In Canada the service comes into the house on 3 wires, a neutral and two hot wires. In Sask. the neutral and ground are tied together at the breaker panel, although this may differ in other provinces. Between the hot wires is ~240V and between the either hot and the neutral is ~120V (opposite phase from each other). Those paired breakers you see is because the power bars in the breaker box alternate between the two hot wires, so that every other breaker is on the same line. This means a pair of breaker slots side by side can be used to supply 240V, and any single slot can be used for 120V. The pairs you see over 15 amps will be to supply the stove, subpanel or other large 240V loads. You will also see 15 amp pairs. These will be for split duplex plugs in the kitchen. On these the neutral and both hots are carried in a 3 core cable (+ ground) allowing a single duplex receptacle to have 2 circuits. This way you can plug a kettle into the top plug and a toaster in the bottom plug without blowing the breaker. In Germany my panel was 3 phase and it was similar, every 3rd slot in the breaker box was on the same line. The 3 phase loads took triple wide breakers.
Workshop build, wood frame on concrete foundation
- Thread starter sirocosm
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
HamsterJam
Let’s take it apart to see what’s inside….
Yep - that was the design goal.
Currently I don’t use much more than 3kW….
1kW extraction, up to 2kW tool/machine (but mostly lower), 100w environmental filter, 50w lighting plus a few watts for the radio.
Leaves me plenty in hand in case I want to upgrade to bigger extraction or machinery or maybe run some heating (the extractor does a good job of heating my small, well insulated workshop and I plug in a 1.5kW oil filled radiator when I am not there.)
flying haggis
Established Member
re electrics install a bigger cable than you think you might need now and put minimum 75x75 trunking (plastic is fine)round the room at ceiling level then use conduit to drop down to any sockets/switches etc. that way if you change your mind and want add/take away a socket its easy
this sort of stuff
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MTMX3.html
would this swa be long enough?
https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-building-materials/s.w.a-cable-32m-/1433885070
this sort of stuff
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MTMX3.html
would this swa be long enough?
https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-building-materials/s.w.a-cable-32m-/1433885070
Last edited:
Also run singles, takes up less room than T&E plus a larger CPC. It will also allow you to easily fit some 16 amp sockets after you buy a P/T !!
flying haggis
Established Member
If it's not too late chuck a length of blue water pipe in the trench for future proofing
I put in 3x 15mm pex barrier pipe, one for a hose and the other two are insulated that I will use for heating. I don't plan on heating the workshop all the time, but on the coldest days it is nice to have something to take the chill off, and it will be cheaper with hot water from my boiler.
