Ring main spur type query

[Dave-G]

Thinkering ahead to correct how my timber workshop is powered, it has a paved gated side entry path between it and the side of a modern two bed semi.

When I originally fitted it out I cheekily took a fused spur from the nearby heating control power supply on the side wall (think it might now be a spur off a spur) and routed the armoured cable another unprofessional way to the workshop. Well I'm getting older and don't want to leave my kids a mess to sort out when I'm gone before they can sell the house.

I want to continue to use the armoured cable I'd coiled up the excess of and will chase a route into the conservatory floor to a ring main at the rear of the house... Which I think allready has too many fused spurs off the ring main twin wall switch socket: One for the washer which was done by the housebuilder - and one I added to supply a twin RCD switch socket in the conservatory I assembled at the rear. 

Is it allowable to terminate the armoured cable in a junction box and have just a flex to a 13 amp plug into the RCD sockets to avoid using yet anther spur?

Plan B would be to simply remove the buried armoured power supply at some future date and trail a flex into the worksop from the conservatry any time I need power in there.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Dave-G

[vmaxphil]

Nothing wrong in principle, just a little bit amateurish to be honest, ideally you would want to run the armored from the consumer board

[Delwint]

Just be aware that should electrical works not have a qualified sparky to certificate it. In the event (highly unlikely knowing how you build your NV addons) of an electrical fire your insurance would be invalid ??

[figgy]

Run the armored from the consumer unit with a decent supply like 40 amps to your garage and add another breaker box in your garage with there own ringmains round your garage or workshop.

[Munzy]

10 minutes ago, figgy said:

Run the armored from the consumer unit with a decent supply like 40 amps to your garage and add another breaker box in your garage with there own ringmains round your garage or workshop.

This.

Whilst you know that your workshop power will be supplied by a 13A plug a new owner might think, “Great, a workshop, let me get my convector heater set up in there, move the tumble dryer outside and I can even bring my hairdryer out!”

You get the picture!

[decoy1979]

If you truly don't want go leave a mess for the kids then you do need to go back to the consumer unit. Separate feed with RCD/RCBO protection to meet current regs I think. You don't necessarily need to take armoured cable from consumer unit though. Use twin & earth to external wall as it's easier to pull in, then junction box (of suitable IP rating) on external wall and terminate armoured cable from there. 

[Gordon R]

Quote

Run the armored from the consumer unit with a decent supply like 40 amps to your garage and add another breaker box in your garage with there own ringmains round your garage or workshop.

That was solution for my garage.

[Dave-G]

Thank you very much chaps.

I'm slightly dyslexic and should have said the timber workshop is more an extremely well built 20x6 shed with LED strip lights and sockets for a hobby lathe, drill stand, bandsaw, grindstone, soldering iron etc. Only one machine runs at any time.

I'm not up for installing a supply from the consumer unit as its right over the other side and opposing corner of the house, fed into the entry passage ceiling. I would need to make a route through the passage, living room and kitchen ceilings. TBH I think that route is more than the workshop justifies, most people round here have a plain budget shed at the bottom of the garden.

Its likely I'll just eventually remove the electrical supply to the workshop and downgrade it to a well made shed that can be extension cable plugged into the conservatory RCD - or kitchen ring main as needed. 

[clakk]

My shed has just the extension with a built in trip on the actual unit but  plugged into an RCD tripped socket ,which does work .Again only 1 item used at a time ,bench grinder ,stick welder /mains drill on a stand or pressure washer so no unpleasant surprises .

And just for anti gardening oops by the mrs the cable is run through conduit to protect it from spades ,trowels and whatever she can come up with to break stuff atb