I need to run some cable underground to my garage, approx 40m run, needs to be able to power 16 amp welder and lathe, milling machine inverter ect, socket on the mig is a blue 16 amp connector, what size of cable would you recommend ?

Regards

Mark

 

Are you coming out of your household consumer unit? Ideally, you need to come off your consumer unit and go direct to a separate consumer unit with RCD for the garage. You want the cable under you garden to be SWA (Armoured cable) but also protected incase of any damage etc, hence coming out of your household consumer unit..... 6mm2 SWA will be ideal and will cost you about £125inc VAT for a 50m roll.

All qualified electricians feel free to add!! I'm still at college learning the trade!!

 

off the main to a separate consumer - yes got all that already from the removed garage, i thought 2.5mm2 cable was good for 32amps? or is it the run length thats attributing to upping the diameter?

i expected about a ton or so to buy.

 

If your not going to have everything on at the same time, then you could get away with a 4mm SWA but could do with knowing what the total power for the garage is and is there a chance of a few of the said machines been on at the same time???

 

I'd go 6mm cos it's guaranteed you're gonna run more stuff of it than you first think.

 

there will never be more than one machine on at once, im good but not that good, lighting, prob 20 fluorescents, 1hp motors on the machines one at once, never alot being drawn in one go, tig plant, mig plant, i would be surprised if i ever saw any more than 25 amps in one go, lets put it this way, they were all in my old place and I have a 20amp breaker feeding the garage, and only under full chat with the mig and all lights on did it every now and again trip the switch.

 

If you're expecting a ton then spend the little extra to be sure.

The guys at work always over spec stuff to be sure.

Seems to be the way of the world with electrics.

 

In that case 6mm SWA will give you around 36A

 

I always try to come in under budget Jake

ask a few questions stir a little interest and gain advice from people doing the job day in day out - especially when you find someone who says 'ive got a spare 50m left over from a job - yours for £50 - then im happy


Sounds like 6mm it will be cheers guys.

 

LOL

Now I'm not suggesting I do that at work but its possible some of my central heating pipework was for free.... lol....

The shit we throw away is crackers and as for SWA stuff... you could get rich quick..

 

lol - too true - i think thats where half the stuff on ebay comes from !

 

I personally would not come straight off the mains. Although I'm not 100% clued up. Surely, if you come straight off the mains with the SWA then you will not be protecting the cable if for some reason it gets cut through in the garden. I know its armoured but that means nothing to heavy machinery...

 

i think he means coming off the main board via a breaker

although, that said, depending on how old the consumer unit is, he may need to have it upgraded as it may not be suitable to have that much load running from it

my electrics knowledge is close to 20 years old and lots have changed in that time, but you always always overspec electrics as it's the one time you want to make sure everything is as safe from overload as possible, don't skimp on £25 if it's the difference between doing a half arsed job or doing a proper job, you dn't want to be running to the tripped rcd every 5 minutes when you've just set up the tig to start welding