Thread: My Man Cave

I can post some photos now.

IMG_3319.jpgStart of the clean IMG_3321.jpg I had to improvise how I did my corners, its not finished needs a flashing over the top. IMG_3322.jpg As you can see the screws are now where I believe they should be. A lot of extra work, but done.

IMG_3316.jpg Window, cladding and soffits all completed.

Pleased how it has come up, while there is still a lot of work its on my timeline now as I mentioned in my last post. Anyway I need to get to working around my shed .

Hi,

Currenly running the electrical cables and I have a Q.

Q. Can i run the wire for the automatic sprinkler system with the electrical cables or do I need to run it seperate.

Damn lot of wires to run, Phew.

Originally Posted by Brian45

Hi,

Currenly running the electrical cables and I have a Q.

Q. Can i run the wire for the automatic sprinkler system with the electrical cables or do I need to run it seperate.

Damn lot of wires to run, Phew.

This depends what it is (DC or AC) and what you mean by "with".
The short answer is that it doesn't matter.

The long answer it a bit too long but here goes....

If I assume that your automatic sprinkler system is a low voltage DC circuit then it would obviously be a separate set of wires. These wires can run alongside the AC wires. Particularly since you are just running a sprinkler timer from it. That said, it is best practice to avoid running low voltage DC wires for sound/video and sensitive electronics along side AC wires because the DC wires act like an aerial and this could possibly send electrical noise down the DC wires to the electronic devices at the end. This is arguably less of an issue that it used to be because of the switch to mostly digital over analog electronics and the better noise dampening circuits in the devices. However this is debatable depending on what is connected to the DC wires, given low mass produced quality and higher speed frequency of basically everything electronic. For example your sprinkler timer is most likely a simple 555 integrated circuit with a crystal in it. Hypothetically this can be confused by electrical noise but in practice it probably won't matter. If your wires were going to power a speaker then it would definitely be better to avoid running alongside AC wires.

If I assume you mean that there is a seperate AC circuit to your sprinkler controller then it is not required. The sprinkler controller will draw considerably less than a single amp. It can just plug into another circuit.

Hi,

Thanks for the response. The wire I am running is from the timer / control box to the sprinkler solenoids. The power from the timer / control box will plug into a double external 15 amp power point. This 15 amp PP is for welding, which will be rarely used, it a just an in case PP so to speck.

Sprinkler wire.jpg

Its no issue to run it in a separate run just need to drill more holes lol

Originally Posted by Brian45

Hi,

Thanks for the response. The wire I am running is from the timer / control box to the sprinkler solenoids.

That will be fine. The solenoids are not going to notice the difference.
What is more important is that the wire to the solenoids is not too long. There should be some instructions about that.


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Thanks, I just checked and the wire from the controller to the solenoids can be up to 100 m. I'm safe as only 12 metres.

Running the electrical cables, what a task this is. Just realised I have 1 more 15 amp to go external and I have none planned for the inside. Best I sort that out and put a couple in.

I have planned for compressor to set up outside, therefore I will need to run

a compressor line inside the shed.

Has anyone done this and if so any pro's and con's, how did you do it and what material did you use. Any photo's ?

Originally Posted by Brian45

Thanks, I just checked and the wire from the controller to the solenoids can be up to 100 m. I'm safe as only 12 metres.

Running the electrical cables, what a task this is. Just realised I have 1 more 15 amp to go external and I have none planned for the inside. Best I sort that out and put a couple in.

I have planned for compressor to set up outside, therefore I will need to run

a compressor line inside the shed.

Has anyone done this and if so any pro's and con's, how did you do it and what material did you use. Any photo's ?

My compressor is located outside my shed with the switch gear located inside ether shed.
We have a small block and the neighbours pool is just over the back fence so I had to make a sound reducing enclosure.
The box is made from 32 mm thick tassie oak lab bench top (cut up to 1.2m lengths and chucked into a skip at work) and then clad in Colorbond and lined with 2" thick mattress foam
The picture shows it with my 40: 2.5HP Bunnings cheapie compressor but it now houses a 4HP twin V, 70L Clisby compressor.
The box cannot be completely sealed because it needs cooling air - I left a few gaps and added a 240V fan that sucks hot air out fo the top of the box and draws cool air in down under teh doors. The fan was rigged to run when the compressor runs but now has a fancy delayed off circuit - not sure if it makes much of a difference.
Box.jpg Complete.jpg COmplete2.jpg Fan.jpg

Air is reticulate via 1/2" galv pipe to 7 points inside the shed - its one of the best things I did in my shed. If I was to do it again I would use Plastic pressure pipe and Philmac fittings - it would have cost me a lot more because I already had most of the galv fittings but it would have been MUCH easier to install and no rusty water in the pipes. We installed a plastic system at the mens shed and it was dead easy and works a treat.

Initially I had the 15A powerpoint outside the shed but have since moved it back inside the shed where I rigged up a box of unecessarily complicated eletronikery
I was also running the compressor from a 5HP VFD, but the compressor motor died and I replaced it with a SP motor so could the use the VFD for something else.
Finished2.jpg
The white box with the timer on the right is the delayed fan off circuit.
I leave my compressor on all the time but the timer on the LHS makes sure the compressor does not recharged between 6pm and 8am.
The V/I panel meter allows me to see how much current the motor is pulling while charging
As well all all this I have a compressor tank pressure gauge inside the shed and temperature display with a probe probe that monitors the enclosure temperature.
I also added an auto vent valve to the tank that opens teh tank for 0.5s every 45 minutes so 240V is provided to that valve attached to the bottom of the tank.

