Wiring a garage.

kop77

Hi, I'm thinking of wiring my garage myself but I know little about wiring so I will need to do my homework first, but if the money was right I might consider getting it done by an electrican. Before you say how long is a piece of string would any of you know a ballpark price for wiring a garage with;

4 double sockets,
2 double light switches,
2 double tube/bulb lights,
fuse box, back sockets, steel conduit etc etc

and anything else materials wise that I may be forgetting. No chasing needed. I have a cable coming from the house to the garage from the time the house was built and as far as I know its going through the fuse box in the house.

Thanks.

M cebee

get a few quotes- no point going near it if you know little about wiring

Bruthal

M cebee wrote: »

get a few quotes- no point going near it if you know little about wiring

Do the above kop77

paddy147

Get all your stuff from an electrical wholesalers.

If you are running power cable outdoors,from house to garage externally then it has to be SWA cable.;)

I used a 3 core 10square SWA cable and ran it underground from the mains fuseboard out to the garage to a seperate IP rated fuseboard in the garage.

Fully kitted out IP rated fuse board for a garage will be around the 90-120 euro mark,depending on where you go to get it.

It has to be IP rated for a garage due to water/condensation/dampness.Also use steel back boxes,plates and conduit,this is to prevent any damage from any work you might be doing in the garage.

Place your sockets at around the 4 feet hight mark,that will mean that you can install work benches and clamp benches and still have the sockets about the worktop area for ease of use.

Also makes sure that the garage has a 63amp mains fuse/switch aswell.

If the garage overloads or tripps out,then it wont send the existing house into darkness aswell.

M cebee

what is that blue cable
did you get your sparkie back to change that main rcd he fitted:eek:

Randyleprechaun

paddy147 wrote: »

Get all your stuff from an electrical wholesalers.

If you are running power cable outdoors,from house to garage externally then it has to be SWA cable.;)

I used a 3 core 10square SWA cable and ran it underground from the mains fuseboard out to the garage to a seperate IP rated fuseboard in the garage.

Fully kitted out IP rated fuse board for a garage will be around the 90-120 euro mark,depending on where you go to get it.

It has to be IP rated for a garage due to water/condensation/dampness.Also use steel back boxes,plates and conduit,this is to prevent any damage from any work you might be doing in the garage.

Place your sockets at around the 4 feet hight mark,that will mean that you can install work benches and clamp benches and still have the sockets about the worktop area for ease of use.

Also makes sure that the garage has a 63amp mains fuse/switch aswell.

If the garage overloads or tripps out,then it wont send the existing house into darkness aswell.

All sounds good except that the switch fuse in the garage. I'd use 40A or 35A. (Maybe your post didn't mean to have a 63A fuse, maybe you just meant switch fuse unit, apologies if so)

If supplying the garage with a 10mm2 SWA from house then I'd:

Put a switch fuse in the house consumer unit with a 50A fuse in it. Feed it of the lighting busbar or anywhere that is not through the house RCD(s).

Put another switch fuse unit in the garage consumer unit with a 40A fuse in it. This will give discrimination between house and garage and ESB while still allowing a good load to the garage.

Alternatively use a 40A in the house and a 35A in the garage

Randyleprechaun

Also

Use proper glands of the correct size on the SWA cable and ensure that the steel strands are earthed correctly.....MOST IMPORTANT

Stoner

I've no idea how much something like this would cost now. There is a diagram for a garage consumer unit in the circuit diagram sitcky, something IP55 will do.

I looked at some prewired outbuilding consumer units, all i could find was some UK ones like this
http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/gu56316-32/garage-consumer-unit/dp/PL10664?whydiditmatch=clone&matchedProduct=pl1066487&Ntt=pl1066487

but like Randyleprechaun I'd rather a switch fuse so don't get the above, it's a pity though as a nice good value prewired unit would save time.

