# Power into a detached garage



## Alan L (Feb 23, 2016)

How have you guys and gals run power in to your detached garage? Does it come in through the wall or up through the slab?

What sort of spec is your consumer unit in garage?

No heavy duty machinery will be getting used, so no need for anything heavy duty.

Thanks 

Alan


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## macca666 (Mar 30, 2010)

Mine comes in through the wall. I've a separate breaker unit in the garage with two circuits one for the lights and one for sockets.

Can't comment about spec etc sorry as I'm not a spark :thumb:


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## sshooie (May 15, 2007)

Either is OK, personally I'd want it coming up through the slab in a duct.

Always over spec the supply and cu to future proof it.


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Depends on your situation distance and how much work/neat you want it. 

It can go overhead but has to be supported in a conduit or on a tensioner wire. Underground you'd have to use armoured cable. Consumer unit you can get from Screwfix cheaply enough just a couple of circuits on it for sockets and lights. Unless of course you have something excessive in there where you might need bigger unit.

Quite simple job if you're competent diy'er. I did my last one and just got electrician in to connect to CU and sign off.


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## Alan L (Feb 23, 2016)

Cheers, folks. Its going underground with armoured cable, just dont want it showing on the outside of the garage. Can cable most of it up, just get a spark to hook up to main consumer unit in house?


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Alan L said:


> Cheers, folks. Its going underground with armoured cable, just dont want it showing on the outside of the garage. Can cable most of it up, just get a spark to hook up to main consumer unit in house?


Yeah, that's what I did. Make sure any cables into sockets are vertical or horizontal. 
This is similar to CU used. www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-5-module-3-way-populated-garage-consumer-unit/1926g


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## MrMatt (Apr 15, 2011)

Possibly worth specifying things so that they are capable of carrying the current (and allowable volt drop and earth impedance) for charging an electric vehicle at full rate.


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Something to consider, when my mate did mine, he used a weatherproof junction box on the outside of the house and connected the armoured cable to it. I’ve now got an external power point if I ever get round to fitting external lighting to the house.


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Another thing worth thinking about is a water supply. 
If you're digging for a cable then if wanted and suitable connection point to house you could bury pipes as well and have running water in there. 
I did in last house and in this one I've just done first fix of new extension so stuck hot and cold outside taps in. Been here 4 yrs and missed the taps I had in garage so much😀😀


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## John-R- (Feb 4, 2007)

If you can come through the slab it's much neater but otherwise you can go through the wall if needed.

Dig down at least 18" preferably 24", line the hole with sharp sand. 
Lay your cable, recover with sharp sand and remember to lay some warning "Electric Cable" tape on top of the sand.

Depending on your expected loading look at 4mm minimum.
Watch YouTube on how to make off wire armour glands, simple once you've done a few but does take some practice initially.

Remember to have either an RCBO or have the feed fitted to the RCD protected side of your board.
2 or 3 way distribution board in the garage depending on your needs, internal power / lighting, external lighting etc...

John


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## John-R- (Feb 4, 2007)

Shiny said:


> Something to consider, when my mate did mine, he used a weatherproof junction box on the outside of the house and connected the armoured cable to it. I've now got an external power point if I ever get round to fitting external lighting to the house.


Personally I wouldn't connect anything else to this, the supply breaker will be massively overrated for lighting circuits etc and as such will not provide protection in the event of an issue.

John


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## Alan L (Feb 23, 2016)

Cable will be going back to house consumer unit, we already have external lighting. I was wanting it through the slab.

Water I had thought about, insulating a hose and laying a plastic drainage pipe with everying running through it, with spare lengths of string fed through, incase I want anything else pulled through. But just a thought for now!


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Alan L said:


> Cable will be going back to house consumer unit, we already have external lighting. I was wanting it through the slab.
> 
> Water I had thought about, insulating a hose and laying a plastic drainage pipe with everying running through it, with spare lengths of string fed through, incase I want anything else pulled through. But just a thought for now!


That's what I did. Future proof it. Then we moved😂


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## Alan L (Feb 23, 2016)

Sorted, pipe through wall underground and up through hardcore yesterday, Visqueen laid, ready for the concrete to be poured this morning. Asking builders if they needed aything else before I headed to work, dog ran out and straight into the concrete, luckily hadn't been smoothed. Raked over to get rid of the pawprints, and hosed dog to get rid of the concrete, he only went in about 4". 

Just need to order another 600 block...

Pics to follow,


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