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I have no idea if I am in the right place but am in desperate need of advice. I would describe myself as a competent DIYer (installed a Scantronic alarm system last week) but when it comes to electrics I let the experts handle it.
We have just started renting a house which is just full of surprises ceiling lights positioned just above the windows Estate Agents says Fit For Purpose IMG_20190313_182324 - EletriciansForums.net in the house to a horrendous fire in almost the centre of the living roomEstate Agents says Fit For Purpose IMG_20190313_182347 - EletriciansForums.net .
Having outfitted the bare garage with all my tools I decided to power on the 25l air compressor. I plugged it into the only socket in the garage Estate Agents says Fit For Purpose IMG_20190306_112039 - EletriciansForums.net and it blew. No fuse, plug change or any amount of mouth to mouth would bring this faithful workhorse back to life. So I bought another air compressor and sent an email to the estate agent (acting on behalf of landlord) saying what had happened and asking can they look at electrics. They send out some guy a week later who arrives and goes straight into the garage without even letting me know he is there. I show him the old CU where nothing is labelled Estate Agents says Fit For Purpose IMG_20190313_181914 - EletriciansForums.net and he spends the next 15 minutes trying to work out which is the garage circuit. It turns out the garage is connected to a circuit in the house (didn't say which). I explained the new air compressor requires a 16amp socket and he talks to me as if he will inform the landlord that the garage should be upgraded to make it safe and useable. I mean who heard of a garage with only one socket? I love tinkering and renovating so need the air compressor for my air tools. My 12 year old son has taken an interest in renovating too (anything to get him off the playstation) and the AC is essential.
A short time later I get an email from the estate agents/landlord saying
The electrician has been in contact to confirm that he has checked the power socket in the garage and it is working appropriately and is fit for purpose.
Not exactly what I wanted to hear -
So my question is - Is this garage fit for purpose? If the garage is only for sheltering a car then I guess yes it is. But I look at todays specifications on power to a garage and this one falls woefully short.
It has destroyed my air compressor. I can't plug in the new one. The radio just about works. Does a garage need to have it's own RCD? Should a garage (even on an old CU) have it's own circuit? Should there at least be a fused spur or CU running to the detached garage?
Any help or advice would be appreciated as I feel totally helpless what to do next or what to say to the landlord. If I am in the wrong place politely tell me to sling my hook and point me in the right direction. Many thanks
 
Lights over windows were standard up to the early 70's.

A single 13amp socket in a garage has been the norm for years, no power at all was quite common before that.

The electrics hasn't killed your compressor, it has killed the electrics.

The fire is a bit odd but did you view the house before signing and notice it?
 
Lights by the windows are typical in 30's houses, unless upgraded. Garages with one socket are not unusual, many garages don't have any.

Why do you think your original air compressor is faulty? Certainly an underrated supply would not destroy it. It is stupid and a waste of money to replace something when you have no idea if it is faulty.

Why did you buy a new compressor that requires a 16 amp supply when you only have 13 amp sockets? Are you expecting the landlord to upgrade your supply to accommodate your non standard appliance?

Yes your garage is fit for purpose, for storing your car. It even has a socket for a battery charger.

All circuits should be on a RCD but there is no reason (apart from convenience) a garage should have a dedicated one. A garage with a single socket could be just a spur off the house ring. It usually is not done that way but there is no reason not to (again apart from convenience).
 
Caveat emptor applies I am afraid. It is up to you when buying or renting a property to ensure it will meet your purposes. Once rented there is nothing you can do to demand change on what was already there when you viewed it.
 
I don't know what to say. Some of you were nasty calling me stupid and others didn't read the thread at all.
Thank you for explaining why there is a light at the front of the window but I was merely pointing out the house was odd in so many ways to me. I noticed no one could come up with why there is a fire in the centre of the living room smart asses.

And did anyone notice the band aid on the socket? It seems you are quite happy to have a go at someone who is not an electrician looking for advice but not one of you offered anything useful or what could be done to allow me to run a 16amp air compressor.

