One for our resident electrical expert 9 fingers, or anyone else who knows. What cable would I need to make up a 16 amp (or heavier) extension cable. It's for a steam cleaner/pressure washer that from new ran on a 13 amp supply until recently when it melted the plug. The salesman said this would probably happen when it got wore in. Is it likely to ever draw more than 16 amps ?
-
Hi all and welcome to TheWoodHaven2 brought into the 21st Century, kicking and screaming! We all have Alasdair to thank for the vast bulk of the heavy lifting to get us here, no more so than me because he's taken away a huge burden of responsibility from my shoulders and brought us to this new shiny home, with all your previous content (hopefully) still intact! Please peruse and feed back. There is still plenty to do, like changing the colour scheme, adding the banner graphic, tweaking the odd setting here and there so I have added a new thread in the 'Technical Issues, Bugs and Feature Requests' forum for you to add any issues you find, any missing settings or just anything you'd like to see added/removed from the feature set that Xenforo offers. We will get to everything over the coming weeks so please be patient, but add anything at all to the thread I mention above and we promise to get to them over the next few days/weeks/months. In the meantime, please enjoy!
16 amp 240v extension cable
- Thread starter max power
- Start date
It would only melt the plug if there was a bad connection - a loose screw or fuse clip weak.
I'd try replacing the plug with a good quality one and spend some time wiring it so you get the best connections. If using the same socket to plug it into then that could be heat damaged too and best replaced.
Cheaper than switching to 16A if it works out. What does the rating plate on the appliance say? Maybe it does need 16A but better to know than guess.
I'd try replacing the plug with a good quality one and spend some time wiring it so you get the best connections. If using the same socket to plug it into then that could be heat damaged too and best replaced.
Cheaper than switching to 16A if it works out. What does the rating plate on the appliance say? Maybe it does need 16A but better to know than guess.
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 10,414
- Reaction score
- 164
Sorry I missed this yesterday.
I fully endorse Robert's comments regarding overheating plugs.
To answer your question, I would use 2.5mm2 HOFR 3 core rubber cable to make a rugged 16amp extension lead.
Technically for short lengths you can get away with 1.5mm2 but I like to over engineer things like this which can easily get used/abused for other application in the future.
hth
Bob
I fully endorse Robert's comments regarding overheating plugs.
To answer your question, I would use 2.5mm2 HOFR 3 core rubber cable to make a rugged 16amp extension lead.
Technically for short lengths you can get away with 1.5mm2 but I like to over engineer things like this which can easily get used/abused for other application in the future.
hth
Bob
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 10,414
- Reaction score
- 164
Part of the load, the pump motor, will be a partly reactive load and so the unit will draw more current than simply ohms law would suggest (3000/240) so it is right up against the maximum current for a 13 amp plug.
I would suggest fitting a new high quality plug such as MK Crabtree etc and check on a regular basis that the plug is not getting hot. It is equally important that the socket is in good condition too.
hth
Bob
I would suggest fitting a new high quality plug such as MK Crabtree etc and check on a regular basis that the plug is not getting hot. It is equally important that the socket is in good condition too.
hth
Bob
I've already swapped the old socket for a 16amp one (weatherproof), hence the need for an extension for when I need to go further than the machine cable will allow.
Which way would you go Bob, refit a 13amp socket and get a good plug and keep on using the 13 amp extension or keep the 16amp socket and get an extension to suit ?
Which way would you go Bob, refit a 13amp socket and get a good plug and keep on using the 13 amp extension or keep the 16amp socket and get an extension to suit ?
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 10,414
- Reaction score
- 164
max power":7im1d6mg said:
I think id do it all in 16 amp with some nice2.5mm rubber cable or at least blue arctic grade stuff.
Bob
Another question Bob, I've got an outside supply at the moment which was for a socket and a couple of lights,
its normal 13 amp cable from the meter then armored cable when it exits the house.
I've put a pond in and another workshop, so at any one time will possibly be running up to four ceiling lights' a power tool of some description or a turbine sprayer with extraction, a couple of post lamps and lights' filters and pump for the pond.
Will the existing cable from the meter be adequate and what gauge of armored cable would I need so I can check the existing ?
its normal 13 amp cable from the meter then armored cable when it exits the house.
I've put a pond in and another workshop, so at any one time will possibly be running up to four ceiling lights' a power tool of some description or a turbine sprayer with extraction, a couple of post lamps and lights' filters and pump for the pond.
Will the existing cable from the meter be adequate and what gauge of armored cable would I need so I can check the existing ?
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 10,414
- Reaction score
- 164
max power":1z7b919f said:
What is the rating of the mcb supplying this circuit.
What the size and length of the cable inside the house?
How long is the cable run from the house to the workshop.
By Power tool do you mean something handheld up to a couple kW say or more
Which would you say is consuming more power, your power tool or the sprayer/extractor combination.
Sorry to answer one question with a whole load more but the answer needs to calculate the voltage drop and to keep this within limits - as you have lighting involved this tightens up the limits.
Bob