Shipping container as a workshop

[coshhassessor]

I've been offered a steel shipping container, to use as a shed / workshop, and although it seems like a "good thing", I have doubts about it.

Is it possible to set it up with a bespoke electrical system (including 20A outlets, killswitches, etc), and could a domestic electrician install this inside a steel box? Nothing against domestic electricians, but it seems a pretty "weird" application? Since it's "home" it will need to be carried out compliant with Part P (hence needing an installer), but what sort of installer?

Sensible suggestions?

M

 

[Lectrician]

Go for a spark who advertises as industrial and commercial as well as domestic. I know what you mean, some domestic sparks will make a pigs ear of anything with steel.

The fixings will no-doubt be to the steel wall, and will penetrate. Weathering??

If I was doing the install, it would be in galv trunking and conduit. All metal clad fittings.

You say kill switches?? Do you mean red emergency stops to kill all the power?? Maybe a little OTT for household use??

 

[andy]

You say kill switches?? Do you mean red emergency stops to kill all the power?? Maybe a little OTT for household use??

he did say workshop

 

[Lectrician]

He did also say "at home"

 

[HDRW]

I've been offered a steel shipping container, to use as a shed / workshop, and although it seems like a "good thing", I have doubts about it.

As a matter of interest, where are you going to put this, and do you expect to get Planning Permission for it? They're pretty ugly beasts, and I know what my neighbours would say if I plonked on in my garden!

Cheers,

Howard

 

[Steve]

Could always paint it. Or clad it in wood and put an apex felt roof on

 

[Big_Spark]

As modified units of this type are used as site offices and stores, as well as workshops on occasion, there is no problem with using it for this purpose.

There are a number of things to consider though.

Depending on the size of the container, it will weigh anything from 3.25 to 7.8 Tonnes empty, and transporting of this will be expensive. If you need to lift it over any obstacles that a normal HIAB could not manage, then you would require a crane, and these are far from cheap even for a half day rate.

Further, these are classed by some councils as permanent structures if they are converted as your considering, and opens the spectre of planning permission.

If all the above is not a problem, or irrelevent in your situation, then I wouls consider lining the container with plasterboard...it will give a finish that will be easier to work with for any sparky, and also look better..it will save you penetrating the outer skin and risking water penetration too.

 

[andy]

Further, these are classed by some councils as permanent structures if they are converted as your considering, and opens the spectre of planning permission.

so what about containers that are already converted to an office?

seems a bit daft gettin plannin permission for something that can be moved

exactly what address would you use?

 

[coshhassessor]

For what it's worth, I think a killswitch in *ANY* workshop is a good idea - preferably one which involves using a key to turn the power back on, so that if I switch it off, and take the key away, children and others who don't know what they are doing can't beggar about with (e.g.) welders, chop saws or anything else that needs power to make it go.

OK, it doesn't prevent them dropping something on their toes, but you're likely to get over that, I supose.

M

 

[andy]

For what it's worth, I think a killswitch in *ANY* workshop is a good idea - preferably one which involves using a key to turn the power back on, so that if I switch it off, and take the key away, children and others who don't know what they are doing can't beggar about with (e.g.) welders, chop saws or anything else that needs power to make it go.

OK, it doesn't prevent them dropping something on their toes, but you're likely to get over that, I supose.

M

for emergency stop switches, you dont need a key type on every stop switch. just a key on the start switch.

 

[coshhassessor]

Exactly what I said !

 

[andy]

Exactly what I said !

just incase you were thinin of the emergency stops with key resets...

 

[plugwash]

also you have to be very carefull with metal structures if the supply is PME or you could end up with a serious shock hazard on exiting the structure in the event of a lost cne.

 

[Steve]

also you have to be very carefull with metal structures if the supply is PME or you could end up with a serious shock hazard on exiting the structure in the event of a lost cne.

Never thought of this: is there any risk of shock hazard in a container fed by a 2.5mm² cable to a double socket, with the wall of the conatiner earthed to the 3 phase supply DB (NOT TT), BUT where the container sits on tarmac and the area around it is tarmac?

 

[coshhassessor]

Plugwash,

*THIS* was the kind of thing I was worried about. I know about charge being out the outside of a closed shell (ah, physics!), but the issues of how this relates to supplies was exactly the kind of thing I had in mind.

What supply mode would be "best" (I use quotes since I'm sure that there must be some "swings and roundabouts" involved.)

M