Lock-up garage - Need electricity supply? Any ideas?

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

Thinking about making an offer to a neighbour for their lock-up garage which is never used. It's about 100 yards from my house across a road and down a muddy lane - not perfect but hey-ho.

Ideally, I would like a power supply - just for a strip light and a socket.

I've read a bit about solar and wind power supplies but they seem expensive and I'm not convinced. Anyone experienced this before?

[miniman]

Big jump pack (e.g. Clarke jump start 4000) and an inverter. You'll have to cart the jump pack home to charge but it will run a strip light and small power tools ok.

[Ozzie Osmond]

• Old car battery
• Cheap solar charger from Maplin
• 12v fluorescent or LED lamps

Job's a good 'un.

(You'll struuggle for anything to substitute for a 240v socket)

[talksthetalk]

Generator off ebay?
Do you need more than lighting?

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

Thanks for replies. I'll investigate a jump pack and have a check out maplin website.

A house was demolished not long ago very close to the lock-up so there must be an isolated power supply underground. Pick axe under cover of darkness?

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

talksthetalk said:

Generator off ebay?
Do you need more than lighting?

Just lighting and a socket really. Nothing else I can think of that would justify a generator. Although it depends on costs for all the options I suppose.

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

....actually a small generator is a lot cheaper than I thought. Thanks guys.

[ging84]

Idontdrinkrsmoke said:

....actually a small generator is a lot cheaper than I thought. Thanks guys.

won't cost any more than a big power pack, possibly less, but you do have to put up with noise and exhaust fumes

[R36vw]

A couple of leads .......and a local street lamp

A generator is the most practical way to go, worthwhile, and easy to sell on when you no longer need it.

[aw51 121565]

Idontdrinkrsmoke said:

A house was demolished not long ago very close to the lock-up so there must be an isolated power supply underground. Pick axe under cover of darkness?

Followed by a bang, a flash and what feels & looks like horrendous sunburn on any exposed flesh 'caught' by the flash and arcing. There has to be a better way .

But for the .

[NiceCupOfTea]

My brother's garage is at the bottom of his garden and on the other side of his neighbour's garage. He took a fused spur from the fusebox to a commando socket on the wall at the bottom of the garden via buried armoured cable. In the garage he has a small fuse box with lighting and sockets, and runs a temporary cable to the commando socket as required!

Edit- just read it's across a road - bugger!

[Desiato]

Idontdrinkrsmoke said:

....actually a small generator is a lot cheaper than I thought. Thanks guys.

Having done this try and get a silenced generator, it's amazing how noisy they are, especially if it's in a quiet area and you will soon upset the neighbours.

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

Desiato said:

Having done this try and get a silenced generator, it's amazing how noisy they are, especially if it's in a quiet area and you will soon upset the neighbours.

Fair point. The quieter ones seem a lot more expensive. Maybe a second hand one is the answer.

[DocArbathnot]

A few years ago I attended a boat show. A display generator had a sign on it saying "this generator is running"

[saaby93]

Anyone considered solar panels and a big battery?

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

saaby93 said:

Anyone considered solar panels and a big battery?

Thought about it but I think I prefer the small, portable, relatively quiet petrol generator option. Just need to find a good, affordable - probably used - one.

This is all assuming my neighbour agrees to sell me the garage - they might tell me to feck off! Maybe I'm running before I can walk here

[Shadow R1]

2nd hand of the these.

http://www.kiporuk.co.uk/p0/digital-generator/54.h...

[V8RX7]

Consider what power tools you might need to run you'd be amazed how little power smaller generators supply

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

Shadow R1 said:

2nd hand of the these.

http://www.kiporuk.co.uk/p0/digital-generator/54.h...

Yeah, they look just the job. The cheapest one seems like a good price compared to what i've found elsewhere.

[Idontdrinkrsmoke]

V8RX7 said:

Consider what power tools you might need to run you'd be amazed how little power smaller generators supply

Ok. I'll look at the spec/output aswell as price. Might be cheap for a reason.