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coolcavaracing.com
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Any Pelican electricians - Do I need a separate consumer unit for the garage?
We move into our new house 1st November, and I will be undertaking some major DIY renovation projects including upgrading the old style fuse box to a nice new consumer unit with circuit breakers. At the same time, I will be renovating the garage including upgrading the power supply to the garage for all the tools etc. As I am fitting a new consumer unit for the house, I am wondering if I run the garage circuits directly from the main consumer unit, or install an additional consumer unit in the garage?
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Pål (Paul) - The Norwegian lost in Finland... 1978 911SC 3.6 | 2001 Boxster S Racing Car | 1966 912 based 911 RSR replica racing car (for sale!) come and follow the Porsche Sports Cup racing fun and me at www.facebook.com/coolcavaracing ![]() |
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Charlottesville Va
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If it is an attatched garage, no. As a generaliziation, you run the subpanel in the garage where the run is long enough that the you'd need very large wire for each circuit, at which point it makes sense to run a single large supply cable to the subpanel and then branch circuits.
There are tables in the electrical codes that show minimum wire size for x amps with a run of x feet.
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Greg Lepore 85 Targa 05 Ducati 749s (wrecked, stupidly) 2000 K1200rs (gone, due to above) 05 ST3s (unfinished business) |
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coolcavaracing.com
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Thank you Greg. My initial plan was to run a feed from the none RCD side of the main CU that I will install in the house using a 50A MCB to a separate waterproof CU in the garage, so that I can run independent circuits for lights, normal power ring and one for high power tools like a welder etc via independent MCBs. I was also considering using a RCD in the garage. Do you think this is overkill? I am keen to have the garage on a RCD, but do not want it on the same RCD as the other parts of the house...
edit: it is an attatched garage
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Pål (Paul) - The Norwegian lost in Finland... 1978 911SC 3.6 | 2001 Boxster S Racing Car | 1966 912 based 911 RSR replica racing car (for sale!) come and follow the Porsche Sports Cup racing fun and me at www.facebook.com/coolcavaracing ![]() Last edited by Kroggers; 10-04-2006 at 03:52 AM.. |
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Not entirely sure about your terminology(I don't speak Swedish electric
![]() What you propose is in fact a superior way to do things-the shorter the wire run, the less risk, as another generalization. Its not overkill by any means, but be sure that the single line to the subpanel is appropriately sized for 50 amps x number of feet-it'll likely end up being at least #6 wire (our terminology). Its not overkill if you can afford it.
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Greg Lepore 85 Targa 05 Ducati 749s (wrecked, stupidly) 2000 K1200rs (gone, due to above) 05 ST3s (unfinished business) |
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coolcavaracing.com
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Hmmmm, I was sure I was talking English electric, that is where I was educated
![]() Yes, I am proposing the same configuration as you have. I would feel happy having all the garage electrics running from a single MCB in the main CU if it was just a normal one light two power outlet garage. But just as everybody here, I want a fully powered Porsche play room ![]() Thank you for helping me, I am now convinced that I will get a secondary 8 way CU for the garage.
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Pål (Paul) - The Norwegian lost in Finland... 1978 911SC 3.6 | 2001 Boxster S Racing Car | 1966 912 based 911 RSR replica racing car (for sale!) come and follow the Porsche Sports Cup racing fun and me at www.facebook.com/coolcavaracing ![]() |
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I'd do the second panel, and have provisions to attach a generator to it, for either a good spot to have the gen running and feedign your house, or to use the gen to power really hi-juice items like a welder, etc.
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Second panel: Yes
Also consider GFI style breakers. Saved my wrinkled old a$$ more than once...
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Bob S. former owner of a 1984 silver 944 |
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coolcavaracing.com
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Thank you all for the comments, advice and support. Moneyguy1 I think the GFI breaker works the same way as the RCD does for a selected circuit in the CU.
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Pål (Paul) - The Norwegian lost in Finland... 1978 911SC 3.6 | 2001 Boxster S Racing Car | 1966 912 based 911 RSR replica racing car (for sale!) come and follow the Porsche Sports Cup racing fun and me at www.facebook.com/coolcavaracing ![]() |
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