OP do you need to use steel conduit? you could save yourself some money not using it although they would be straight runs I guess. If is a workshop then the steel would provide mechanical protection, but plastic conduit may suit. Sometimes simple white plastic sockets and switches using white surface conduit is the best option.

If this was my garage I'd use NJMJ cable with white pastic conduit drops.

Randyleprechaun

Stoner wrote: »

I've no idea how much something like this would cost now. There is a diagram for a garage consumer unit in the circuit diagram sitcky, something IP55 will do.

I looked at some prewired outbuilding consumer units, all i could find was some UK ones like this
http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/gu56316-32/garage-consumer-unit/dp/PL10664?whydiditmatch=clone&matchedProduct=pl1066487&Ntt=pl1066487

but like Randyleprechaun I'd rather a switch fuse so don't get the above, it's a pity though as a nice good value prewired unit would save time.

OP do you need to use steel conduit? you could save yourself some money not using it although they would be straight runs I guess. If is a workshop then the steel would provide mechanical protection, but plastic conduit may suit. Sometimes simple white plastic sockets and switches using white surface conduit is the best option.

If this was my garage I'd use NJMJ cable with white pastic conduit drops.

Totally agree, steel conduit may perhaps be an overkill depending on what the shed/garage will be used for. Plastic conduit and NYMJ cable would save alot of time over the steel conduit. All though as stated above they would be all straight runs.

M cebee

i'd just fit mcb/fuse at house and isolating switch in garage

that's the way sub-mains are done where i work mostly

paddy147

Blue cable is for the fused spur,that the roller shutter door company asked to be installed,so that they could fit and wire in the remote box for the electric garage door.

Bruthal

Plastic conduit with steel surface boxes and sockets i have done a few times.

paddy147

M cebee wrote: »

i'd just fit mcb/fuse at house and isolating switch in garage

that's the way sub-mains are done where i work mostly

Well thats my mains fuseboard in the house

The 63A switch/fuse in the top right hand corner of the fuseboard (no 12),is what the electrican installed when he hooked up the SWA cable to the mains/house fuseboard.

The other pics shows my garage fuse board.

Dont know if its right or wrong,as Im not a sparks,and never will be either.

Randyleprechaun

M cebee wrote: »

i'd just fit mcb/fuse at house and isolating switch in garage

that's the way sub-mains are done where i work mostly

That would be fine too

Randyleprechaun

paddy147 wrote: »

Well thats my mains fuseboard in the house

The 63A switch/fuse in the top right hand corner of the fuseboard (no 12),is what the electrican installed when he hooked up the SWA cable to the mains/house fuseboard.

Dont know if its right or wrong,as Im not a sparks,and never will be either.

Probably a 50A or 40A feeding a smaller size or isolator as posted elsewhere!!!

It's done properly all right I'd say

paddy147

Randyleprechaun wrote: »

Probably a 50A or 40A feeding a smaller size or isolator as posted elsewhere!!!

It's done properly all right I'd say

Ive added a pic of the garage fuseboard too,if you want to have a look at that,thanks.:)

Randyleprechaun

paddy147 wrote: »

Ive added a pic of the garage fuseboard too,if you want to have a look at that,thanks.:)

Doesn't look like theres an isolator in the garage(is that all that's in the garage board?), unless he has everything fed through the RCD and is using that as an isolator also.

If so, it's not great as if the RCD trips due to a faulty appliance plugged into a socket, then your lights go also, and you'll trip over something and bang the aul head trying to get to the board or whatever!!!!!!

M cebee

not the worst -it's in the garage anyhow

they do it in the uk for TT outbuildings ( an rcd main switch)

not as bad as that crack- rcd'ing the cable anyhow:)

paddy147

Randyleprechaun wrote: »

Doesn't look like theres an isolator in the garage(is that all that's in the garage board?), unless he has everything fed through the RCD and is using that as an isolator also.

