Extension cables

Why_oh_why

We need to get an extension cable - ideally we just need a 2-way, however, we have seen a 4-way that is £4 cheaper. In the long term, does it make any difference which we get??

Pincher

A deceptively simple question, and yet has mystified the greatest thinkers of our time.

Why_oh_why

Jull, you lost me at resistance but I am the type of person that worries about 'electricity escaping' so I am kind of thinking along your lines

Pincher (assuming no sarcasm intended ) do I win a prize :T

Thanks for the answers so far, they pretty much fit in with what I am thinking (apologies that I am accusing anyone of thinking along the same lines as me :rotfl:)

Pincher

Two way or not two way, that is the question.

Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the anxiety of needing another socket, then having to add an adaptor and end this:
Or to save an outrageous £4 and get more than I need.

Just go Ini, mini, myni, mo.

Sueinbirmingham

Not an adapter. I just had a fire safety visit by the fire brigade and they said extension leads were safer than adapters but they didn't say why. I don't care, though, it's leads for me now, not adapters.

Why_oh_why

Sueinbirmingham wrote: »

Not an adapter. I just had a fire safety visit by the fire brigade and they said extension leads were safer than adapters but they didn't say why. I don't care, though, it's leads for me now, not adapters.

It definitely wouldn't be an adaptor as we need some manoeuvrability for one of the items!

Sueinbirmingham

I had a table lamp with a lead that was too short and I plugged four adapters together to reach up to the lead. I've unplugged it until I can get another lead sorted. I've got some cabling I cut bits off and some spare sockets and plugs.

thefishdude

get the 4 way wont make a spot of difference on usage. ojly thing effecting usage is what you plug in it. 4ways are cheaper as they are more common

DocProc

Importantly, just what will you be using the extension cable for?

Why?

Well because you don't want it to melt!

There's a simple and quick calculation you can quickly do so as to find out the likely current running through the extension cable:

watts/volts = amps

eg, let's look at using an electric fire at 3 kWs. (3 kWs = 3,000 watts)

The formula is 3,000 watts/240volts = roughly 12 amps.

12 amps? Wow! This is highly likely to even blow a 13 amp fuse in the plug, isn't it?

If you plugged that into just one socket on a four gang extension reel it is highly likely to even melt the cable inside the reel. To prevent this then it would be best to fully unwind the reel to help dissipate the heat in the cable.

If you look at extension cables you will see they indicate how many amps that the cable can carry.

An electric drill might use say, 800 watts

Calculation is: 800 watts/240 volts = about 3 amps or so.

So if using this capacity cable for a drill, there is really no need to unwind a "10 amp extension cable reel" to dissipate heat in the cable because it would probably never get hot enough to cause any problems. However, it would be probably a good idea to unwind a "5 amp extension reel".

However, if using a "5 amp extension cable" for an 800 watt drill then it would be a good idea to unwind the reel to protect the cable from melting inside the reel.

And of course, if you ran a 3 kW electric fire from a "5 amp extension reel" and didn't unwind the cable inside the reel, then it would definitely melt the cable. (and if you don't believe me, then try it and see what happens. )

Why_oh_why

DocProc wrote: »

Importantly, just what will you be using the extension cable for?

Why?

Well because you don't want it to melt!

I'm slightly scared to admit my reason as I'll probably be told that I shouldn't be doing it but it's for a second freezer.

Thanks for the extra info, as I'm number dyslexic, I'll get OH to look at the rest of your post as

espresso

DocProc wrote: »

Importantly, just what will you be using the extension cable for?

Why?

Well because you don't want it to melt!

There's a simple and quick calculation you can quickly do so as to find out the likely current running through the extension cable:

watts/volts = amps

eg, let's look at using an electric fire at 3 kWs. (3 kWs = 3,000 watts)

The formula is3,000 watts/240volts = roughly 12 amps.

12 amps? Wow! This is highly likely to even blow a 13 amp fuse in the plug, isn't it?

Absolute rubbish!

A 13A fuse is rated to carry 13A continuously. A fuse only blows when excessive current flows though it.

What fuse would you suggest is used for 3kW appliances e.g. heaters etc.

Posting incorrect information is not helpful.