MICC / Pyro CSA for Garage / Workshop socket circuit

[overskilled]

So I'm contemplating wiring the garage / workshop) sockets in Pyro....(also considered using SWA)
However having never used it before, I'm looking for some help / tips with it.
First: for a 20A socket Radial - 2L1.5 or 2L2.5?

Also is this utter overkill or a worthwhile experiment?

 

[telectrix]

1.5mm micc is more than adequate for a 20A radial. but is it worth the effort, time you bought the micc, glands, pots , etc. and the extra time involved.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Are you planning on putting some BS EN 60309 Socket Outlets in, and if so, 16 or 32A?

 

[dan86]

I personally wouldn't bother my ---! too much like hard work where it aint needed. What is the idea behind you wanting to do it anyway?

 

[overskilled]

I know Tel....thats what makes me swither regarding it...
On the other hand...chance to practice something new without worrying about making mistakes and no customers breathing down my neck about things....
considering T+E and 20 / 25mm conduit....though instinct goes with SWA just so I know theres no real risk of it getting damaged (especially as I plan to use the space as a workshop also and already this week in the small shed...touched a warmish fluoro tube with a cold ladder....and got a shower of fluoro tube fragments all over my head...lucky I wasn't looking up....bought a pair of caged bulkhead lights to replace the fluoro fitting....)
Probably go with 2.5 SWA, run a radial down each side (10'x20'), then use some 1.5 for the lights.

 

[overskilled]

Archy: Actually I am, old man has a welder with a 32Amp 60309 plug on it, plus I have my eye on a 3 or 4Hp compressor (future future), which needs 16 amp supply.

 

[overskilled]

Welder socket is going as close as I can safely get it from the CU, probably wire it in 6mm2 T+E

 

[telectrix]

Archy: Actually I am, old man has a welder with a 32Amp 60309 plug on it, plus I have my eye on a 3 or 4Hp compressor (future future), which needs 16 amp supply.

just bung in a 95mm SWA. that should do.

 

[Guest55]

i'd say utter overkill tbh.
;-)

 

[Andy78]

I would say it's a bother not worth bothering with too.

If you have time and money to p*** away however, then go for it. It would be a great chance to practice MI handling and termination if you have never done it before.

Call me odd, but MI is easily the most satisfying cable to install when you get it in right and it all looks super straight.

 

[overskilled]

Money is the issue, otherwise I'd probably just do it for the learning experience alone, plus as Andy says it looks sorted when its properly installed and dressed. (Its also that at heart I hate doing things more than once, so on my own projects I tend to spend more time initially when I have the motivation to do it to avoid having to touch it ever again....)

Tel: have you done your cable calcs on that? ;-) sure 150mm2 isn't a better choice? ;-) lol

I think its partly I've seen so many half baked DIY garage wireups that I'm thinking too far the opposite direction.

 

[7029 dave]

Go the whole hog 2h 1.5 enhanced 750v MICC

 

[Lucien Nunes]

The other good thing about using a garage as a practice ground for MI is that you will probably be able to make most of the legs freehand and drop them and the accessories into place, rather than having to pull through and work entirely in situ, which is more of a hassle if a termination goes wrong or you misjudge the lengths or sets.

2L1.5 for the 13A and 16A socket outlets and a single run of 4L1 taking in separately switched general and task lighting and secondaries. 2L2.5 will do the 32A socket. If I hadn't done my shed in steel conduit it would be wired thus. My submain is 4x35 SWA - exactly because I didn't want the lights dipping with the welder.

 

[Darkwood]

Yep i also noted the irony of the OP's name and admitting he had never done it before lol... well at least your having a go

 

[Engineer54]

If you haven't got the stripping tool or sealing tool and have never touched MICC before, then forget it!! Yes you can get by with normal hand tools, but not in a novices hands!! Easily still the best cable out there, both electrically and visually, but unfortunately, it doesn't suffer novice installers too well....