Advice on cable for garage feed

tarbuck · Apr 23, 2014

I am building a detached double garage/workshop, could someone please advise me what cable I need to use for the feed to the garage, We have a trench open and I would like to install the cable so that we can fill it in. I will get someone in to install the garage electrics and connect up t house when its built. but for now I would just like to run the cable from the house to the garage.

I will be using power tools,mig welder etc in the garage,along with lights, was thinking 10mm twin and earth armoured cable, any thoughts?

Distance to house is around 6m and around 16m in total back to cu, would I be ok to use armoured cable just from garage cu to inside of house and then different cable back to house cu with suitable joint? or run armoured all the way from garage cu to house cu?
any advise welcome

Octopus · Apr 23, 2014

tarbuck said:
I am building a detached double garage/workshop, could someone please advise me what cable I need to use for the feed to the garage, We have a trench open and I would like to install the cable so that we can fill it in. I will get someone in to install the garage electrics and connect up t house when its built. but for now I would just like to run the cable from the house to the garage.

I will be using power tools,mig welder etc in the garage,along with lights, was thinking 10mm twin and earth armoured cable, any thoughts?

Distance to house is around 6m and around 16m in total back to cu, would I be ok to use armoured cable just from garage cu to inside of house and then different cable back to house cu with suitable joint? or run armoured all the way from garage cu to house cu?
any advise welcome

Call a very local spark and ask him. The only way to do this properly is to look and as there are quite a few members on here in the "north east" maybe state what the first part of your postcode is and see what happens.

Spoon · Apr 23, 2014

Why dont you just put some conduit in it for now, then the size of cable and cable type can be sorted later. While you were at it you could put a small conduit with it for alarm, phone or ethernet cables.

HandySparks · Apr 23, 2014

Spoon said:
Why dont you just put some conduit in it for now, then the size of cable and cable type can be sorted later. While you were at it you could put a small conduit with it for alarm, phone or ethernet cables.

I would agree with this. But don't just use lengths of 20mm or 25mm conduit; go to your local builders merchants and buy some underground ducting with a minimum inside diameter of 50mm. Keep bends to a minimum and large radius. As above, maybe put two lengths in. Make sure that it's a good 500mm deep and take the big stones out of the first layer of backfill, or use sand or pea shingle. Lay a warning tape in the trench about 300mm above the duct.