If so, it's not great as if the RCD trips due to a faulty appliance plugged into a socket, then your lights go also, and you'll trip over something and bang the aul head trying to get to the board or whatever!!!!!!

yep,thats all thats in my garage fuseboard.

I have 4 double sockets,2 CFL lights and then the fused spur and leccy roller garage door.They all go to the garage fuseboard.

I havent a clue as to what way its exactly all wired up with regards the SWA,the garage fuseboard back to the mains house fuseboard.

oldhead

Paddy 147, just wondering is that your own garage or someone you just did a job for. just wondering because it looks like a very secure and neat garage door. just wondering who was it got off.
thanks in advance

paddy147 wrote: »

Get all your stuff from an electrical wholesalers.

If you are running power cable outdoors,from house to garage externally then it has to be SWA cable.;)

I used a 3 core 10square SWA cable and ran it underground from the mains fuseboard out to the garage to a seperate IP rated fuseboard in the garage.

Fully kitted out IP rated fuse board for a garage will be around the 90-120 euro mark,depending on where you go to get it.

It has to be IP rated for a garage due to water/condensation/dampness.Also use steel back boxes,plates and conduit,this is to prevent any damage from any work you might be doing in the garage.

Place your sockets at around the 4 feet hight mark,that will mean that you can install work benches and clamp benches and still have the sockets about the worktop area for ease of use.

Also makes sure that the garage has a 63amp mains fuse/switch aswell.

If the garage overloads or tripps out,then it wont send the existing house into darkness aswell.

paddy147

oldhead wrote: »

Paddy 147, just wondering is that your own garage or someone you just did a job for. just wondering because it looks like a very secure and neat garage door. just wondering who was it got off.
thanks in advance

Thats my own garage,builder built it for me,the electrician he uses,came along and wired it up for me.

The SWA was allready run through the house and then ran down the garden underground to the garage and in place for him (saved alot of money this way),and the fuseboard was there for him too,he just came along and made it all work and made it all live at both fuseboards.

CS Roller/Security Shutters installed the leccy garage door (industrial spec) and wired it into the fused sput that they has asked me to have installed for them.:)

Damien,the company owner/director is the man to speak to,hes a very sound man and looks after his customers.

If they are good enough for the likes of Tesco,02,Meteor,Topshop and other companies,then they are good enough for me

http://www.cs-shutters.ie/

oldhead

Many thanks paddy. i must give them a buzz

paddy147 wrote: »

Thats my own garage,builder built it for me,the electrician he uses,came along and wired it up for me.

The SWA was allready run through the house and then ran down the garden underground to the garage and in place for him (saved alot of money this way),and the fuseboard was there for him too,he just came along and made it all work and made it all live at both fuseboards.

CS Roller/Security Shutters installed the leccy garage door (industrial spec) and wired it into the fused sput that they has asked me to have installed for them.:)

Damien,the company owner/director is the man to speak to,hes a very sound man and looks after his customers.

If they are good enough for the likes of Tesco,02,Meteor,Topshop and other companies,then they are good enough for me

http://www.cs-shutters.ie/

beanie10

kop77 wrote: »

Hi, I'm thinking of wiring my garage myself but I know little about wiring so I will need to do my homework first, but if the money was right I might consider getting it done by an electrican. Before you say how long is a piece of string would any of you know a ballpark price for wiring a garage with;

4 double sockets,
2 double light switches,
2 double tube/bulb lights,
fuse box, back sockets, steel conduit etc etc

and anything else materials wise that I may be forgetting. No chasing needed. I have a cable coming from the house to the garage from the time the house was built and as far as I know its going through the fuse box in the house.

Thanks.

You are looking a €800-€900 plus for all that supply and fit, no chasing and sub main cable already ran out.

Stoner

M cebee wrote: »

not the worst -it's in the garage anyhow

they do it in the uk for TT outbuildings ( an rcd main switch)

not as bad as that crack- rcd'ing the cable anyhow:)

that's the unit I linked to ready wired and ready to go.