More POWAA for my welder

[ion529]

Okay so, I have a shed down the end of my garden where I like to weld and do stupid stuff. Anyway I have an arc welder which at maximum power gives me 160A @ 20V which is 3200W. When my parents built the shed they didn't take into account that there son was going to be a raging metal melting maniac and hence there is just 2 G-pin 13A @ 230V AC sockets in the entire shed, very inconsiderate I know. This of course allows for a maximum of 2990W which just isn't good enough if I want to weld thick steel without the fuse going every 2 seconds.

Luckily the electrician clearly saw my future struggles and popped in a 25A breaker for the shed on the mains board back up at the house when it was built. But here's where things get a little iffy: The cable for the shed comes in though a big dirty black wire from the house underground and goes straight into the G-pin sockets and then a smaller grey wire goes from the sockets to the strip light up above. (I've attached a highly detailed diagram below) I assumed that the strip light was just in parallel with the power coming into the sockets and turning off the power for the shed at the breaker would therefore turn off the sockets and the lights. But alas it only turned off the sockets and the lights are still fully functional. I don't know what witchcraftery this is but I don't really want to open up the socket and have a peak if there's live electricity going through her. My plan was to just attach a big 16Amp connector to the big dirty cable but it seems a bit tricky as I've no idea whats going on inside the socket.

Thanks in advance,

Peter

 

[Spoon]

Fascinating thread.

Isn't it. That's why I'm here..

 

[Spoon]

I read his first reply in which he tars us all with one brush so that swayed me

Yep, the OP does sound like someone who isn't going to take the advice of professionals on here, but then again, what could possibly go wrong....

 

[Spoon]

I have to admit thought, all the electricians in the OP location of Brayjing are cowboys...

 

[wildwest]

Its refreshing to see how budding young minds take an interest in what the greyhairs have to say. I'm sure he will go on to sort out the mess in his parents CU now he has the confidence to undo the screws.

 

[telectrix]

Not even a cowboy would do a job as rough as that. That's a diy job if ever I saw one, and I've seen a few, using whatever was to hand.

no real electrician would have done that. must have been a Electrical Trainee with NICEIC/part pee/ stickers on his Kangoo van.

 

[buzzlightyear]

See that photo up there? That's what "professional" is around here. I can do better myself

blah blah blah.

 

[The Ghost]

18 and still living at home /sigh. Still wont be for long by the sounds of things.

 

[Octopus]

If your parents have any sense they should get this installation thoroughly checked over ..., by a competent person

 

[telectrix]

or maybe buy him a gas welder for his birthday. still need a hotline to the local fire brigade though...hot metal... wood shed... should this be covered in the 1st amendment to the 18th. all sheds to be made from a non-combustible material???

 

[Octopus]

I didn’t know that Eire has the same regs as the UK

 

[Darkwood]

Closing the thread... I really don't need to explain why on this one, multiple reports and a member who refuses to employ a competent person even when given professional advice to and then wants us to design the install for him.... sorry but not on my watch!