I am now thinking about rewiring my garage, someone mentioned I can't use plastic boxes and conduit I need metal clad ones. Is this true I can't seem to find any definite info on it.
Thanks
Paul
I am now thinking about rewiring my garage, someone mentioned I can't use plastic boxes and conduit I need metal clad ones. Is this true I can't seem to find any definite info on it.
Thanks
Paul
Sounds like cobblers to me!
If you are going to be waving heavy articles around in there, then i'd go for the metalclad, otherwise plastic should be fine.
NB This advice is worth what you paid for it. Someone will be along to quote chapter & verse in a minute.
I assume this is a residential garage, not commercial...
No, it's not generally true. You can use no conduit, plastic conduit, metal conduit, trunking - as long as you follow the IET (IEE) wiring regs which may pertain (eg earthing metal conduit correctly) and as long as the cables have adequate protection.
Cables clipped to the wall are, IMO, fine, as long as an opening car door (for example) cannot readily strike them. In that case, plastic conduit should be sufficient. If you need to run a cable in from of where the car's bumper is going to be, such that it is possible the car may hit the wall and crush the cable, then you'd need heavy steel conduit at the least.
Most garages I've seen, the sockets and light switches run high enough for none of this to be a problem.
There are other things to worry about out in a garage, like earthing requirements, RCDs, circuit arrangemets...
Is it attached/detached, do you want to discuss any finer points of your design here?
Go to
HTH
Tim
BTW I'm not a sparks.
On Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:29:59 +0100 someone who may be Paul wrote this:-
The designer, you, must select a wiring system and accessories based on the likely use and abuse that the installation will experience. That includes factors like heat and mechanical damage.
Under the right circumstances and placed in the right place twin & earth cable clipped to the wall is fine, perhaps covered by trunking as it comes lower down the wall. Under different circumstances plastic conduit and accessories may be suitable [1]. Under different circumstances again mineral insulated cable, or singles in metal conduit and metal accessories may be suitable.
[1] for instance it may not be suitable to run twin and earth directly between two sockets at waist level. It could either be run up and down from higher up, covered by trunking down the wall, or run in trunking/conduit between the sockets (of course singles could be used in the latter case as well, but it is not worth buying a reel just for a garage).Assuming this garage is in England or Wales you might want to consider Mr Prescott.
Cheers for the Info.
I don't like Mr Prescott so wont invite him round :).
Paul
Certainly is - I've just saved it for future use, thanks.
(It's at
if anybody else is hunting for it).
David
If you do, you might consider converting to a double garage so he can bring both Jags ;)
You'll need a strong table, too. (At least the mystery of why it costs the government so much to furnish its offices is now solved.)
Will
No, you just need to select systems suitable for the location. Personally, for a domestic garage, I would use 20mm plastic conduit and metal clad sockets, unless the cable was particularly likely to receive damage, where either metal conduit or cable rerouting should be considered.
It is much easier to use metal clad sockets than plastic surface mounted ones, as the conduit knockouts are already present. They also look nicer. They can be had for reasonable prices, too. Aim to pay under a fiver per twin socket.
Christian.
Plastic conduit boxes also have conduit knockouts already present. Although I prefer the look of metal clad sockets if I was fitting to a damp garage wall I would fit plastic.
Adam
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