16A Socket

*j*

Thank you adouglasmhor,

I don't like to get involved with correcting misunderstandings, but this time I couldn't resist.

Risteard

*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.

All of Europe is harmonised at 230V Uo (line to earth) and a U of 400V (phase to phase). This was required by CENELEC.

Gloomendoom

Risteard wrote: »

All of Europe is harmonised at 230V Uo (line to earth) and a U of 400V (phase to phase). This was required by CENELEC.

My house must have missed the memo. I've got 242 volts coming out of my sockets.

Nilrem

Gloomendoom wrote: »

My house must have missed the memo. I've got 242 volts coming out of my sockets.

There is something like a 5% variance allowed, but nominally everything is 230v, as with the variance it allowed for a bunch of countries with slightly differing voltages to use the same kit.
It also allows for slight dips in the incoming voltage that can from memory happen at times of peak demand if they're a little slow at bringing more capacity online.

espresso

Risteard wrote: »

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.

This is based on assumptions i.e. 3.2kW is the maximum rated wattage of the appliance and you don't know what supply voltage it will actually be used on.

I don't believe that using this appliance would necessarily cause "severe overheating" but with so many variables the only way to know for sure, is to measure the current drawn. I guessing that the OP will not be able to do this and will simply try it. It will be obvious if the 13A fuse was overheating.

Risteard wrote: »

All of Europe is harmonised at 230V Uo (line to earth) and a U of 400V (phase to phase). This was required by CENELEC.

This is the theoretical voltage not the actual real world voltage which may vary between 216V - 253V.

*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.

Exactly, I have used welding equipment that stated that it needed it's own 16A fused supply on a 13A socket with no problems.

Risteard

Nilrem wrote: »

There is something like a 5% variance allowed

The tolerance is +10% - -6%.

Risteard

espresso wrote: »

This is based on assumptions i.e. 3.2kW is the maximum rated wattage of the appliance and you don't know what supply voltage it will actually be used on.

Of course I do. If it is fitted with a blue commando plug then it is designed to operate on a 230V supply. A red commando plug would be for a 400V three-phase supply and a yellow plug would be for a 110V reduced low voltage supply.

I wasn't simply referring to the fuse overheating. Even good quality double socket outlets (e.g. MK) are only rated for a 20A total load, with not more than 13A on each side. In fact even with a 13A load running continuously on a BS 1363 plug/socket arrangement it never ends well. A 3.2kW load is impermissible.

Quiet_Spark

espresso wrote: »

This is based on assumptions i.e. 3.2kW is the maximum rated wattage of the appliance and you don't know what supply voltage it will actually be used on.

Risteard wrote: »

Of course I do. If it is fitted with a blue commando plug then it is designed to operate on a 230V supply. A red commando plug would be for a 400V three-phase supply and a yellow plug would be for a 110V reduced low voltage supply.

I wasn't simply referring to the fuse overheating. Even good quality double socket outlets (e.g. MK) are only rated for a 20A total load, with not more than 13A on each side. In fact even with a 13A load running continuously on a BS 1363 plug/socket arrangement it never ends well. A 3.2kW load is impermissible.

I love it when espresso starts talking electricity

onomatopoeia99

Risteard wrote: »

I wasn't simply referring to the fuse overheating. Even good quality double socket outlets (e.g. MK) are only rated for a 20A total load, with not more than 13A on each side. In fact even with a 13A load running continuously on a BS 1363 plug/socket arrangement it never ends well.

We know this from experience. A 3KW fan heater left running for several hours every day eventually blackens the socket aruond the pins, and the plug doesn't like it very much either. Whatever the white sockets are made of smells of rotting fish when it gets hot.

(cold winter, old single solid wall construction office building with no insualtion and central heating barely functioning led us to test the limits of 13A sockets one year)

sk240

You will need a new circuit with the command socket wiring straight back to a suitable trip on the consumer unit.
If you want to use the kit in your house then its the only option available to you im afraid.
I too have run a 3kw heater and a tv on a socket for extended time, as noted by other people, the plug went a bit black!