And to answer your questions - NO I didn't put a 16amp AC into a 13amp plug. The original AC was just 25l and ran off a 13amp as it was supposed to. It ran quite happily in my previous garage
Estate Agents says Fit For Purpose Oakdale Oct 18 (24).JPG - EletriciansForums.net which had a CU in it. There were over 10 sockets in this garage which ran a bank of servers.
I was asking should not a CU be labelled as to what room or circuit (lights/sockets) etc. Is that not required now for safety reasons?

As I said yes I know the garage is fit for purpose if it is just to house one car but garages these days are so much more than just a shelter for your car oh and by the way the garage is small and I cant park the 4x4 in it so in that respect it isn't fit for purpose.

As for reading the contract - we had one day to find a place before having to move because the previous landlord gave the house we were supposed to rent to someone else and we had no choice. So it looks like the landlord wins
 
Hi,i am uncertain,as whether you have put a 13 amp plugtop,on a 16 amp compressor,or adapted a 16 amp,to a single socket...

My own advice,being both an engineer,and a landlord,would be to be straight and friendly,with your landlord,and maybe offer to meet the expense of the upgrade required,using a spark he approves of.

I would be more concerned,about Stewie Griffin's time machine,in yer front room....
 
Lights by the windows are typical in 30's houses, unless upgraded. Garages with one socket are not unusual, many garages don't have any.

Why do you think your original air compressor is faulty? Certainly an underrated supply would not destroy it. It is stupid and a waste of money to replace something when you have no idea if it is faulty.

Why did you buy a new compressor that requires a 16 amp supply when you only have 13 amp sockets? Are you expecting the landlord to upgrade your supply to accommodate your non standard appliance?

Yes your garage is fit for purpose, for storing your car. It even has a socket for a battery charger.

All circuits should be on a RCD but there is no reason (apart from convenience) a garage should have a dedicated one. A garage with a single socket could be just a spur off the house ring. It usually is not done that way but there is no reason not to (again apart from convenience).
I bought the compressor because it said it could run off a 13amp but when looking at instructions it said it preferred a16amp. 100litres can be run off a 13 amp and some do but after my previous AC died I didn't want to take the chance.

As to calling me stupid. Not very nice or productive.
 
Caveat emptor applies I am afraid. It is up to you when buying or renting a property to ensure it will meet your purposes. Once rented there is nothing you can do to demand change on what was already there when you viewed it.
Thank you. However anything is up for debate and can be changed. Look at Brexit 52% voted to leave and that's not going to happen.
 
Well you may create a new precedent at law which was in place since time immemorial. I am up for change keep us informed! Anyway I suppose I will see it in the national newspapers "Man changes ancient land laws over socket"
 
I don't know what to say. Some of you were nasty calling me stupid and others didn't read the thread at all

Please keep things calm. Having reviewed the thread, one member described your actions as stupid (buying a replacement for something you don't know is broken). Unless I missed it, I don't recall seeing anyone insulting you.
 
Hi,i am uncertain,as whether you have put a 13 amp plugtop,on a 16 amp compressor,or adapted a 16 amp,to a single socket...

My own advice,being both an engineer,and a landlord,would be to be straight and friendly,with your landlord,and maybe offer to meet the expense of the upgrade required,using a spark he approves of.

I would be more concerned,about Stewie Griffin's time machine,in yer front room....

You have the only decent reply on here. Thank you.
I have done nothing to the new compressor. There is no plug attached, just a cord. The old AC was 25l and ran off 13amp in my old house quite happily. When I plugged it in at the garage there was a spark at the socket and smell of burning. I changed fuse etc, tested if any power was getting in t the unit using a multimeter..nothing. As I was going to upgrade I bought another AC not knowing it was recommended to run off 16 amps as the literature said 13 amp.

The landlord is a conman. he knew we only had one day to find a place. After we signed the papers and moved half our stuff he contacted us and said there was major damp in the walls. Because we had no choice we had to accept this otherwise myself and my 3 young boys would have had no where to go. We were hounded from our old house and told to leave because of paramilitaries. For 3 young boys it was not the best Christmas they had ever had. So we signed the contract knowing there was damp and for another year we have to live here. I just was asking for help from here to see if there was anything I could do but all I have got was abuse and being called stupid so thank you again for not an abusive reply. As to stewies time machine that throws out more smoke than heat so it's a useless ornament in a useless house.
 

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