Add addtional plugs to a grage

[james123]

Hi Guys,

I am attempting to do something, that I assumed was very simple. I would like to add two more double sockets into my garage. Having googled a lot, no one seems to have the same setup as me and all the advice is confusing. So hoping you lot may be able to help:

1) I have a feed entering the garage from the house. This is connected to the main house circuit and only become disconnected when I turn off all the downstairs sockets at the main consumer unit.
2) This feed is connected directly to a 13A Switched Fused Connection Unit
3) from this box, one wire goes to a double plug the other wire goes to a double light switch, controlling the two lights in the garage.

I would like to add another two double plugs off the main feed however I am unsure what the best way of doing this is:

1) Add them in series to the current plug
2) Add another fused spur before the current plug (this would mean, fused spur going into fused spur), then connect all three plugs off this spur
3) Add another fused spur before the current plug (same as above) however then only add one plug to this, and another fused spur, then adding the next plug and spur off this and so on.
4) am i going mad and there is a simple way to do this.

Thanks in advance,
James

 

[RogerS]

How about one of these ?

Simple solution.

 

[flying haggis]

is the fuse in the fused connection unit 5 or 6A? if it is it has been done to protect the lighhting side of the garage installation and it will limit what you can use so the best way is your option 2 ie fused connection unit with a 13A fuse feeding as many sockets as you want (you can only draw 13A however many sockets you have and use at once) and another FCU feeding the lighting switches and then the lights (if you dont need to switch the lights independently you dont need the double light switch and can just ues the switch on the FCU

 

[RogerS]

Is that allowed ? He already is on a fused spur off his downstairs ring.

 

[Alexam]

Hi James, I had almost the same in my garage, but there were two double sockets and the strip lights all feeding back to the house and a 13amp fuse. Until I had it inspected after several blown fuses, it was found that this was simply a spur off a wall socket in my office, the room nearest the garage.

It was OK for a while, but once I started to add equipment and a heater, the fuses blew when bandsaw or P/T started up. We ended up running a complete new cable to the mains input with an RCD (I think) and new fuse box in the garage and all was well.

You may find it OK for now, but it will depend on how much you will run off it later.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Similar issue in my garage/workshop.

There was a spare feed off the consumer unit to which I attached a double pole 13 amp fused connection unit. I then ran all the sockets (approx 8) from that connected with 2.5mm twin and earth cable.

I know that if all sockets were in use the 13A fuse would not survive - but it's not often I use the lathe, drill and bandsaw at the same time (in fact never). In fact the highest rated machine is a 1000w extractor!.


Terry

 

[Deejay]

Morning James

You have a FCU in the garage. What size cable supplies it?

It could have been fitted just to supply the lights, and fed by a 1.5 mm or even a 1.0 mm supply, and the sockets added later.

If you're unsure, get a spark in.

Cheers

Dave

 

[EddyCurrent]

I would rip out what you currently have, then install a small consumer unit in the garage, maybe 3 way. Draw a plan of where you want the sockets, mount them to the wall with surface back boxes, then join it all up with plastic conduit and wire with 2.5mm^2 singles. Now do the same for lights and switches using 1mm^2 singles.

 

[RogerS]

I would rip out what you currently have, then install a small consumer unit in the garage, maybe 3 way. Draw a plan of where you want the sockets, mount them to the wall with surface back boxes, then join it all up with plastic conduit and wire with 2.5mm^2 singles. Now do the same for lights and switches using 1mm^2 singles.

Unfortunately I think you will find that that level of work becomes notifiable under Part P. Daft, I know.

 

[petermillard]

I would rip out what you currently have, then install a small consumer unit in the garage, maybe 3 way. Draw a plan of where you want the sockets, mount them to the wall with surface back boxes, then join it all up with plastic conduit and wire with 2.5mm^2 singles. Now do the same for lights and switches using 1mm^2 singles.

Unfortunately I think you will find that that level of work becomes notifiable under Part P. Daft, I know.

Well, the OP did ask for the 'best' way, and whilst you could argue the toss about wiring it in singles/conduit, I don't think there's any doubt that a small garage CU with an RDC, feeding sockets and lights on separate circuits would be best - assuming you're keen to comply with all the regs of course.

Regs or not, I'd be unhappy with sockets and lights protected by the same FCU, since anything you do that blows the fuse would also take the lights out - not ideal; as Deejay says above, it sounds a bit like there's a cable been run to the garage for the lights, and that someone's tacked a double socket on there at a later date, so my first investigation would be into the size and condition of that cable, and its connection to the ground floor ring. There's nothing to stop the OP daisy-chaining another couple of double sockets off the existing one and nobody would be any the wiser, but I absolutely wouldn't advise it unless he's checked out everything mentioned above - or better still, had it done by someone who does it for a living.

Cheers, Pete

 

[WoodMangler]

I would rip out what you currently have, then install a small consumer unit in the garage, maybe 3 way. Draw a plan of where you want the sockets, mount them to the wall with surface back boxes, then join it all up with plastic conduit and wire with 2.5mm^2 singles. Now do the same for lights and switches using 1mm^2 singles.

Unfortunately I think you will find that that level of work becomes notifiable under Part P. Daft, I know.

I had a similar situation. I got a Part-P qualified electrician to install an underground cable to, and a consumer unit in, my shed, with a ring main in plastic conduit running around the walls above head height. He also wired in the first pair of sockets for me, so I could use power tools. I then added and wired-in 10 more socket-pairs where I needed them (I don't like extension leads...). The electrician then came back, checked over my work, and completed the Part-P for me. He also asked me if I wanted a job