Would be nice but its in a block across the road!....
Anyone got any good ideas on how to get enough electricity over there to power a few lights and a fan?
and I cant put an extension lead across the road either!
TIA
Big (and now bald!) Dave
"Dave P-B" wrote | Would be nice but its in a block across the road!.... | Anyone got any good ideas on how to get enough electricity over there to | power a few lights and a fan? | and I cant put an extension lead across the road either!
Probably the best bet is to ask for a new supply from the elec co to the garage, and get the garage meter added to your home account.
If you try to d-i-y you will need to get wayleaves from the council to dig the road, get clearance from all the other utilities so you don't dig through their cable/pipe, get permission from the council to obstruct the road whilst digging the hole and provide appropriate barriers, signage and/or traffic lights, public liability insure the whole wretched shebang, and you will have to use a registered Street Works contractor to dig the hole on the public highway anyway.
The leccy co will sort all that out and take their profit for so doing. One benefit of the garage having its own supply is if you ever rent out the garage (don't know if garage renting is popular where you are, it may be if you are close to city centre and there is a shortage of garage/parking) the tenant pays for the electric.
Otherwise, take a small generator across to run a couple of fluoros and a travel kettle for brew-ups. Obviously don't run it with the garage door closed. For a really small load you might get away with a battery and inverter, recharging the battery in the house.
Owain
Generator?
Si
Hello Dave
Define "Road" - dirt driveway or public highway?
If the latter, forget it, unless you want to pay your local eleco to put in a supply. (Not worth it unless you can interest all the other owners in your block and flog it on to them/share costs.)
A generator, or a car battery and use that to run 12v stuff, or 240vac stuff through an inverter (allows power tools as well - see Machine Mart for sizes and scary costs)
A hefty battery is about 20-40 quid and will last a fair while, but if you go this path pay the extra and get a leisure battery. They're more forgiving about being drained. Charge at home, wheel it across when you want it. Can fit 12vdc wiring semi-permanently and have it running off a nice switch.
Solar?
I have a similar issue powering lights in a coucil garage I rent. I bought a fairly big leisure battery, a 15w solar panel, a cheap 300w inverter from Maplins, and 4x 100w equivelent energy-saving compact fluroescent bulbs. (about £10 for a 2 pack in b&q)
Battery is charged (slowly) by solar panel, which as time power is drawn is so small compared to charging time copes to keep battery topped up even though it's only a small panel. Panel is on roof out of sight. Used to use 12v 50w bulbs but they drew loads of power (over 4amps each), so switched to the fluroescents and inverter a few months ago and whole system is far better. Inverter modified so I can have an external on/off switch mounted on garage wall to switch lights as required. Power drain from battery around 5 amps with 4 lamps running IIRC.
Can also use small tools if required
email me if you'd like more details and/or suppliers I used.
Alan.
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