Garage electrics advice please :) - making a ring circuit

[Phate]

Hi all,

I will try as best I can to describe the current scenario, where I want to get to, and what I "think" is the way to get there, please correct me where you see fit! I am perfectly happy tackling most if not all DIY stuff, just cautious when it comes to home electrics

So in my garage (which is 2 floors below my building) I have a fuse box on the wall which has 4 cables coming out the top, I traced these and see it as

1 - Goes to 1 individual plug socket on the wall
2 - goes to a junction box which splits off to a light switch and a then a light
3 - goes to an individual plug socket which is on the ceiling to power the electric garage door
4 - is the supply from the building mains

So I am in the process of converting my garage into a home workshop for hobbying/home RC and modelling stuff. As such, I wish to place a significant amount of sockets on the walls as I want to have a number of tools plugged in ready to be used at any given time. I was advised by Dad to make it into a ring circuit (he knows a fair wack about home electrics)

Looking at diagrams of ring circuits, it needs to start to and from the fuse box on inidividual supplies.

So what I was thought was running cable from the socket on the ceiling down to the wall to where i want additional sockets, daisy chain them together, then complete the loop by running a cable coming off a new socket into the one which is already on the wall. Effectively joining 1 + 3 together.

See below for a crude diagram



Hope this makes sense in what I am trying to achieve - thank you in advance!

 

[Phate]

No that doesnt look right. To have a ring you would need to start and end on the same circuit.

so you would take a feed from the celing plug but would need to end back at the same rcd/mcb.

What your proposing will just result in the rcd/mcb not setting/working.

You could feed from that socket on the wall and run around the room and finish back at the fuse box in the same way as above.

Thanks That clears up the doubt.

So I can just run an additional cable into the same circuit breaker - easy enough!

Thank you

 

[Phate]

Essentially yes. You would need to work out if the mcb/rcd is rated high enough for everything you plan to be using is all.

NP - I can do that. While a lot will be plugged in it wont be in continuous use and almost never all at the same time

Thank you!

 

[Phate]

On the right side it will be a 3m or so of kitchen worktop with kitchen units fitted underneath. It's going to host the main tools (table saw, pillar drill, grinder etc) then on the far wall will be my workbench. I've got a roommate moving out so the desk I have in her room I'll move to the garage. That'll do for now.

I am into RC Modelling so mainly that. But also want to try my hand at electronic projects as well. All sorts. Will likely cram a 3D printer in there somewhere.

I bought new kitchen units and assembled those last week

The tops of the boards you see in the photo are from a dismantled IKEA cabinet. I plan on repurposing a lot of that into shelves and all sorts.

Happy to share more pics if interested

 

[Phate]

In your diag I would put another double at bottom right corner - I have at least 10 doubles in my garage and sometimes I am looking for a spare socket as most of the tools are plugged in but not on and also behind things like pillar drill and shelf racking - mine was a empty room once so more sockets the better for what they cost.

Oh yes what is in the diagram is not the full extent of all the sockets. I just quickly and crudely drew it to show what I was getting at

plan is (as you're looking at the garage)

- Left wall, 1 Double socket behind the shelving I put in which is where I will keep my RC Models. A charger will be left permenantly plugged in there with a long charging cable to reach any shelf and power for a compressor.
- back wall, 2 double sockets. This will be my ad hoc work bench, no tools in permanent spots here. So stuff like dremel usage, soldering iron etc
- right wall, 3 double sockets. On this bench will be. Pillar drill, table saw, grinder fixed down.

Thats the idea. Giving me 12 sockets overall.

 

[Phate]

Probably worth checking the local code in Lisbon Phate...Rings are something that we use in the UK, but would be considered very unusual and against code (if not dangerous to future owners) in the US for example.

Will do Jez, however I know my apartment has rings in it. But will check with a local spark

EDIT: Scratch that, I thought my apartment did, but it doesn't. And just checking here https://www.legrandgroup.com/sites/...olutions/Guide_International_standards_EN.pdf - Portugal follows the German standard so its radial all the way,. Not ring circuit. Good call Jez.

Radial it is

 

[Phate]

Its got 3 breakers, 1 for each plug socket and 1 for the lights.

So as I am going radial, and code states no more than 8 sockets per fuse I will run 6 off of each giving me a bit of breathing room