rtcosic
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Before we get into another long thread on Part P and 17th Edition of IEE Wiring Regs (or whatever revision we are now up to!), I will be having a local certified electrician I trust to do this little job for me. I know just enough to be dangerous, but clearly there are some expert members out there to ruthlessly exploit for background knowledge!
I just want to understand what alternatives are available (if any), what to ask for and to understand what recommendation and quote he makes – and get a marker for what might be a ‘reasonable’ quote.
I will shortly be taking delivery of a Portamig 185 and want to put in a dedicated 16 amp socket. I know I can ‘get away with’ a domestic 13 amp plug and socket, especially as I will be using it for 0.9 mm to 3mm welding with a hobby use duty cycle. BUT, I’m buying this as an investment for the rest of my life so I want to do it ‘right’ – and who knows what I might get brave enough to do with it once I’ve mastered my new toy.
The new 16 amp socket will be located about 1 metre below the existing consumer unit. All wiring will be surface mounted in MK Egatube PVC mini trunking to match existing.
The consumer unit was replaced a while back with a Wylex NHRS17SL and I have 3 spare ways on the power side. (the difference in cost between a 17 Way with lots of expansion flexibility and a 12 way with none was only £5!). The ‘main switch’ is a 2 pole current operated RCD 100 A, 100mA WRM100/2. The power circuits have an 80 Amp, 30 mA RCD WRS80/2.
So:
What else do I need to know to include in the ITB?
I just want to understand what alternatives are available (if any), what to ask for and to understand what recommendation and quote he makes – and get a marker for what might be a ‘reasonable’ quote.
I will shortly be taking delivery of a Portamig 185 and want to put in a dedicated 16 amp socket. I know I can ‘get away with’ a domestic 13 amp plug and socket, especially as I will be using it for 0.9 mm to 3mm welding with a hobby use duty cycle. BUT, I’m buying this as an investment for the rest of my life so I want to do it ‘right’ – and who knows what I might get brave enough to do with it once I’ve mastered my new toy.
The new 16 amp socket will be located about 1 metre below the existing consumer unit. All wiring will be surface mounted in MK Egatube PVC mini trunking to match existing.
The consumer unit was replaced a while back with a Wylex NHRS17SL and I have 3 spare ways on the power side. (the difference in cost between a 17 Way with lots of expansion flexibility and a 12 way with none was only £5!). The ‘main switch’ is a 2 pole current operated RCD 100 A, 100mA WRM100/2. The power circuits have an 80 Amp, 30 mA RCD WRS80/2.
So:
- Do I just need a new MCB (£3 each) or a RCBO (£25 each) and what does a RCBO do anyway?
- Is there anything electrically peculiar about welders?
- Do I use a 16 or 20 amp MCB or RCBO?
- As it is such a short run and not chased into the wall apparently I can get away with 2.5 mm2 (or even 1.5 mm2!), but for the sake of a few pennies I would insist on 4mm2 – is there any merit in insisting on 6 mm2?
- As there would only be one socket would it effectively be a ‘spur’ directly from the consumer unit?
- Obviously I need a 16 amp socket and plug. Would there be any advantage/disadvantage of a 32 amp plug and socket?
- I might have a future need for some other high current devices – maybe a big compressor one day? So could I ask for two or three 16 amp sockets to be put in (right next to each other) and increase to 6 or 10mm2 cable and use a 32 amp MCB (as existing cooker and 4 ring mains) or even 40 amp? Would this then need to be a short ring?
- Or should each load be on a separate dedicated circuit with an MCB more closely matching its load?
What else do I need to know to include in the ITB?