Penners
Member
- Messages
- 17,294
- Location
- Suffolk, England
Now that I've appointed a builder to build my garage, I have to get a quote for installing an electrical system in the building. It won't amount to much - just a couple of strip lights and 2 switchsockets.
First question - can this supply be simply a 2.5mm TW&E spur from its own MCB on the consumer unit, or must it be a ring? If a spur is OK, is it permitted to use the spur for both lighting and power, if I install a small two-circuit consumer unit in the garage?
Next, I'm concerned at the potential cost of getting power to the garage from the house (about 5 metres distance). If electricians start talking about underground armoured cable, it's going to mean digging up part of the drive (concrete paving blocks), which will be very expensive.
Can I insist that the power is taken to the garage overhead? Fortunately the gable end of the garage faces the gable end of the house, so the cable could leave the house about over 5 metres above ground and enter the garage over 4 metres up.
If this is permitted, would it be acceptable just to suspend ordinary 2.5mm TW&E cable from a slim wire rope catenary, to cross this 5 metre gap? If so, should the two be twisted together, or must the cable hang from loops under the catenary?
I'm anxious not to get charged for un-necessary costs on the job, so any advice would be gratefully received.
First question - can this supply be simply a 2.5mm TW&E spur from its own MCB on the consumer unit, or must it be a ring? If a spur is OK, is it permitted to use the spur for both lighting and power, if I install a small two-circuit consumer unit in the garage?
Next, I'm concerned at the potential cost of getting power to the garage from the house (about 5 metres distance). If electricians start talking about underground armoured cable, it's going to mean digging up part of the drive (concrete paving blocks), which will be very expensive.
Can I insist that the power is taken to the garage overhead? Fortunately the gable end of the garage faces the gable end of the house, so the cable could leave the house about over 5 metres above ground and enter the garage over 4 metres up.
If this is permitted, would it be acceptable just to suspend ordinary 2.5mm TW&E cable from a slim wire rope catenary, to cross this 5 metre gap? If so, should the two be twisted together, or must the cable hang from loops under the catenary?
I'm anxious not to get charged for un-necessary costs on the job, so any advice would be gratefully received.