New garage consumer unit required - and changing house mcb???

[Phillb]

hi, just need some advice please knowing little about electrics. I'll be getting someone in at some point to put in a new consumer unit in the garage and just want a little back ground information before I do.

I'm a home woodworker and my garage is my mancave. I've run most of my tools with no problems, but a lot of plug swapping and little amount of sockets to choose from. I've recently purchased a twin motor dust collection vacuum. (240v) normal 13amp plug. Running it with any tool works fine apart from my table saw. It trips the current unit. It works fine if started with 1 motor running and then start my saw some seconds later but running the twin motor will trip the circuit.Now my Saw is a 240v but a 16amp plug, which I feel my be one of the problems when running the 2 together. That being said I've wanted to have change around for a while so -

Wanting to re-do and organise my workshop for some time, am finally ready to put in new lights and a new ring circuit for the sockets. (hopefully 6-8??) So a new consumer box is what am looking at also, to replace the old crappy unit that's there.
I have been advised that the consumer unit should have a 63amp Rcd with a 32amp for Ring sockets, 20 amp for my table saw to run off and 6amp for my lights, should sort everything out and be hunky dory I checked the wire running from the house to the garage and it's a 4-5 mm thick wire, so that should be a good thing also.
My problem if u haven't seen one yet?? Is the breaker(mcb)in the consumer unit in the house which is labeled "Garage" is only 32amp?? Doesn't this mcb need to be higher than the 63Rcd which would be installed in the garage?? :/
And if so, is it as simple as changing the 32ampMcb in the house consumer unit for a higher one?

Any advice would be great, the main reason for finding as much as possible is also cost. I don't want to get into having New units if it's going to mean changing the house one also and costing whatever u boys charge for this type of job?? Expensive??
Ta

 

[GMES]

Hi Phil and welcome to the forum, I have approved the thread in the general section but Admin will move it diy when they get a minute.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

hi, just need some advice please knowing little about electrics. I'll be getting someone in at some point to put in a new consumer unit in the garage and just want a little back ground information before I do.

I'm a home woodworker and my garage is my mancave. I've run most of my tools with no problems, but a lot of plug swapping and little amount of sockets to choose from. I've recently purchased a twin motor dust collection vacuum. (240v) normal 13amp plug. Running it with any tool works fine apart from my table saw. It trips the current unit. It works fine if started with 1 motor running and then start my saw some seconds later but running the twin motor will trip the circuit.Now my Saw is a 240v but a 16amp plug, which I feel my be one of the problems when running the 2 together. That being said I've wanted to have change around for a while so -

Wanting to re-do and organise my workshop for some time, am finally ready to put in new lights and a new ring circuit for the sockets. (hopefully 6-8??) So a new consumer box is what am looking at also, to replace the old crappy unit that's there.
I have been advised that the consumer unit should have a 63amp Rcd with a 32amp for Ring sockets, 20 amp for my table saw to run off and 6amp for my lights, should sort everything out and be hunky dory I checked the wire running from the house to the garage and it's a 4-5 mm thick wire, so that should be a good thing also.
My problem if u haven't seen one yet?? Is the breaker(mcb)in the consumer unit in the house which is labeled "Garage" is only 32amp?? Doesn't this mcb need to be higher than the 63Rcd which would be installed in the garage?? :/
And if so, is it as simple as changing the 32ampMcb in the house consumer unit for a higher one?

Any advice would be great, the main reason for finding as much as possible is also cost. I don't want to get into having New units if it's going to mean changing the house one also and costing whatever u boys charge for this type of job?? Expensive??
Ta

There are so many factors relevant to your requirements(earthing/bonding/loading/supply arrangements etc) which are impossible to evaluate from a PC....Ask an electrician to look at your installation and provide a quotation...or several electricians and several quotes.

 

[amlu]

I have been advised that the consumer unit should have a 63amp Rcd with a 32amp for Ring sockets, 20 amp for my table saw to run off and 6amp for my lights, should sort everything out and be hunky dory I checked the wire running from the house to the garage and it's a 4-5 mm thick wire, so that should be a good thing also.
My problem if u haven't seen one yet?? Is the breaker(mcb)in the consumer unit in the house which is labeled "Garage" is only 32amp?? Doesn't this mcb need to be higher than the 63Rcd which would be installed in the garage?? :/
And if so, is it as simple as changing the 32ampMcb in the house consumer unit for a higher one?

Any advice would be great, the main reason for finding as much as possible is also cost. I don't want to get into having New units if it's going to mean changing the house one also and costing whatever u boys charge for this type of job?? Expensive??
Ta

only 32amp, giving that there is only 5mm cable it may be even too much. 5mm thick sounds quite small. post a picture of it if you can.
fuse size does not to be higher than RCD rating, rather the opposite way. should be lower than that.
to change the fuse for a bigger one you will need a competent person to assess what cable you have in there. in case the existing one is too small you may need a proper cable installed. post your location, some members on the forum may be local to you and give you a professional opinion and quote.

 

[Octopus]

Time to find a local competent spark through recommendation is my advice...

 

[Phillb]

OK will do, Ty. It's Grimsby area. North East Lincolnshire. Will post pics tomorrow. As for the cable size there's a red and black one, both look about 5mm ish encased, coming from the ground in the garage to a box, (wire from house) it then goes up into the old consumer unit which looks like it's been around for 30 yrs. :/ these wires are smaller insize I would say the 2.5mm u get.
All am really after is to have some more sockets and lights in the garage, if upgrading/replacing these units will help in running the dust extraction + 1 tool with no trips, then perfect. But I would never run more than 2 together anyway. I bring up treatable saw due to the 16 amp plug on the end.
but the overall goal, would just be a new ring circuit for the sockets.
Will be looking for quotes in the mean time.Ty