I hoping to make a 4 gang extension with a separate switch box to power a home made CNC router. IE. Standard plug on one end going to a box with 4 switches, then to a normal 4 gang extension, or two 2 gang sockets. I cant find anything like that on the market so looks like I'm going to have to make something. I happy to mount the whole thing in a few surface boxes. If my calculations are correct the total current draw could be up to 11A. 710W router, 1300W hoover, and 20A 24V DC power supply. Please can someone advise how to approach this. Iv got a few ideas in my head, but thought I should consult the forum before buying anything. Or is this somethings I should even attempt? The only experience I have with mains voltage is making the odd single gang extension, or changing a light switch. Lots of experience with lower voltage DC stuff tho, but I guess 240V AC is a completely different animal.
You can BUY 4 and 6 gang extension leads with individual switches. Some are rated at 6A, some at 10A and others at 13A ... http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-6-gang-switched-extension-lead-2m/8306g http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-4-gang-switched-extension-lead-2m/7902g or if you want very good quality, there is a company in N. London or Enfield area who produce them too.
4 gang grid switch, 4 x single unswitched sockets. Preferably all metal clad. Bush the sockets together with brass bushes and lock nuts. TRS glands for flex. 6/7 core YY cable between grid switch and sockets.
You can get 4way 13amp or 10amp IEC strips which are fed using a bulging 7 pin connector. https://www.decks.co.uk/products/lighting-cables/prolight/standmate2#.WLLwIxicb-Y You could then switch this with a 4 way grid switch, using 7 core YY cable.
Thanks for the help. I'm gona go with lectrician first suggestion. Regarding wirning can someone can someone let me know if this sounds correct. Single live input split into 4 and connect to the 4 switches. Then connected to 4 seperate cores of the 6 core cable, and then to each socket. Neutral and earth for all 4 sockets connected together in the socket, then each connected to one the two remaining core of 6 core cable, and finally back the input plug. What's the best way to join all the cables together? Iv seen alot of image with wire nuts, but I read these are not safe and not allowed in the UK.
You need to checkout 'Wago' connectors. They are a brilliant method of terminating and joining cables, and are far easier than terminal blocks. Wire nuts seem a right bodge of a connector, but they haven't caused many issues in the US so I doubt they are that bad. Lec, I haven't seen Bulgin plugs and sockets for years! They used to be very popular with 4 channel dimmers and colored reflector lamps, I still have a few of the leads and 4 channel controllers in the shed. It was always great fun trying to terminate the cable into them.
You used to put a bulgin plug each end of the flex, and the pins while shrouded a little, could still be touched. They then swapped to male/female instead on most kit. More recently, any 4 channel controllers use EVF connectors.
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