New consumer unit for garage

Cooper_day · Apr 14, 2021

Hello everyone,

A new small DB will be installed inside a garage for few lights and sockets. The feed will come from inside the house. Does it need to be an IP65 unit or can be the usual metal clad?

Thank you

Rockingit · Apr 14, 2021

Depends on if you think a metal clad is inappropriate for the environment. Either is fine.

loz2754 · Apr 14, 2021

Unless the garage is attached to the main house. In which case the new consumer unit should probably be made of non combustible material.

MJPD29 · Apr 14, 2021

It doesn't nessecarily need to ip65 unless you consider the conditions to require it

pc1966 · Apr 14, 2021

Unless it is near a doorway where rain could get in (say 45 deg angle), or a known leaky roof, or where someone uses a sink/pressure washer, then I would not worry about meeting IP65.

But if it is only lights and a couple of sockets, and the house CU is already on RCD or RCBO supply, then why not just feed the sockets directly as a radial from a 20A supply and have a 3A FCU to switch the lights off that?

Soi disant · Apr 14, 2021

loz2754 said:
Unless the garage is attached to the main house. In which case the new consumer unit should probably be made of non combustible material.

Unless the garage is not part of the domestic premises

[ElectriciansForums.net] New consumer unit for garage

and is not meant to be used by the people who live in the house, then 421.1.201 applies, whether it's attached or not.

loz2754 · Apr 14, 2021

Soi disant said:
Unless the garage is not part of the domestic premises

View attachment 84646
and is not meant to be used by the people who live in the house, then 421.1.201 applies, whether it's attached or not.

Fair point.
There was an article in one of the trade journals considering this. It suggested there may be a case for not applying 421.1.201 in out buildings that are not directly attached to the house.
But it depends, like so many things, on how we interpret the regulations...

Dave OCD · Apr 14, 2021

The BG 'Garage' CU is both metal and IP65 rated, good little unit although some will disagree.

Soi disant · Apr 14, 2021

loz2754 said:
Fair point.
There was an article in one of the trade journals considering this. It suggested there may be a case for not applying 421.1.201 in out buildings that are not directly attached to the house.

Hard to think what that case might be apart from "we don't want to have to apply it."

loz2754 said:
But it depends, like so many things, on how we interpret the regulations...

I tend to come down on the side of "interpreting" things on the basis of what the actual words are and what the definitions of those words are.

littlespark · Apr 15, 2021

It’s only a garage..... just use the last one you took out a house rewire. ?

No. Don’t. Joke.

telectrix · Apr 15, 2021

littlespark said:
It’s only a garage..... just use the last one you took out a house rewire. ?

No. Don’t. Joke.

what a good idea. here's the last one i saved.

i=p/u · Apr 15, 2021

The garage could require spds the garage could require affd, the garage could need bonding or earth spike 3k

New consumer unit for garage

Cooper_day

Rockingit

-

loz2754

MJPD29

-

pc1966

Soi disant

loz2754

Dave OCD

-

Soi disant

littlespark

-

telectrix

-

i=p/u

-

News and Offers from Sponsors

Similar threads

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

YOUR Unread Posts