Garage electrics help needed please

J

Jacko

-
hello,

I'm very new to this trade and do industrial installations. A friend employed an electrician to run a feed to a new consumer unit in his shed so I went to have a look at it out of curiosity to see the correct way it's done. I haven't done any domestic work yet but I don't think it's correct. Could you help please?

It is a PME system. He has taken a 2.5 t+e cable directly out of the 100amp isolator in the suppliers electrical box and run it 5meters in conduit and then under their decking for another 5 meters and the last meter is buried under some cement between patio slabs to supply the new fuse board. The fuse board is rcd protected and has 2 circuits. 1 is a 6amp for one light and the other is a 32 amp for 1 double socket on a radial, not a ring.

It doesn't seem correct to me from listening to more experienced men on site.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
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Jacko said:
hello,

I'm very new to this trade and do industrial installations. A friend employed an electrician to run a feed to a new consumer unit in his shed so I went to have a look at it out of curiosity to see the correct way it's done. I haven't done any domestic work yet but I don't think it's correct. Could you help please?

It is a PME system. He has taken a 2.5 t+e cable directly out of the 100amp isolator in the suppliers electrical box and run it 5meters in conduit and then under their decking for another 5 meters and the last meter is buried under some cement between patio slabs to supply the new fuse board. The fuse board is rcd protected and has 2 circuits. 1 is a 6amp for one light and the other is a 32 amp for 1 double socket on a radial, not a ring.

It doesn't seem correct to me from listening to more experienced men on site.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Click to expand...
Where did "The Electrician" that did this park his Horse
 
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No mate, it's not a wind up.

I don't know if there is conduit between the slabs because he has cemented over it but the chase looks to thin.

The socket only has 1 x 2.5 cable going to it and it's on a 32a mcb

The supply cable (2.5 twin and earth) is going from the 100amp cut out switch in the electric cupboard straight into the new db in the shed
 
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No, he hasn't got a certificate.

If you have the time could you please tell me how it's installed incorrect and what he should have done?

I'm assuming he should have taken the supply from the main db in the house? Not the main electric cupboard?
 
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It should have been taken from a suitable source (ideally spare MCB/RCBO in the CU, but possibly spurred from RFC depending on load).

The cable should have been selected and routed appropriately to the conditions (sounds like SWA would have been more suitable).

The 32A MCB for the 2.5mm radial is incorrect.

On the good side, the 6A lighting circuit sounds OK!

I'm assuming you know from your industrial sparky work that a 2.5mm cable is not suitable for feeding from a 100A supplier fuse?
 
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Yeah, I thought the 2.5 cable was wrong but wasn't 100% sure because the circuits in the shed are protected by their own mcb.

I don't understand the domestic side of it between the 100a fuse and the new db.

I know the socket should be on a 16/20 amp mcb
 
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2.5 T/E from the suppliers side cutout ? So he's broken into & tampered with suppliers equipment ? If that's the case then it's illegal to start with.

2.5mm T/E off a 100 amp switch so no protection: Lethal

Cable feeding outside without RCD protection, so contravenes BS7671.

Don't think we need to go further.
 
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Lanky, when I said I'm new to the trade, I'm an apprentice only a few months in so have next to no experience.

Specialist, the 2.5 supply is taken from the loads side of the 100amp isolator.
 
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Jacko said:
Yeah, I thought the 2.5 cable was wrong but wasn't 100% sure because the circuits in the shed are protected by their own mcb.

I don't understand the domestic side of it between the 100a fuse and the new db.

I know the socket should be on a 16/20 amp mcb
Click to expand...

This may come across as rude, but do you see anything worrying in an industrial electrician saying this?
 
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Jacko said:
When I said I'm an industrial electrician, I should have said I'm 3 months in to an apprentiship and working on my first ever industrial installation.... basket and tray at the moment. That is as far an my electrician knowledge goes at the moment. I should have been more clear sorry
Click to expand...

Ah, that changes things slightly :-)
Seriously though, advise your friend to get the circuit re-wired correctly as it is dangerous if left as-is.
 
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  1. Jacko: None of us have a problem with you being an apprentice, we've all been there.
  2. When you ask a question, please give all relevant information it makes it easier for us to give you the right answers.
  3. My best advice at this point would be, tell your friend to call in a proper electrical company to look at it.
  4. Don't use what's been installed until all problems are sorted and it's been properly tested / certified.
 
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Have you or you or your friend any idea how to contact this idiot, I would suggest you get him back to disconnect this mess and leave it to someone who knows what they are doing. This Muppet has not even taken Volt drop, installation method, or loading into account, in my opinion the whole install wants redesigning, how much did your friend get taken for? I'm sure Sparkychick wont mind but She is from Wales and maybe can take a look if it's not too far to travel. Good luck, do you have access to the Trainee section? well worth you applying, one of the Staff should be able to help you in that area, give it a go plenty of free advice, with no mickey taking, or abuse.
 
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Thanks for all the advice. It's been a great help. I will be calling there later on today to give him the news.

Just for my own education and I have been looking up a few things before I posted on here...

1. Would you have to make the board in the garage a TT system and only take a live and neutral supply down? (I read that somewhere)

2. Am I right in saying that you could Have this circuit supplied off a 2.5 swa cable from a 20amp breaker in the original db if that is rcd protected? The board in the shed with have its own EDC and two circuits, one 6a for lights and one 16/20a for the 1 x double socket.
 
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Jacko said:
Thanks for all the advice. It's been a great help. I will be calling there later on today to give him the news.

Just for my own education and I have been looking up a few things before I posted on here...

1. Would you have to make the board in the garage a TT system and only take a live and neutral supply down? (I read that somewhere)

2. Am I right in saying that you could Have this circuit supplied off a 2.5 swa cable from a 20amp breaker in the original db if that is rcd protected? The board in the shed with have its own EDC and two circuits, one 6a for lights and one 16/20a for the 1 x double socket.
Click to expand...
Why would you want to spur off of the RFC in the house and put a CU in the shed? bad practice, imo,
 
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Hi Jacko: Not trying to be picky, but is it a shed or garage? You've used both descriptions.
In domestic it's called a Consumer unit or CU not a DB.
 
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Pete999 said:
I was assuming in advance that the OP may, I say may spur off the ring, wrong in this case, probably down to old age and one beer to many. Best to ignor my previous OP sorry.
Click to expand...

No worries mate, thought I was losing it.
Mind you with some of the threads lately, it's enough to make us all lose it.
Save some beer for me & tel mate, think we need it :D
 
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Jacko said:
Dpg, I wouldn't attempt it. I've never done any domestic work, never glanded an armoured, never even been inside a cu and obviously can't test it produce a cert but I am keen on learning so I am just curious.
Click to expand...

No worries mate. We do get some people trying it on sometimes though :-)
 
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Jacko

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Garage electrics help needed please
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