J
Jerry
Guest
"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message
news:525ac9f71adave@davenoise.co.uk...
: In article <qZudnVHjyYvV1rTSnZ2dnUVZ8jmdnZ2d@bt.com>,
: Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote:
: > > You may have noticed that flex sizes have become more
uniform recently
: > > - all are now capable of blowing a 13 amps fuse in the plug
regardless
: > > in event of a short. As it seems using the correct fuse in
a plug is
: > > beyond most.
: > >
: > I suspect that's because the average person goes into a
shop and buys
: > a mains plug for his (say) desk lamp. He gets it home to find
it's
: > fitted with 13 amp fuse, either through not knowing any
better or just
: > not having any 1 amp, 2 amp or 5amp fuses in the house, fits
the plug
: > anyway.
:
: Surely everything by law is now supplied with a plug fitted?
Whooossshhhhh.... Whilst there is a problem with incorrectly
wired plugs there is a bigger problem of plugs fitted with the
incorrectly rated fuse.
:
: > It's still not really a problem because the lamps mains cable
is almost
: > certainly heavy enough to blow a 13 amp fuse if there's a
dead short.
: > It's pretty academic anyway as these days all domestic
appliances in the
: > UK are supposed to be supplied with a fitted plugtop with the
: > (hopefully)correct fuse.
:
: Yup. Some seem to think the flex rating is that where it could
only just
: blow a fuse of that rating.
:
: Jerry's favourite - 3 amp flex - has a cross sectional area of
0.5mm^.
: Fusewire of the same cross section is rated at 30 amps...
So a flex fitted to a plug that has had its fuse bridged out will
likely start to melt if feed from a ring circuit should the
appliance become faulty (short circuit), is that what you have
finally grasped Plowman, BINGO! Also don't assume that all
properties are protected by RCD's etc, many are still protected
by slooooooow acting fuse wire.
The risk is, this 3 amp flex *you* keep talking about will behave
exactly like a fusible link-wire as it *will* be the weakest
link, now should that flex be trailing across the carpet or some
other flammable item, such as curtains or the odd magazine left
on the floor next to the reading lamp.... OTOH if fed from a
radial circuit protected at 15 amps (or better and more likely,
via 5 amp socket off the lighting circuit) it will be the breaker
at the panel and not the flex that will be the weak link.
news:525ac9f71adave@davenoise.co.uk...
: In article <qZudnVHjyYvV1rTSnZ2dnUVZ8jmdnZ2d@bt.com>,
: Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote:
: > > You may have noticed that flex sizes have become more
uniform recently
: > > - all are now capable of blowing a 13 amps fuse in the plug
regardless
: > > in event of a short. As it seems using the correct fuse in
a plug is
: > > beyond most.
: > >
: > I suspect that's because the average person goes into a
shop and buys
: > a mains plug for his (say) desk lamp. He gets it home to find
it's
: > fitted with 13 amp fuse, either through not knowing any
better or just
: > not having any 1 amp, 2 amp or 5amp fuses in the house, fits
the plug
: > anyway.
:
: Surely everything by law is now supplied with a plug fitted?
Whooossshhhhh.... Whilst there is a problem with incorrectly
wired plugs there is a bigger problem of plugs fitted with the
incorrectly rated fuse.
:
: > It's still not really a problem because the lamps mains cable
is almost
: > certainly heavy enough to blow a 13 amp fuse if there's a
dead short.
: > It's pretty academic anyway as these days all domestic
appliances in the
: > UK are supposed to be supplied with a fitted plugtop with the
: > (hopefully)correct fuse.
:
: Yup. Some seem to think the flex rating is that where it could
only just
: blow a fuse of that rating.
:
: Jerry's favourite - 3 amp flex - has a cross sectional area of
0.5mm^.
: Fusewire of the same cross section is rated at 30 amps...
So a flex fitted to a plug that has had its fuse bridged out will
likely start to melt if feed from a ring circuit should the
appliance become faulty (short circuit), is that what you have
finally grasped Plowman, BINGO! Also don't assume that all
properties are protected by RCD's etc, many are still protected
by slooooooow acting fuse wire.
The risk is, this 3 amp flex *you* keep talking about will behave
exactly like a fusible link-wire as it *will* be the weakest
link, now should that flex be trailing across the carpet or some
other flammable item, such as curtains or the odd magazine left
on the floor next to the reading lamp.... OTOH if fed from a
radial circuit protected at 15 amps (or better and more likely,
via 5 amp socket off the lighting circuit) it will be the breaker
at the panel and not the flex that will be the weak link.