Adding 5 double plug sockets to garage

Joshw1024 · Aug 18, 2021

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on the best way to install 5 double plug sockets into my garage, all of which will be running multiple computers.

My CU is located in the garage.

Would it be best to install the sockets onto their own ring main, or to add them onto the existing garage circuit?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Josh.

EDIT: I am only installing the sockets, I will consult an electrician to connect them to the CU if required.

James · Aug 19, 2021

Joshw1024 said:
Just to clarify, the garage is attached to the house and the CU is located in the garage.

My apologies if it was worded badly. I will edit the original post to make it more clear

It was clear enough for those that read it properly!!

Joshw1024 · Aug 19, 2021

catdog1121 said:
There are lots of variables here, what size cable is feeding your garage? What type of cable is the feed to the garage? What size is the circuit breaker? Is there any RCD protection, if so where is that protection?

There are also computers then there are computers, do you know what sort of current draw they have?

A lot of garages are fed by a small supply cable as most people just want to plug in say a lawn mower and have lights in the garage, you may need to increase the size of the supply cable.

Having just 6 computers you should be ok on the earth leakage just about but if you ever want to add more it might be worth thinking about a separate circuit for future expansion. If you do need to increase the supply cable think about also if you would ever want to put a car charger on the garage wall. What about any possible heaters in the garage?

I know it just seems like you add some more sockets but it really depends on the load requirement and what is currently in place, nobody on a forum can really tell you that so you need an electrician.

Thanks for your reply.

The CU in the garage is the main CU for the rest of the house, fed directly from the mains.

The image attached of the CU shows 2 RCD's, with a spare 32A on each.

The computers are currently on one of the 32A ring mains labelled "sockets" on the CU and I have no issues currently.

I will definetly look into consulting an electrician for further advice.

Joshw1024 · Aug 19, 2021

richy3333 said:
You're not mining crypto currency are you?!

hahah no not quite.

I have multiple servers for different services, some of which I rent out.

From getting quote's for things in the past it's much easier to refer to them as generic computers.

Joshw1024 · Aug 19, 2021

pc1966 said:
Also to add, you might want to consider lights in the garage with battery back up in case power does go off and you are plunged in to darkness. You can get LED batton lights with that built in for only £40 or so extra.

Thanks, I will definetly look into this!

James · Aug 19, 2021

Joshw1024 said:
hahah no not quite.

I have multiple servers for different services, some of which I rent out.

From getting quote's for things in the past it's much easier to refer to them as generic computers.

I think I would be considering a hardwired UPS in the 3000va range.
it should have plenty of outputs to power your servers and will save you hours of fun the first time you have a 5 second power cut.

edit,

tell it like it is on this forum, there is a huge collection of very knowledgeable people.
from component level stuff on circuit boards to multi megawatt distribution, and everything in between
we don’t all know everything but there will be someone who has done something similar.

Joshw1024 · Aug 19, 2021

James said:
I think I would be considering a hardwired UPS in the 3000va range.
it should have plenty of outputs to power your servers and will save you hours of fun the first time you have a 5 second power cut.

I've thought about a UPS before.
Luckily we don't have very many power outages but it's on my list of things to get!

littlespark · Aug 19, 2021

If you are getting paid for renting out the services, you don’t want to disappoint your users.
have the computers on their own ring, or if possible, a circuit each. Individual rcbo. That minimises any disruption from a fault in the rest of the house disconnecting the computers.

If not bitcoin mining, then good old fashioned pirate dvd copying? (Showing my age!)

DPG · Aug 19, 2021

I'd have thought a UPS would be essential if you are providing paid-for processing power. Do you not have anything in your contracts about availability/redundancy etc?

telectrix · Aug 19, 2021

DPG said:
I'd have thought a UPS would be essential if you are providing paid-for processing power. Do you not have anything in your contracts about availability/redundancy etc?

his customers get a discount for bringing their own hammer.

pirate · Aug 19, 2021

Oi! I may be good and old fashioned, but I have never copied DVDs

pc1966 · Aug 19, 2021

Joshw1024 said:
I've thought about a UPS before.
Luckily we don't have very many power outages but it's on my list of things to get!

If this is going to be worth any significant money to you then you might be wise to think about a new CU so you have both surge protection at the supply point (normally part of any new install now) and all circuits on RCBOs so less chance of faults on one circuit taking out the others.

UPS are a rather "mixed blessing" in my experience, as often the one time you need them to function they let you down

If you have surge protection and dual-PSU servers then you can save a little by running one PSU off the UPS and the other direct off the mains. You still need to size the UPS for full load, but should it go bang on a self-test (as we have seen with some APC models) then you keep going on the direct path.

pc1966 · Aug 19, 2021

pirate said:
Oi! I may be good and old fashioned, but I have never copied DVDs

I have copied my own just to strip off the stupid "prohibited actions" like not skipping advertisement crap.

But these days you, of all people, should be aware of The Pirate Bay!

pirate · Aug 22, 2021

I'll take the 5th...

telectrix · Aug 22, 2021

pirate said:
I'll take the 5th...

5th copy or 5th amendment. ? yanks always in front, BS7671 never has more tha 3 amendments. it's them pigeon heads at IET, can't count past their toes.

Alexking1 · Aug 22, 2021

I'm a trainee in my first year and I can see the best way to do this as the CU is already in the garage would be to stick another ring final on. The maximum power for a pc is going to be 250w. You can run 10 of those and several desk lamps and printers without issue.