House supply ratings?

[towman]

I have been investigating my REC's supply terms (EME - or Central networks as it is now). Seems that for "new" supplies they only supply 12kW - I reckon that's about 50Amps. Granted that's to non - electrically heated houses, but I still think that's low for a modern house - even allowing for diversity. If someone was to have an electric shower and an electric cooker with electric hobs surely that supply is nearly maxed out? It certainly doesn't leave much room for the myriad other high demand appliances in the modern house? Am I missing something?
My supply fuse is 63A - I thought that was low - particularly as most CU's now have a 100A breaker?
Can someone with a greater understanding explain in simple terms please!?

 

[plugwash]

the service fuse rating is nearly always considerablly higher than the agreed max demand.

on domestic installs they don't really have any way to enforce the agreed max demand.

also note that agreed max demand is measured on a half hour integration period so its not the absoloute max the install will draw.

from what i have heared the following is how service fuse ratings seem to be handled.

If you blow a 63A service fuse they will generally replace it with a 100A one. if you blow it again in goes another 100A fuse. If you blow it too often they start chaqring for the replacement work and tell you that you should be paying for an upgrade to 3 phase.

Also it seems no matter how low your service fuse rating is they won't change it unless you blow it.

as long as you don't steal leccy or disrupt other peoples supply i don't think recs generally give a f*ck what you do.

 

[towman]

I won't worry about it too much then!
Thanks for the info.

 

[felix]

That's potentially useful information there from Plugwash. I've got a nice new consumer unit hanging on a not so new meter with 60 amp fuse. I'd heard that our supplier would change those old bits if requested, possibly for free, but wasn't sure how much mess they'd make in the process. I'm now tempted to leave it alone and if the fuse goes then so be it - I get a 100 amp one as a straight swap.

PS: Long, long ago our supplier was called Northern Electric. I'm not sure what they call themselves now.

 

[dingbat]

Also it seems no matter how low your service fuse rating is they won't change it unless you blow it.

EME will upgrade to a 100A fuse for free, on request. They obviously upgrade the tails as well and usually fit an isolator at the same time.

 

[andy]

there is only a 40A fuse in my house. and often has a cooker and shower on at the same time with no problems

 

[kevplumb]

just for a laugh my service fuse is rewirable

felix n power

 

[andy]

just for a laugh my service fuse is rewirable

felix n power

do they sell 100A fuse wire? or just bung in a piece of 2.5

 

[kevplumb]

dunno mate ive never managed to blow it

 

[Damocles]

So didthe last guy rewire it with 6mm?

 

[kevplumb]

prob

thought a lump of 15 copper might be OTT tho

 

[felix]

Many a true word is spoken in jest. I once knew a lab technician who got sick of his 3kW electric furnace popping 13 amp fuses - so he put a piece of brass bar in its plug! That furnace had an intermittent internal short so next time it got hot enough it killed the power to the whole floor. The culprit later changed jobs; last time I saw him he was a lecturer in electronic engineering!