You can probably tell I like futzing around with all this sort of stuff.

Hi Brian45,
I have joined the conversation pretty late into your progress. All I can say is, Wow!! Nice work so far. I converted a double garage into my workshop and to get extra light, I replaced a couple of the corrugated sheets with alsynite sheets. This lets enough light in to see what you are doing and I only turn on the lights whilst working on machinery. I have also installed a sliding glass door at the rear and this allows me to see through to my garden. That leaves all of the walls for storage space in the form of shadow boards, cupboards and shelves. The layout of my machinery was done by drawing a plan of the shed and making patterns of the major machinery and spacing them out to the best affect. My smaller machinery I didn't worry about as I knew they would live on mobile platforms so I could move them around. This has been a Godsend as I can move them out of the way and only move them into place when I need to use them.
Good Luck with the rest of your project mate.

Brian......your shed is looking good. I like what you have done I am also doing the electrical atm....my irrigation controller is mounted inside the shed, however the way my cabling run's the low voltage and power don't run together. I do use flexible conduit on all my cabling...

Hi Bohl, love your work. I was not planning on anything that sophisticated . I can understand the ventilation part and I was thinking two exhaust fans -- one drawing in and one drawing out if that make sense.

My compressor was being encased in insulated panel including the roof, if the wife lets me .

Of course, I will have to make the enclosure look the goods as the other half will have a say in the final external looks. Hence why I'm not that keen to discard the left over hardiplank as I have a feeling it will be built to match the shed lol. More work just what I'm looking for.

Originally Posted by ericks2

Brian......your shed is looking good. I like what you have done I am also doing the electrical atm....my irrigation controller is mounted inside the shed, however the way my cabling run's the low voltage and power don't run together. I do use flexible conduit on all my cabling...

Thanks, before anything is sheeted I will speak with the sparkie just to ensure all is good.

As for cabling I'm trying to think of everything, if that happens will be a first lol. Should have had an electrical plan not a on the run plan. I will get there.

A lot to consider and if I had the time and space I would do thinks a little different, bring on the lottery win.

Originally Posted by Brian45

Hi Bohl, love your work. I was not planning on anything that sophisticated . I can understand the ventilation part and I was thinking two exhaust fans -- one drawing in and one drawing out if that make sense.

In this situation these shouldn't be envy restriction to the cooling air flow so if you want more cooling its better to have fans in parallel ie both blowing in or both blowing out. In an unrestricted situation fans is series only move the same amount of air as any one fan.

been awhile since my last update. As it turns have not had a lot of chance to get into to it in earnest. with camp trip to WA, family and host of other commitment thing have moved a tad slower than I hoped. Slow seems to be the way of this shed so keeping up the standard lol.

Bohl, I have had a change of plans where my compressor is being placed. Initially it was on the outside near the dust extraction system. As I said in a much earlier post I'm building a lean too at the back of this shed (connected) which is housing the pool pump and air conditioner, so figured why not put the compressor there as well. You will see the pool pump in a photo. This small extension will be about 4 m x 2.4 m and 2.4 high. It has to be removeable as its over an easement. I'm only storing cement mixers, wheel barrows ladders and general garden tool. Basically anything I don't want in my shed. This minor extension will have a roof and walls, so no issue with ventilation. Just need to relocation an electrical cable. Every cable is marked and you can see on the wall I have ID which circuit covers what PP, if nothing else helped me out. I will do an electrical plan on paper an scan into computer. I may even laminated copy and leave in the switch board.

I had the sparkie around yesterday and he is very happy with what I have done, I just need to do a couple of minor fixes which I knew about and run a twin cable from my lights and fans back to switches at the door. so a busy morning. He said he would come back later today and if everything is good I can sheet inside .

Shed wiring 1.jpgShed wiring 2.jpgShed wiring 3.jpgShed wiring.jpg

I also had a fun few hours grubbing a couple of stumps out. I wanted to keep both these trees and back at the commencement they could have been taken out with machinery. During construction I had to cut a branch out of one tree which made the tree look really bad so opted to remove the tree. Cyclone Marcus fixed the second one, so it removed. I left the two stumps, figured they would be fine, as it turns out I have to move the pool pipes so the stumps had to go. Not that they were big stumps but boy did they cling on, like Alabama ticks, both put up a good show. In the end no match for my gurnie, chainsaw, reciprocating saw, swearing and lots of sweat. The area is now clear so I can move on with relocating the pool pipes. These need to be moved before I have to install my concrete around the perimeter of the shed for the part B termite protection.
IMG_0238.jpg IMG_0229.jpgIMG_0228.jpg The stumps do not look that intimidating now, on the back of the trailer. Oh and the dog was next to useless in helping.

Anyway best get back to wiring, another update soon.

Brian

Clearly the dog was instrumental. All that canine supervision was what led to the successful outcome.

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