Is this a bad idea?

[Fred Trevvett]

I would like a 16A socket in my workshop, but there isn't a spare space in the garage style consumer unit to add another 16A circuit. At present it just has a 6A(?) for lighting and a 32A for sockets. Is it stupid to connect a 16A socket into the 32A socket ring?

I'm thinking if a double socket can handle two 13A tools going at full power then 16A should be no problem? Obviously I wouldn't have any high power equipment being fed from the normal sockets at the same time as the 16A one.

 

[gaz1]

best not and upgrade your consumer unit to a few more fuses and rewire in

you can wire in up too 20amps to a blue socket if it has its own set fuse within the consumer unit

just wire it in as ring main

 

[Fred Trevvett]

I know that's the correct way but I really can't be bothered getting a new bigger CU

On a serious note, more out of interest than anything else, what is actually wrong with what I suggested? I.e., is there any increased risk of anything going bang

 

[Barking Mat]

Evening mate.

I wouldn't hesitate to stick a 16 amp plug on a 32 amp supply, but, before I'm shot down.....

Go buy a little enclosure to stick a 16 amp MCB, into the gubbins.

Watch out here comes 600 posts of you shouldn't do this.

 

[brightspark]

take a loop feed of the mains in to the db and fit a one way db with 16 amp breaker then to the socket if your too tight to upgrade the whole db but its hardly worth it as you can get a 3 way db cheap enough

 

[brightspark]

I know that's the correct way but I really can't be bothered getting a new bigger CU

On a serious note, more out of interest than anything else, what is actually wrong with what I suggested? I.e., is there any increased risk of anything going bang

if your gear requires 16 amp and your breaker is rated 32 amp its double the current for size of cable and load . just makes a bigger bang if it goes wrong and will trash your appliance instead of just tripping it

 

[Barking Mat]

take a loop feed of the mains in to the db and fit a one way db with 16 amp breaker then to the socket if your too tight to upgrade the whole db but its hardly worth it as you can get a 3 way db cheap enough

if your gear requires 16 amp and your breaker is rated 32 amp its double the current for size of cable and load . just makes a bigger bang if it goes wrong and will trash your appliance instead of just tripping it

What's the chances you won't die.

 

[brightspark]

What's the chances you won't die.

normally if something blows goodstyle theres a big flash and you may get burnt if your pinkies and face are anywhere near

 

[Barking Mat]

normally if something blows goodstyle theres a big flash and you may get burnt if your pinkies and face are anywhere near

RCD's , where's your face likely to be near ? The distribution box, the plug ?

What really blows in this day and age ?

Normally it just trips out in my experience.

 

[brightspark]

RCD's , where's your face likely to be near ? The distribution box, the plug ?

What really blows in this day and age ?

Normally it just trips out in my experience.

not when its a live to neutral fault and mcb is well over rated. an rcd only trips on live to earth or neutral to earth

 

[Barking Mat]

not when its a live to neutral fault and mcb is well over rated. an rcd only trips on live to earth or neutral to earth

Humour....

So where's the best place to stick my face ?

 

[Barking Mat]

I can see the response coming.

 

[gaz1]

turn your volume up

brown trouser moment

 

[Barking Mat]

turn your volume up

brown trouser moment

End of world !!!!

 

[Barking Mat]

turn your volume up

brown trouser moment

No earth clamp, but clearly, the biggest problem, is a crate of Budweiser, I mean, who the hell, drinks that crap ?

 

[Fred Trevvett]

if your too tight to upgrade the whole db

It's more that it's set into the wall and would basically need the wall rebuilding round a bigger one

Just trying to convince myself there's an easier way

 

[brightspark]

It's more that it's set into the wall and would basically need the wall rebuilding round a bigger one

Just trying to convince myself there's an easier way

the looped out 1 way db the best then

 

[Gritineye]

turn your volume up

brown trouser moment

Own up, who else thought that was a red hot loop of cable at the start...

 

[daedalusminos]

You can get 16A sockets with built in MCB's, but probably cheaper to buy a new CU.

 

[Morrisman]

Evening mate.

I wouldn't hesitate to stick a 16 amp plug on a 32 amp supply, but, before I'm shot down.....

Go buy a little enclosure to stick a 16 amp MCB, into the gubbins.

Watch out here comes 600 posts of you shouldn't do this.

Here's what I have in my garage. I initially had a local Sparky come out to give me a quote for a new, bigger consumer unit so I could take my workshop supply from it. His advice was not to do it, but to wire my new workshop supply from the small secondary breaker box, that was already fitted for my power shower. It's wired direct from the meter, and fitted alongside my main CU.

I was given estimates, on here, of £500 ++ to fit a new main CU and then anything that was found wrong would add £££ to that. The sparky said the same, that it could open a whole can of worms if he found anything wrong with the house wiring while he was doing it.

The guy charged me £175 for the lot, hooking up my wiring, hooking up my sockets and certifying it all.