New workshop

[feen]

After renting a shed 5 miles away at £960 per year for the last 11 years, I have finally started to build my own at the bottom of the garden.

Phase one is a 6m x 5m garage with attic trusses. My garden is terraced and it is possible to walk into the upper floor from the lawn. There will be a space saver staircase installed in the future.

I am currently at the wiring stage although I have moved out of the previous workshop and the new one is full to the door.

Can anyone advise? I have come upon second hand armoured cable which at 60 meters is just long enough for the job of connecting the workshop to the house. It is 4 core and embossed with 2.5mm on it. Is it possible that this is the diameter of the copper cores and the not surface area?

Also, what cable should I be aiming for if the above is unsuitable? I would like a 13 amp ring main, lighting circuit (1200w max) and dedicated 16amp welder socket. As mentioned the distance ia about 60 meters.

More pics to follow, thanks for now.

James

 

[Robotstar5]

The embossed lettering should read 4x2.5mm which is No. of cores times CSA (cross sectional area) not really heavy enough, better off looking for 6mm² or even 10mm² for "future proofing" as it sounds like workshop will grow.

 

[sparky_col]

10mm as a minimum better to go for 16, 60 metres is a long way for a sub main to run, get 3 core then you can bring in an earth on the 3rd core.

 

[Robotstar5]

and while you're running it add a couple of cat5 or 6 data cables

 

[Shox Dr]

10mm minimum over that distance. Cheapest place I found was, you know where, just bought 30m of 6mm cost 1.86per meter. with 8.40p&P. search ebay user "gerbil007" Local suppliers wanted 2.34 plus VAT

 

[feen]

Thanks for the input guys, you've just taken the edge off what I thought was a good find!

I have a power pole at the bottome of the garden, approx 20m from the garage, is it worth getting a quote for a new connection? I know when I built the house it was about £700. Atleast that way I don't have to worry about voltage drops and flickering lights in the house when I'm welding in the workshop.

James

 

[Luke]

If there's 3ph to the pole, it could well be worth seeing if you can get a 3ph supply straight in to the garage?

 

[Robotstar5]

If there's 3ph to the pole, it could well be worth seeing if you can get a 3ph supply straight in to the garage?

Got quoted £15k to drop power from pole into the stable block 5 metres away!

 

[chunkolini]

In Ghana they used to get a small child to chuck the wires across to tap into the mains, never worked out they managed the rest of it.You can borrow my son if you like.
Chunko'.