16A Socket

Vicgate

Folks - would you be able to help please?
Bought a piece of brewing kit that requires a 240V 16A socket - the plug is a 3 pin with round pins? Don't have a socket like this currently in the house, so how difficult and how much approx would it be to put this in please?
Thanks a mill

Ebe_Scrooge

That sounds unusual - especially with the round pins. I'm guessing it's not designed for UK domestic use ?

I'd be tempted in the first instance to remove the plug and fit a standard 13A plug, or else see if you can buy an adaptor. Then plug it into a standard socket. If it pulls more than 13 amps then it'll just blow the fuse, or else trip the MCB, no harm done.
Has it got some sort of heating element in it ? 16A sounds a lot - if you think about it, you can plug a 1 KW fan heater or an iron into a normal 13A socket with no problems.

But give it a go - you may find it runs fine, and as I say, the worst that can happen is that it blows the fuse.

Inner_Zone

It is a rounbd blue plug?

If so get one of these:

http://www.towsure.com/product/Mains_Adapter_13_Amp_Plug_to_Caravan_Mains_Socket

Other sellers are available.

Kiran

Does it have a round blue plug on the end? If so you can just get an adapter from somehere like go outdoors. Its the same socket type used by caravans and motor homes. Proabbly used due to being more suitable to the environment rather than requiring 16A to pass through it.

Risteard

It is a commando socket. You cannot just get an adaptor for it unless you know that it uses less than 13A. Otherwise your best bet will be to have a dedicated circuit installed for it.

Vicgate

Thanks for reply - yes it has a large heater on it to bring 50 litres of water to a boil stage for 1.5 hours - hence reuqirement for 16A i think?
Yes it's like the plug in the picture - the details on electrical requrements are below

Heating coil: 3200 Watt heating capacity
Pump: 2 x 23 Watt
Power connection: 230 V ~
Min. fuse protection: 16 Amp

Thinking of trying that connector as a starter - I've heard it has worked for other brewers!
Any thoughts?

Risteard

3.2kW is not suitable for use with a 13A BS 1363 plug/socket arrangement. Hence the 16A commando plug.

Kiran

The converter will have a 13A plug in it (max). With everything running at the same time you will be looking at 14. something amp (if my maths is correct) Dedicated ciruit is probably the best way forward

Risteard

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

If it pulls more than 13 amps then it'll just blow the fuse, or else trip the MCB, no harm done.

Not true. The 3.2kW it will pull is 13.91A. However, this would never blow a 13A fuse but would cause severe overheating and potentially a fire risk.

It needs a commando socket installed.

*j*

Sorry for the interruption, but....

Given that the hot element has a fixed resistance, any increase in supply voltage will result in an increase in amperage.

Whether the 13 amp maximum is breached will depend on what voltage the element was produced for, how accurately the element was manufactured and what the supply voltage is.

adouglasmhor

*j* wrote: »

Sorry for the interruption, but....

Given that the hot element has a fixed resistance, any increase in supply voltage will result in an increase in amperage.

Whether the 13 amp maximum is breached will depend on what voltage the element was produced for, how accurately the element was manufactured and what the supply voltage is.

Correct I=V/R