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Some friends are setting up a metal workshop inside a shipping container, on site at a commercial building that rents out studios, workshop space etc.
There is a 16mm SWA providing a three phase supply to a board inside the container, I looked and it’s connected inside the main building to a memshield 2 on a 63a MCB. They’ve already got an electrician in to connect the supply cable and wire up the workshop. Inside the shipping container they have some single and three phase commando sockets which will provide power for two welders and plasma cutter. The whole container is bonded to the board inside it, the earth is connected to the main building only using the armoured cable. I’m not sure what the earthing arrangement for the main building is.
I was there just having a nose around, and had a couple of questions. First, they plan on welding to the shipping container itself to fix a couple of leaks. I’m not a welder, I’m not sure if this would be an issue? Would there be a problem with, say, a massive current suddenly finding an unintended return earth path and melting everything in the workshop?
Shouldn’t they have an additional bonding arrangement to the main building , a separate 10mm earth cable rather than just the cable armourings?
Any other glaring issues?
I have advised them to at least get a proper EICR before they fire up the plasma cutter…
There is a 16mm SWA providing a three phase supply to a board inside the container, I looked and it’s connected inside the main building to a memshield 2 on a 63a MCB. They’ve already got an electrician in to connect the supply cable and wire up the workshop. Inside the shipping container they have some single and three phase commando sockets which will provide power for two welders and plasma cutter. The whole container is bonded to the board inside it, the earth is connected to the main building only using the armoured cable. I’m not sure what the earthing arrangement for the main building is.
I was there just having a nose around, and had a couple of questions. First, they plan on welding to the shipping container itself to fix a couple of leaks. I’m not a welder, I’m not sure if this would be an issue? Would there be a problem with, say, a massive current suddenly finding an unintended return earth path and melting everything in the workshop?
Shouldn’t they have an additional bonding arrangement to the main building , a separate 10mm earth cable rather than just the cable armourings?
Any other glaring issues?
I have advised them to at least get a proper EICR before they fire up the plasma cutter…