Want to move garage door openers off RCD circuit - how to wire?

[tinnews]

We have three electrically opened garage doors, currently they are simply plugged into sockets in the garage which are fed by the RCD protected side of a split load CU.

Since our garden electrics are also fed from the same side of the split load unit it means that anything that goes awry in the garden and trips the RCD also stops the garage doors working which can be a bit of a nuisance (especially since the CU is in one of the garages!). It's not a disaster because there's a alternative access to the garage but it would be good if we could split the garage doors off the RCD protected circuits - or at least split them off the same circuit as the garden, pond, etc.

So what are the allowed/correct ways of doing this?

Can I used a dedicated, non-RCD protected circuit for the garage doors? The existing sockets are mounted on the rafters adjacent to the door opening gear so are hardly likely to be used for 'portable equipment out of doors'. Is it OK to have these three dedicated sockets non-RCD protected even though they're in a garage? This is the cheapest way to fix the problem, I have spare circuits on the non-RCD side of the CU.

Similar to the above I could dedicate a circuit to the garage door openers and not have them on sockets at all but I suspect that this then requires a double pole switch for each to allow it to be isolated. A bit more expensive but not much.

The most expensive solution is to dedicate an RCBO (combined RCD and MCB in other words) to either the garden/pond or the garage doors and add this to the CU on the non-RCD side. I suppose it's the ideal solution but will cost thirty or forty pounds. It is also the simplest solution in that it only involves moving some wires in the CU.

.... and yes, I know it's probably part P'able.

[dcbwhaley]

For me changing the existing sockets to the non RCD side of the CU would be adequate provided you put a notice next to the other sockets say something like "Sockets must not be used for outdoor equipment". After all the regs speak of sockets that might reasonably be expected to be used for outdoor equipment and to my mind it is not reasonable to use a socket with such a notice on it. But he part P inspector might have differnat views. But I wouldn't be bothering to notify :-)

I think that the most cost effective way to satisfy every jobsworth would be to run a new non RCD circuit to a fused/switched connection unit near the unit. Cost about a tenner to do that yourself

Of course if you are going th inspected route the cost of the job is trivial compared with the cost of inspection so you might as fell fit a dedicated RCD.

[Andy Hall]

I don't have this exact issue but I addressed the wiring arrangement by running a circuit from the house CU and installing a CU in the garage.

I then followed the house principles but used radial circuits.

- Lighting and emergency lighting is run from the non-RCD side

- Large fixed machinery is fed through isolators and IEC 60309 32A outlets (also non RCD side)

- Smaller fixed machinery is fed through isolators and IEC60309 16A outlets (RCD side)

- Several radial circuits with BS1363A outlets are fed from 16A MCBs (RCD side)

At one point, I had a freezer in the garage. That was fitted with a modified BS1363A plug (MK make them with T-shaped earth pin) and had a dedicated socket and circuit, non-RCD. This prevents portable equipment being plugged into the non-RCD outlet.

Probably the last of these is the least expensive approach, especially if the garage is joined to the house.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd change them to spur units or use a non 13 amp plug.

[tinnews]

There wouldn't be any "other sockets", I'd dedicate a circuit to the three doors.

A bit more than that as there are three of them.

I might go that way anyway having thought about the effort involved, I'll just shop around for a cheap[ish] rcbo.

[tinnews]

That's the way it is at the moment and is what causes the problem.

I could do that but it seems a little OTT, especially as the three sockets in question are out of reach unless you climb a ladder.

It's not, the CU I'm talking about is entirely separate from the house CU and feeds only garages and garden.

[tinnews]

For three door openers it'll be cheaper (and certainly easier) simply to move the garage sockets onto their own RCBO. (Or move the garden onto a dedicated RCBO circuit).

[Andy Hall]

OK, well probably not needed.

In that case perhaps a separate RCBO to split things apart?

[tinnews]

It's a toss-up between separating the feed to the three door openers and running off the non-RCD side of the CU and .....

..... doing this which would cost a bit more but requires less re-wiring.

[Andy Hall]

So the old time/cost equation.... :-)