Shipping container as a workshop
- Thread starter coshhassessor
- Start date
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You should use a TT supply for this application
Fit double insulated enclosure ip 65 to the out side of the container ,bring in a TT supply to this enclosure to feed RCD 30mamp with a suitable MCB to feed either a sub circuit to a consumer unit inside the container for multiple circuit distribution or to control one circuit for use inside the container eg sockets.I generally use SWA cable for this application.
Once inside the container stud the walls off and use a suitable insulation between then affix 18 mm ply to the stud walls,this then gives you something robust enough to fit any electrical accessories to ie CU, sockets ,switches. Any holes made in the container should be suitably sealed . The container must be earthbonded . Fit a lock to the outside enclosure then all you have to do is isolate the supply to the inside cu lock the enclosure and nobody will be able to play and get hurt.
Fit double insulated enclosure ip 65 to the out side of the container ,bring in a TT supply to this enclosure to feed RCD 30mamp with a suitable MCB to feed either a sub circuit to a consumer unit inside the container for multiple circuit distribution or to control one circuit for use inside the container eg sockets.I generally use SWA cable for this application.
Once inside the container stud the walls off and use a suitable insulation between then affix 18 mm ply to the stud walls,this then gives you something robust enough to fit any electrical accessories to ie CU, sockets ,switches. Any holes made in the container should be suitably sealed . The container must be earthbonded . Fit a lock to the outside enclosure then all you have to do is isolate the supply to the inside cu lock the enclosure and nobody will be able to play and get hurt.
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This is what we come here for! 
If I had prizes to hand out for thorough, detailed and useful answers, well, by the end of *THIS* evening, I'd have a lot fewer prizes in my cupboard!
Thanks to all those who have contributed - it HAS been useful, and it IS appreciated.
Sorry, I don't have any prizes
Anyone need a risk assessment?
M
If I had prizes to hand out for thorough, detailed and useful answers, well, by the end of *THIS* evening, I'd have a lot fewer prizes in my cupboard!
Thanks to all those who have contributed - it HAS been useful, and it IS appreciated.
Sorry, I don't have any prizes
Anyone need a risk assessment?
M
any reason why the metaclad back boxes couldn't be welded to the container walls? Same for any metal accessories. This would also ensure the earth bonding integrity too wouldn't it, due to solid metal contact.
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The enamel paint of the metal clad sockets would be knackered. The galvanising on the trunking would also need replacing.
I have seen several people weld steel square section tube to the walls, and then use self-drilling screws to self tap into this when securing the ply. The weld blistered the paint on the outside of the cainter, this needed grinding and painting.
I have seen several people weld steel square section tube to the walls, and then use self-drilling screws to self tap into this when securing the ply. The weld blistered the paint on the outside of the cainter, this needed grinding and painting.
B
Big_Spark
The supply to this unit should be a TN-S and NOT a TT.
This is a situation were you need to GUARANTEE the earthing arrangements and a TT will not do this UNLESS you spend some serious money and ensure the Earthing is installed professionally.
If you supply the Unit with a 3 Core SWA and also ensure that the armouring of the SWA is earthed you make this as safe as possible. Further, the Supply end of the SWA should be connected to a suitably rated 500mA Type S RCD, and the Consumer unit in the Container/Workshop should have a suitably rated 100mA RCD as a main switch. Any circuits that may be thought to present an extra shock risk, such as socket outlets, should be further protected by correctly selected RCBO's that have a rating of 10mA or 30mA at most.
This will ensure that proper discrimination occurs in the event of a fault whilst still providing the level of protection required to comply with BS7671 as well as common sense...
This is a situation were you need to GUARANTEE the earthing arrangements and a TT will not do this UNLESS you spend some serious money and ensure the Earthing is installed professionally.
If you supply the Unit with a 3 Core SWA and also ensure that the armouring of the SWA is earthed you make this as safe as possible. Further, the Supply end of the SWA should be connected to a suitably rated 500mA Type S RCD, and the Consumer unit in the Container/Workshop should have a suitably rated 100mA RCD as a main switch. Any circuits that may be thought to present an extra shock risk, such as socket outlets, should be further protected by correctly selected RCBO's that have a rating of 10mA or 30mA at most.
This will ensure that proper discrimination occurs in the event of a fault whilst still providing the level of protection required to comply with BS7671 as well as common sense...
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Blimey, this HAS raised some interest - and a great deal of wisdom. Thanks and kudos to all who have responded!
Re earthing - if you srew the boxes on, presumably the metal-to-metal contact from a self-tacpper would give a "fit for purpose" connection? (Compare with, e.g. the little screw in the back of a patress) Certainly, I wouldn't say it was a worse continuity than some welds you see: chickens*** squirted out of a gasless mig, with no appreciable penetration and slag clarted all over everything
Personally, I wouldn't weld any galvanised boxes to anything: to achieve a decent weld, you would need to grind the zinc off (not withstanding the fume problem!), thus "degalvanising" them. Given what you would do to the container, AND the box, I'd rapidly forget this - plus the fact that if you ever want to move anything, you'll have to grind it loose first! As much as I hate self-tapping screws, they seem to be a lesser evil in this case.
As they say, discuss!
M
Re earthing - if you srew the boxes on, presumably the metal-to-metal contact from a self-tacpper would give a "fit for purpose" connection? (Compare with, e.g. the little screw in the back of a patress) Certainly, I wouldn't say it was a worse continuity than some welds you see: chickens*** squirted out of a gasless mig, with no appreciable penetration and slag clarted all over everything
Personally, I wouldn't weld any galvanised boxes to anything: to achieve a decent weld, you would need to grind the zinc off (not withstanding the fume problem!), thus "degalvanising" them. Given what you would do to the container, AND the box, I'd rapidly forget this - plus the fact that if you ever want to move anything, you'll have to grind it loose first! As much as I hate self-tapping screws, they seem to be a lesser evil in this case.
As they say, discuss!
M
B
Big_Spark
Why not install Dado trunking using a chemical anchor. That way you do not produce holes in the skin of the container and you have a wiring system that will allow you to move sockets etc about as you wish...
Yes dado can be expensive, but if you stick to 100x50mm then you don't spend too much. I would suggest MITA Consort range..it's good quality and reasonably cheap.
Yes dado can be expensive, but if you stick to 100x50mm then you don't spend too much. I would suggest MITA Consort range..it's good quality and reasonably cheap.
His supply is TN-C-S.FWL_Engineer said:
What happens to the potential of his container with respect to local earth if the neutral is lost?
B
Big_Spark
BAS, if you don't know the solution to that situation after having read my post, then you should not ever comment on any thread on this forum.
The odds of losing the neutral from the supply is remote, though I accept not impossible, however I have never heard of it occuring in the UK.
The odds of losing the neutral from the supply is remote, though I accept not impossible, however I have never heard of it occuring in the UK.
This is the very reason TN-C-S is not allowed on caravan sites - metal chassis caravans.
Would a few earth rods help?
I have only heard of the broken neutral once, this was on the last leg of a housing estate. The downstream neutral appeared to become live, i.e. one in 3 houses had apparantly no supply and the rest got 415v. No one was killed but there were quite a few broken appliances.
In my 10yrs as a spark (Im only 27), I have seen 6 lost neutrals. I do live in an area with numours OH lines though.
Worst one was when I was replacing a CU. Disconnected the earth wire from the CU, and one big flash, killed a terrace of offices/shops! Neutral current was running down our bonding.
Worst one was when I was replacing a CU. Disconnected the earth wire from the CU, and one big flash, killed a terrace of offices/shops! Neutral current was running down our bonding.
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