Domestic/Semi-Commercial House/Garage Wiring

[steviec_lj]

Hi guys,

Been floating around for quite a while, and have now successfully moved house, so the questioning can begin.

A brief background: The house we've moved into has been recently renovated, and rewired by a local electrical company, who at the moment shall remain nameless.

Cables in the kitchen, hopefully for the 32a ring final circuit thats installed, come down behind the tiling from the cooker switch, across the top of 2 water pipes and into a socket located at the opposite end of the kitchen whilst also routing behind the sink.

Q: Shouldn't these be sunk into the wall, and covered with galvanised coving, then covered in plaster?



The old earth clamps on pipes haven't been removed, but cables have been cut and new tags installed.

Q: Am I safe to removed these, as they are no longer required?



The bathroom fan either hasn't been added into the circuit, or simply doesn't work. Surely this should have been tested at some point?

Q: Am I safe to connect this into the circuit, or replace with a new unit without Part P?



The garage install, which was way below standard, and not connected to the CU, although a Walther 16a IP56 socket was installed outside, and the previous occupants were informed that they would be ok to connect the garage to this. Surely this isn't right, but anyway.

I wish to install a new feed to the garage whilst also upgrading the electrics in the garage at the same time. I will be routing a 10mm2 3 Core SWA cable down the side of the garden, buried 600mm with a drainage pipe installed 100mm above this containing other amenities including BT, ADSL, Alarm, etc. Can I have an IP66 rated enclosure installed to the side of the house and terminate the SWA here, then route a 10mm2 T+E cable through the house back to the CU?

Final question: I have an Ingersoll Rand Compressor, which requires 3ph to run to full potential, however on opening the connection plate of the compressor up, I read that it can be connected to 3x1ph feeds. Would I be better installing a 6a 3ph MCB, rather than 3x 6a 1ph MCB's?

The CU for the garage will be a 21way Insulated Unit, so plenty of ways available at the moment.

Thanks for the help in advance boys and girls, hope work is keeping you busy.

Steve

 

[jeremy]

Firstly, does the kitchen ring feed from the CCU, if there's nothing connected to earth clamps then and new ones have been fitted remove the old ones thjey're no longer earth clamps just pretty bracelets for the pipes. Don't fiddle with wiring if you aren't sure what you're doing and know how to test potentially faulty wiring or appliances.( I think I used to have a Walther IP56 as a ppw). What you want to do outside maybe should be left until inside is sorted.

 

[rick]

Been floating around for quite a while, and have now successfully moved house, so the questioning can begin.

A brief background: The house we've moved into has been recently renovated, and rewired by a local electrical company, who at the moment shall remain nameless.

Cables in the kitchen, hopefully for the 32a ring final circuit thats installed, come down behind the tiling from the cooker switch, across the top of 2 water pipes and into a socket located at the opposite end of the kitchen whilst also routing behind the sink.

Q: Shouldn't these be sunk into the wall, and covered with galvanised coving, then covered in plaster?

How you do mean "behind the tiling" but "accross the top of the pipes"? I guess they could be considered "surface mounted" but would need to be clipped and must look pretty rough. It doesn't sound right to me.

The old earth clamps on pipes haven't been removed, but cables have been cut and new tags installed.

Q: Am I safe to removed these, as they are no longer required?

Yes they can be removed

The bathroom fan either hasn't been added into the circuit, or simply doesn't work. Surely this should have been tested at some point?

Q: Am I safe to connect this into the circuit, or replace with a new unit without Part P?

If the unit has been wired up OK but is faulty you can change it. You will need to check if the terminals in the fan are live or not. If the fan has not been wired up correctly you will need to get this sorted. If you're not sure how to determine between the two I'd get someone to look at it.


The garage install, which was way below standard, and not connected to the CU, although a Walther 16a IP56 socket was installed outside, and the previous occupants were informed that they would be ok to connect the garage to this. Surely this isn't right, but anyway.

I wish to install a new feed to the garage whilst also upgrading the electrics in the garage at the same time. I will be routing a 10mm2 3 Core SWA cable down the side of the garden, buried 600mm with a drainage pipe installed 100mm above this containing other amenities including BT, ADSL, Alarm, etc. Can I have an IP66 rated enclosure installed to the side of the house and terminate the SWA here, then route a 10mm2 T+E cable through the house back to the CU?

If you run ADSL parallel to cables at 230v you might get interference issues

Terminating the SWA in adaptable box and then on to T&E is OK but the T&E will need to be RCD protected. However you really want the RCDs at the garage end and don't want two - perhaps someone else can advise better than me?

Final question: I have an Ingersoll Rand Compressor, which requires 3ph to run to full potential, however on opening the connection plate of the compressor up, I read that it can be connected to 3x1ph feeds. Would I be better installing a 6a 3ph MCB, rather than 3x 6a 1ph MCB's?

Not sure about that

The CU for the garage will be a 21way Insulated Unit, so plenty of ways available at the moment.

Thanks for the help in advance boys and girls, hope work is keeping you busy.

 

[jeremy]

I don't think you'll get interference from SWA as emi is carried away through the earthed armour. I would take the 10mm swa through the wall(at an angle), already vprotected against damage, into an adaptable metal box then singles from there straight intothe db. Sorry previous post was venting anger at *** of a project manager who makes my life difficult. You didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of the sarcasm. Best of luck

 

[rick]

I don't think you'll get interference from SWA as emi is carried away through the earthed armour.

I didn't know that thanks I've learnt something there

I would take the 10mm swa through the wall(at an angle), already vprotected against damage, into an adaptable metal box then singles from there straight intothe db.

What if the db is not adjacent to the cable exit point though?

 

[jeremy]

Good point. Maybe run swa to DB site?

 

[steviec_lj]

No offence taken Jeremy, thanks for the replies.

The CU/DB is located at the opposite side of the house unfortunately. Which would add an extra 22m to the SWA cable run, hence the thought of terminating in an IP56/66 enclosure at ground level outside, then running 10mm2 T+E or Singles through the house under the floor boards.

 

[jeremy]

I'd be happier to run swa under GF floorboards than 2+E due to potential of rodent damage. Don't know why they like it they just do. Weirdoes.