Power Capacity to Home?

[Angelbabes]

When you get connected to the grid. How much wattage can you have! are there limits on draw etc...

This is my boyfriends language... so please reply in 'English' big writing with pretty pictures please...

Angelbabes...

 

[spark1]

In a standard dweling [ single phase] you are governed by the rating of the suppliers main fuse. This ccould be anything from 60 Amp to 100 Amp

as a rough guide 4 AMPS is equivalent to 1000 watts ; [ 1 Kilowatt ]

 

[Guitarguy]

For a standard 100A single phase service it has a around a 23,000 Watt capitity. 23kW.

 

[Steve]

The DNO size supplies to houses based on an AVERAGE power draw of 2kw. 2000 watts. About 10 amps.

In reality, sometimes you will way exceed this and sometimes you will be way below this. But its the figure they use.

You will get a 100 amp service head and meter, supplied in 16 or 25mm cable from the street, which is good for 23kw (but it might get a little toasty at 23kw all day, so tell your boyfriend, no special cultivations in the loft)

Some houses have a 3 phase spply, though this is rare, but this would allow up to three times the above, 69kw.


Why do you ask?

 

[electronicsuk]

When you get connected to the grid. How much wattage can you have! are there limits on draw etc...

This is my boyfriends language... so please reply in 'English' big writing with pretty pictures please...

I'm not quite sure why you're asking this, as in your other thread you say you have already received two quotes from the DNO for supply to your property. From the rather extortionate price that has been quoted for a 100A head, it would appear you're out in the sticks, so any predictions made above may be null and void anyway.

 

[mfarrow]

You've asked the DNO for a supply, they've quoted £2,400 for a house with a 10kW shower, so go with that.

There's no point spending 5x more if you're not going to use it. They're the experts here, and even if you have the following all running at once:

Cooker
Shower
Immersion Heater
Kettle
Toaster
Iron

... then yes you'll be looking at upwards of 20kW but this won't cause you anything more than a slight volt drop, and the DNO won't care unless you're on half-hourly metering (which you won't be). These aren't static loads anyway so even though you could be looking at over 80A at 20kW it'll still take an awfully long time to blow a 60A fuse (longer than it takes a kettle to boil).

 

[Steve]

IIRC, angelbabes also has full electric heating.

She could buy a generator to supply them cheaper than the quote for the DNO supply.

 

[Angelbabes]

Hiya Guys...

Wanted to ask this on a seperate thread so as not to confuse people with different issues...

But since this has as people have not read all the replies here goes...

The lowest price in the other thread was at the low end of the lowest price,
with the higher end being nearer £4800+vat for a 12kw supply to take a 10kw shower.
But the next price (after questioning this) was around £1800 inc. vat for the same 12kv supply with out shower.

I was trying to get my head around the difference in price for the same supply from the same supplier quoted by the same quoter, if that makes sence...phew...

Current plans are... don't install 10kw shower have power shower leaveing all that wattage available for oil filled rather than gel filled radiators... is this a good plan?

Over to you wonderful guys...

Angelbabes...

 

[electronicsuk]

Current plans are... don't install 10kw shower have power shower leaveing all that wattage available for oil filled rather than gel filled radiators... is this a good plan?

Possible if there aren't too many rooms. However, it will be very expensive to run. Once again, I think your best option here is a heat pump.

If you can't afford a heat pump, you could still run storage heaters on a 12kVA supply, depending on the wattage and number of heaters. As they would be running during the night, it's unlikely that any other large power consumers would be running at the same time in the house.

 

[tonylec]

To give you an idea on this, most of my work is commercial, a large primary school we service has a standard 100A incomer (like you have), it rarely peaks over 80amps, but if you added up all the breakers you would probably have 500 amps, we use the term "diversity" which means how likely is it that you will use all your heavy current kit at once or for long enough to damage the incomer (not very), the chances of getting more than 100A into domestic premises without paying a lot is remote and not really required, most modern houses are 100A rated, even big ones.

My advice on heating is to go for gas (calor if you are in the wilds) or oil, electric heating is not very efficient in comparison and costly to run

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you can't afford a heat pump

It won't take long for a high COP air source heat pump to pay for itself.

 

[davelx]

How useful are air-source heat-pumps when the outside temperature is below freezing? Doesn't their output reduce as the external temp falls - just at the time you need more heating?

 

[electronicsuk]

How useful are air-source heat-pumps when the outside temperature is below freezing? Doesn't their output reduce as the external temp falls - just at the time you need more heating?

Indeed, they are less efficient at heating as the outside temperature drops well below a certain point. However, the COP would have to drop to 1:1 for it to be as costly to run as standard electrical heaters, and that's not going to happen.

That's why, despite the extra cost, a ground source heat pump may be better value for money - the extra initial cost can be recouped in increased efficiency due to the small variation in ground temperature year-round.

 

[Steve]

How useful are air-source heat-pumps when the outside temperature is below freezing? Doesn't their output reduce as the external temp falls - just at the time you need more heating?

Indeed, they are less efficient at heating as the outside temperature drops well below a certain point.

Think about it in terms of energy.

A gas will have thermal energy until its temperature drops to -273 degrees C, or zero degrees Kelvin. At this point, there is no thermal energy, and indeed even the most efficient heat pump will not work.

So minus 5 is no problem for an air source heat pump

I'd shy away from DIY heat pump sets though. Not worth the money. Pay a bit (ok, a lot) extra for a decent system.

 

[tonylec]

here, here and if you have a decent central heating system you can have a power shower (not electrically heated), cheaper to run.