Dedicated Power Supply for Watsons Auctioneers, Heathfield

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The Client

Watsons Auctioneers have been part of life in Heathfield, East Sussex since 1873. They have an unrivalled commitment to the provision of a professional auctioneering service spanning fine art, antique furniture, collectors’ items and valuations. And take great pride in combining the values of a traditional family firm with the best of today’s technology.

The Challenge

The brief for the project was to install a dedicated power supply to the newly acquired prefabricated (and self-contained) toilet facilities. This meant running power from the main electrical intake room on the other side of the market. Locating it high enough for lorries to pass under as they crossed through their entrance gates. Whilst being strong enough to withstand high winds and meet rigorous safety standards.

The challenge was exacerbated by the age of the existing electrical system and the many alterations and upgrades made to it over the years.

The Solution

Juice Electrical assessed project options and identified the most effective way of running the cabling to ensure the integrity and safety of the supply.

This assessment was based on the following considerations:

The distance the cable had to span between the two buildings (some 30 meters)
The weight of the cable given it was suspended above the ground.
The height of the cable to allow delivery lorries to pass safely underneath (6 meters).
The electrical demand being placed on the cable by the facilities when in use (hot water, hand dryers, lighting and heating).

The Outcome

Juice Electrical successfully installed the new overhead supply cable (c. 40 meters in total) between the toilet facility and the main supply and connected the toilet to the existing distribution board. We also protected the new installation with a residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protection (RCBO) to trip the electricity supply in the event of any safety issues.

The work took two days (excluding site surveys and design), one of which was working at height using a mobile scaffold tower. It was delivered with minimal disruption to the client and their customers (and without them having to close).

The new electricity supply has delivered a range of benefits, including:

A new, fully functional toilet facility for staff, customers and fellow site users.
Happier customers who now have hot water and hot-air hand driers in the toilet facilities (assuming they all wash their hands!).
A modern site that underpins the client’s reputation for professionalism and high levels of customer service and helps them meet their business goals.

Debbie Patrick, Head Auctioneer at Watsons Auctioneers, said: ‘Now that we have found Juice Electrical, we wouldn’t trust anyone else with the electrics at work (or at home). They’re always professional, enjoy their work and, to them, nothing is a problem. They’re easy to contact and reply to messages quickly. We now know that we have a trustworthy and reliable company to call upon when we have any future electrical problems or need to upgrade the system. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.’