Extending DB board wiring

[MagicMan0027]

I'm new to the forum so please excuse the dumb or many questions, I want to educate myself to at least know something. Pardon if this is in the incorrect section. I have also posted this question on another forum.

I stay in a house that was built in the 70's. The DB board is still situated outside against the one wall. I have the following question - see attached drawing. (My drawing skills are not the best) The main powerline from municipality comes in on the right hand side and goes to the main db board on the outside wall. The entertainment room (on left) was originally an open space between the house and the garage which the previous owners later closed up and converted to a room.

All the wiring for the plugs and switches for the bedrooms, living & dining room, kitchen is connected to the main DB board on the right hand side. When the entertainment room was build they added a 2nd power cable going from the main DB board running underground behind the house to the garage and installed a 2nd sub DB board which provided power for all the light switches and plugs in the garage, laundry room and entertainment room.

Now, I want to install a new DB board in the garage on the left and link all the current circuit breakers from the main DB board on the right to the new garage DB board. I'm wondering if this is possible and how to go about it. Can I extend all the wiring from the main circuit breakers through conduits to the new board in the garage? The distance from the main DB board to the garage is roughly 30 meters.

My reasons for doing this are for safety and because I plan to install solar panels in the future, with the garage being the ideal location for the solar components.

I hope I make sense - sorry for the lengthy post.

[Thys LOW Elektries]

No such thing as a dump question, just dumb mistakes.
Not sure where you are or what your background is so here goes my best answer.
Speak to an electrical contractor or two, and ask them for advice before you do something.
I will have a look at the picture and get back to you, but not being there makes it hard to understand what you are trying to explain.

[MagicMan0027]

No such thing as a dump question, just dumb mistakes.
Not sure where you are or what your background is so here goes my best answer.
Speak to an electrical contractor or two, and ask them for advice before you do something.
I will have a look at the picture and get back to you, but not being there makes it hard to understand what you are trying to explain.

What I'm basically trying to figure out is the following.

I have my main DB board that is on the outside of the house which provides the power to the main areas of the house,etc.

Then there is a sub db board in the garage which provides the electricity for the garage, laundry room and entertainment room.

Is it possible to "convert" the sub db board in the garage by replacing it with a new board and then connect all the breakers from the main db board to it with cabling so that it will now function as the main db board?

I want the db board in my garage to be my main board from where everything is controlled/switch on or off.

I dont know how else to try and explain it.

[Derlyn]

It is possible, yes.
All the cables will need to be re routed to the garage as well as the supply cable.

Not a simple job, but doable.
Where is your supply authority meter situated ?

I cannot remember ever seeing a main DB outside on a residential installation.

If the existing cable between the main DB and the garage DB is 10sq mm or more ( which I doubt ) then the supply cable will not need to be re routed and the existing cable can be used, however, your main switch and meter will remain at the DB outside ( main DB ) and the garage DB even although it will be feeding all the plugs, lights and appliances, will remain a sub DB. Another option is to convert the Main DB to a meter box, which is not considered a DB, then the DB in the garage will become the main DB.

Where are you in SA ? That's my kinda job

[MagicMan0027]

It is possible, yes.
All the cables will need to be re routed to the garage as well as the supply cable.

Not a simple job, but doable.
Where is your supply authority meter situated ?

On the pavement in the street

I cannot remember ever seeing a main DB outside on a residential installation.

Mine is indeed outside

If the existing cable between the main DB and the garage DB is 10sq mm or more ( which I doubt ) then the supply cable will not need to be re routed and the existing cable can be used, however, your main switch and meter will remain at the DB outside ( main DB ) and the garage DB even although it will be feeding all the plugs, lights and appliances, will remain a sub DB. Another option is to convert the Main DB to a meter box, which is not considered a DB, then the DB in the garage will become the main DB.

Where are you in SA ? That's my kinda job

Thank you for your reply.

[Thys LOW Elektries]

Pls send a photo of the db.
This is a big job and comes with a large price tag.
An alternative option is to make the outside db the "supply db" with an Isolator or large breaker, depending on incoming supply, the garage db then gets replaced with an SU3 type db and becomes the "Mains. Plenty of space for all the main breakers that will supply the house and sub db's and the breakers for the house. Had done something similar I upgraded a sub db to to become the main and supply db for a number of sub db's
Also rather handy to house your pv?? and generator??? incomers in

[Derlyn]

OK. Seeing that the meter is outside on the pavement, the outside DB can be completely removed and the garage DB can then be the main DB.

[MagicMan0027]

OK. Seeing that the meter is outside on the pavement, the outside DB can be completely removed and the garage DB can then be the main DB.

Thanks for the reply.

I presume all the wiring will then just have to be extended to the garage DB that will be the new main DB.

The conduits used in my house are still the old black metal ones. House was built in beginning of '70s.

[Derlyn]

Quick rewire with FTE.

[Thys LOW Elektries]

Joining the existing cable to the cable that goes to the garage can be done with a db and a breaker, just a db, or with a splice.
It is just nice having a db with a breaker where you can isolate the property, you then don't have to switch the property off at the kiosk in the street or up on a pole.
It is also a nice place to put a generator with a changeover.
It all depends on your needs and the choice of cabling on whether you need a db or not and whether you need a breaker or not
Enjoy the weekend