into those sockets..

Could be a battery charger for drill or a welder..

very different beasties....

(bit like me asking you I have five carrier bags...  is that enough to carry my shopping??)

2/ How far is the garage from the house? joined to it or separate?

3/ Wasn't the builder contracted to put some power into the garage?

If YES... why hasn't he done it properly.?

If NO.. why has he done a half baked plug into the kitchen arrangement?

Either way...

We need more info!

:coffee

 

[Rizla.Riz]

Hi

well l am planning to put a TV and PS3 so wouldnt be doing anything extra then what l normally do in the house charging phone, mini fridge

well the builder l had issues with as he told us would only take a month and in the 3rd month l got tired and got rid of him but as he concerted the drive way and put the 1 single power line in and when the new builder came was told to either take it out and l left it and the new builder just finished off the construction of the garage as l was short of cash

house is 3 metres from the garge

much appricated for your help.

Thanks

 

[binky]

Builders and electrics - not a good combination. Would recommend getting proper supply to garage, otherwise you effectively just have a large extension lead. Oddly enough this is legal as its not part of the hardwired system, but it certainly isn't good.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi

well l am planning to put a TV and PS3 so wouldnt be doing anything extra then what l normally do in the house charging phone, mini fridge

Thanks

Hmmmm 

TV & PS3 in the garage??

Sounds more like a sort of recreation / chill out / playroom / gym..  etc..

sort of place to me rather than a "GARAGE" with a handful of power tools ect..

What is the realistic probability that this is going to be in use during the winter when its cold and you will be wanting to plug some electric heaters in as well???

Just the TV & PS3 & few lights  is not going to be too much of a problem..

but heaters can add a lot more power requirement .. i.e. bigger cable's & appropriate fusing!

 

[wozz]

Builders and electrics - not a good combination. Would recommend getting proper supply to garage, otherwise you effectively just have a large extension lead. Oddly enough this is legal as its not part of the hardwired system, but it certainly isn't good.

Part p has a different take. Can't remember the wording but definatley mentions plugs. Would find it but away at the moment.

 

[binky]

don't remember seeing plugs in Part P, but its a fair while since i did that course. I was thinking of the Inspection Guidelines which basically discount extension leads cos we only inspect the hardwired system. There, from memeory, references to plugs, like using 2 on a length of cable to join a ring circuit, overheating etc etc. But I think extension leads get discounted due to having a 13A fuse so limited load, and being temporary in nature. I've always thought this to be an oversight, you could in theory install a few double sockets by your CU and run house on extension leads from there, discounting the need for real circuits!

 

[Rizla.Riz]

well just had the electrician out to have a look awaiting quote .

Been advised that l need to run from the main box in the house to the garage and without that its not going to work,

The power box in the house is the other side of the house so to bring the cable from there to the garage is going to be a mission and need the 2.5 mm cable for outside which is aparantly quite expensive have a feeling its going to cost me over £300 quid so might have to sack it as dont have that kind of money.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Personally I would always recommend all garage/shed/garden supplies are taken back to their own circuit at the consumer unit, rather than tapping of an existing circuit.

Re your cable prices...

for example 25m of 2.5mm SWA can be obtained for £42.00

http://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-lv-armoured-3-core-black-2-5mm-25m-cable-reel/38769

But for a touch more, £56.00,  I would suggests 4.0mm would be a better option give more capacity..

http://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-lv-armoured-3-core-black-4mm-25m-cable-reel/67843

If you cant afford it now...

may be worth considering for budgeting as a later project!

 

[ProDave]

This thread highlights why people should get advice early on in a project.

The OP has just had a garage built, which will have involved a lot of ground work, no doubt a digger on site and a lot of making good afterwards.

If he had asked early on, we would have advised burying a SWA cable from the existing CU in the house across to the garage. A job that would have been easy with a digger on site before it was all made good.

But you really would have thought the builder would have known that (since they were installing an electric garage door) and advised that at the outset?

Now, when it's all finished and made good is not the time to be thinking of digging a trench to bury a SWA. But sadly there is really no other way to do it properly.

What did your contract with the builder say? If it mentioned he would install the electrics, get him and his digger back to complete the job that he should have done.