Sparkies/TIG advice needed pretty please!

[threadstripperbern]

Sparks;
My defunct electric cooker outlet would dearly love to supply amps for a 1P AC/DC TIG. I'm sure it feels the love. However. After having a peek at the 50 odd year old fusebox, it would appear that the particular circuit is fused to 30A.
So, considering 100A allowable according to the meter, would it be just a new consumer unit(?) and correctly rated cabling to allow a 32A outlet? Obviously someone competent and 'currently' qualified would carry out the work.

Tiggers;
I live in a terrace house, in an urban environment, am I wasting my time with the above? Or do I just avoid HF start machines?

All welding to be carried out in a shed. If I ever build it. Not indoors, the argon would ruin the cats's day somewhat. He is low to the ground, sometimes.

 

[wheresmejumper]

im not sure i follow,first you mention a cooker outlet,but then building a shed?

 

[threadstripperbern]

My thinking is that if the the lecky and welder things work out, then the shed goes up. I am in a terraced house, I don't want anyone thinking I would spark up indoors!

 

[madkayaker]

I think the difference between 30amp fuse and 32amp MCB is Probily the least of your worries! It sounds like you have an old wire fuse board which will have no RCD protection and wires tht could be very very old. It would be worth getting it checked out before you start adding the stress of a welder to the system.

 

[DrNik]

if you are going to use any welder id go right back to the main "tails" from your meter to your fuseboard/comsumer unit, and put a 32 amp seperate fused supply (rcd if you like) for your shed or welder supply, that way your not loading you old electrical household supply, thats what ive done, ive used 25mm armoured cable to my workshop so i can in theory draw 100 amps easily, but as my house is fused at 100amp, and my workshop on a 60amp fuse i can draw that, but the chances of me welding at the same time as the kettle,boiler,compressor,electric fires etc is very slight, and my 60amp will blow long before the house 100amp fuse

 

[Exuptoy]

There should be some diversity there anyway, you don't want a protective device of the same rating as the feed or the feed may trip first.

 

[threadstripperbern]

Many thanks chaps, much appreciated!

 

[Exuptoy]

There should be some diversity there anyway, you don't want a protective device of the same rating as the feed or the feed may trip first.

Just re-read my post. Doh, should have read Discrimination not diversity. Basically the fuse ratings should have a increasing value from the furthest point back to source really, otherwise if a 100 amp was in the garage (exaggerating for the purpose in hand I know!) and an 80 amp in the house, then the house would fail first. Not good.

 

[wheresmejumper]

the same rating technically should be okay,as the fuse closest to fault/overload should trip first.not that id rate a circuit that way though!

 

[brightspark]

the same rating technically should be okay,as the fuse closest to fault/overload should trip first.not that id rate a circuit that way though

i wouldnt bank on it

 

[wheresmejumper]

not in my own home anyway!

 

[threadstripperbern]

Madkayaker and DrNik have said enough for me to get it looked at and priced by a pro. Many thanks for your replies, beers are on me!

 

[the repair man]

your electrics

There is a fairly simple and cheapish solution to your question.
You have an 100 amp supply to the house, common place in older homes, ignore the cooker ring and just use the fuse/mcb placement. run new cabling from that to your shed with a 32amp fuse/mcb. Or you can go direct from the 100amp into your distribution board to an external consumer unit in your shed, with its own rcd/mcb, i got a 3 way recently off ebay for £20 with a 6, 16 and 32amp mcb. Perfect, lights, ring main and welder.

 

[Exuptoy]

My new cooker is now on a 13a plug! My garage is now on the cooker feed.