What should I budget for getting a workshop wired up?

The connector types mentioned here are probably the BS 4343 system, when I was working it was very common on industrial and site type applications.

I guess electrical wholesalers would stock it.

Edited By V8Eng on 14/10/2014 19:27:57

Thanks Pete - I think I've found the same things myself on Rapid Electronics' site.

I think I'm at about £500 in parts alone on my little spreadsheet which doesn't seem too bad to me.

Do you think it's reasonable to ask an electrician if I can put up all the conduit and source and place all the sockets where I want them on the walls and then just have them do the wiring? I don't really want to pay a sparky to do the cosmetic bits, and the layout is rather important if I'm going to be able to squeeze everything in.

I could probably do all the wiring myself apart from hooking the new supply up to the incoming mains, but I can fully understand why an electrician wouldn't want to certify wiring they hadn't done themselves, so I'm not going to ask for quotes for that.

Cheers,

Joe.

I would be inclined to fit the conduit, run the cables, fit the sockets to the walls etc and let the sparks connect it all up including all outlets/switches then test/certify.

Bob

Yes, I will ask about that - I was thinking 2.5mm for the ring main and probably 10mm rather than 6 for the high current supplies - for a few more quid, I'd be able to plug in my welder into any of the high current sockets, rather than just one extra high current one.

Some people have suggested that a ring would allow the easy addition of extra sockets later - I can't visualise how that would work if you need to loop the cable through a new box though - I probably want to run my conduit above head level to keep the wall free for machines.

If you are adding say 4/5 high power outlets there is nothing to say you can not run these as a ring main in say 6mm cable as apposed to 10mm as the load is fed from both ends of the ring.

Bob

True, but I think I'd prefer to have the high power sockets on a breaker per socket so that I can isolate them individually.

Just a quick update - I've purchased 3 Geweiss GW 66015 sockets which seem really nice - good for 32A and interlocked so that you can't turn them on without a plug fitted, and can't remove the plug with the power on.

I have a couple of electricians coming over this evening to give me quotes - I will let you know how I get on!

Thanks for all the help and advice so far!

Cheers,

Joe.