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Extension cable with 5 amp cable
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Avoriaz
Posts: 39,110 Forumite
A friend of mine has a 2 metre mains extension cable with a 3 amp fuse and what looks like thin lighting flex. It has a 13 amp plug at one end and a 13 amp socket at the other end.
She was changing the 3amp fuse which had blown.
She told me she occasionally uses it for her toaster. :eek:
That could be why the fuse blew.
I have told her that I will rewire it for her with suitable 13 amp flex. I have some of that at home. I will also check that the plug and sockets have not been damaged or overheated etc.
My instincts are that an extension cable like this should always be wired with 13 amp cable and fitted with a 13 amp fuse, even if it is only planned for use with low amperage applications, just in case someone tries to use it for a high amperage device such as a toaster, iron or electric fire etc. Any device used with it should have the appropriate 3, 5 or 13 amp fuse in its own plug.
Am I right or is it ever ok to have a lower amperage extension lead with 13 amp plug and socket? The latter sounds potentially dangerous to me.
She was changing the 3amp fuse which had blown.
She told me she occasionally uses it for her toaster. :eek:
That could be why the fuse blew.
I have told her that I will rewire it for her with suitable 13 amp flex. I have some of that at home. I will also check that the plug and sockets have not been damaged or overheated etc.
My instincts are that an extension cable like this should always be wired with 13 amp cable and fitted with a 13 amp fuse, even if it is only planned for use with low amperage applications, just in case someone tries to use it for a high amperage device such as a toaster, iron or electric fire etc. Any device used with it should have the appropriate 3, 5 or 13 amp fuse in its own plug.
Am I right or is it ever ok to have a lower amperage extension lead with 13 amp plug and socket? The latter sounds potentially dangerous to me.
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Comments
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I agree. The fuse should be 13A and the cable a three core one capable of carrying 13A.If you fold it in half, will an Audi A4 fit in a Citroen C5?
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Someone could replace the fuse with a 13 amp fuse, connect a 3kw fire and have their house burn down if the cable overheats and catches fire.Gloomendoom wrote: »I've got one. If somebody tries to use it with a high current device, the 3 amp fuse will blow. What is the problem?
Otherwise no problem.0 -
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