As most of you will know I've been asking questions all over the place in recent weeks on issues to do with wiring my workshop for some new machines - my thanks again to all of you who have helped.
I've done a lot of reading on what's on the web too, got a copy of Alex Weiss' Workshop Electrics - but there always seemed to be questions left unanswered. It's a bit like pulling a thread on a sweater.
In a moment of clarity I decided yesterday that I'd better bite the bullet and invest in a proper wiring manual.
'The Electrician's Guide' to the 17th Edition of the IEE wiring regulations by John Whitfield. 2nd Edition published in June 2010 by EPA Press. ISBN 978 0 9537885 seems to be the answer to the maiden's prayer. It's a soft cover, and cost me about €40.
A few hours reading has shown that it's very nicely pitched. It starts each topic with principles so that the reasons for doing things are clear, but in a very clear, concise and easily read form. You can go straight in to the section covering specific subjects without having to search all over the place to piece a picture together.
Having covered the building blocks (stuff like safety, switching, cables, conduit, various protections, earthing and related basic calculations and the like it goes on to look at various common circuits (ring mains, radials and the like); then inspection and testing, and then reviews special installations in more detail. (like bathrooms, caravans, outdoors, IT power, alarm systems and lots more)
It doesn't get down to the level of 'put this wire in this hole', but it does set out very clearly how to wire most sorts of circuits in accordance with the IEE regs. The focus is not the rules, rather it very nicely explains the underlying theory and considerations, and then sets out how to configure/wire the various sorts of circuits/systems.
It's not the cheapest, but it's well worth a browse in a bookshop to check it out if this sort of stuff is of interest to you.
I've done a lot of reading on what's on the web too, got a copy of Alex Weiss' Workshop Electrics - but there always seemed to be questions left unanswered. It's a bit like pulling a thread on a sweater.
In a moment of clarity I decided yesterday that I'd better bite the bullet and invest in a proper wiring manual.
'The Electrician's Guide' to the 17th Edition of the IEE wiring regulations by John Whitfield. 2nd Edition published in June 2010 by EPA Press. ISBN 978 0 9537885 seems to be the answer to the maiden's prayer. It's a soft cover, and cost me about €40.
A few hours reading has shown that it's very nicely pitched. It starts each topic with principles so that the reasons for doing things are clear, but in a very clear, concise and easily read form. You can go straight in to the section covering specific subjects without having to search all over the place to piece a picture together.
Having covered the building blocks (stuff like safety, switching, cables, conduit, various protections, earthing and related basic calculations and the like it goes on to look at various common circuits (ring mains, radials and the like); then inspection and testing, and then reviews special installations in more detail. (like bathrooms, caravans, outdoors, IT power, alarm systems and lots more)
It doesn't get down to the level of 'put this wire in this hole', but it does set out very clearly how to wire most sorts of circuits in accordance with the IEE regs. The focus is not the rules, rather it very nicely explains the underlying theory and considerations, and then sets out how to configure/wire the various sorts of circuits/systems.
It's not the cheapest, but it's well worth a browse in a bookshop to check it out if this sort of stuff is of interest to you.
