6mm^2 or 10mm^2 twin and core?

I am proposing to connect a 40A isolation switch to a 40A RCD incomer garage unit at a distance of 23m from the meter tails. The unit is comprised of the RCD and 1x16A type 2 MCB and 1x6A. I propose the 16A for use as a final radial circuit and the 6A mcb for the lighting circuit. Anyway, in both instances the assumed current demand is definitely bound to be less than 20A . The supply is TNS , 230V 50Hz. Since I have limited funds, should I use a 6mm^2 or 10mm^2 twin and core in buried conduit with four bends? Pls advise!

Reply to
Mr P.Dillon
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Mr D suggest you use the largest size of cable the manufacturer of your MCB?RCD says you can fit into the termiantations. Primarily for voltage drop. Conduit is OK but check current UK regs (big assumption, where are you?). Buried cable must be market with a suitable identity tape. This does apply to domestic as well as utility! Liabilty will be all yours for years to come! Is your main dis board protected by an RCD? If it is, you may want to consider one with a lower setting for the garage. The best solution is to have one in the house to provide protection for that cable run. If you can find a source of old wire armour (ask anyone you know who works on the power side of a local utility.

If you want an idea of voltage drop values. Take a quick look at the Martindale site calculators.http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators4A_1_SenW.html#ELEC-VOLTDROP or one of the many helpful people who share on this forum has superb detailed view.

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The site is American, but the physics is international. You will have to do some wire size conversion. Martindale will probably have one. A word of warning, still assuming you are in the UK, check your incoming voltage at the consumer unit to take a reference value fr these calculations. For all I know you are at the end of a 0.04 feeder from the substation, already at the lower end of the voltage range for supply. (Soon to be a miserly 207 volts) so your garage may be dim and full of stalling motors.)

Best of luck,

Reply to
Neil Swanson

Firstly, which is your protection device for the cable at the supply end? This must be a fuse/circuit breaker (40A)? The main factor in cable selection is the route of the run, I.E. is it run under any insulating materials or clipped to a wall? It is also advisable to fit the RCD at the house end of the circuit (only supplying the garage). If the cable runs underground it is advisable to select a steel wire armoured variety, burried deep enough not to be damaged and a safety warning tape burried at least 1 foot above the cable. For a 40A service, I would be inclined to run at least a 10mm cable, depending on the cable route. Hope this helps, PF

Reply to
Paul Ferguson
6mm^2 is enough for 25A
Reply to
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios

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