Is there a tool that can easily detect overloaded or overheating cables? I want to add 2 or 3 extra sockets in a property, but the existing installation is a nightmare. I just want something I can plug into each socket to give me a reading for peace of mind (or not). Is there, for example, a tool that draws the rated current and checks for an acceptable voltage drop over time? For example by drawing the maximum rated current and checking for an acceptable voltage drop over a certain time?
Check for overloaded cables?
- Thread starter tgd241
- Start date
Your property or for a customer?
Its almost impossible to do without taking a long time and having kit as above and the competence to use it.
Do you know which sockets are on which circuits ? and on each circuit do you know what is plugged in / attached?
Do you know what the average usage per day is?
Its almost impossible to do without taking a long time and having kit as above and the competence to use it.
Do you know which sockets are on which circuits ? and on each circuit do you know what is plugged in / attached?
Do you know what the average usage per day is?
Property owned by me.
What do you mean by 'a long time'? Do you mean physically tracing and inspecting each cable? Because the entire point of the question is not to do that.
I've figured out which circuit each socket is on, unless ive inadvertently missed a socket somewhere. Most of them are on a single circuit. I can guess what will be attached where, although the property isnt yet inhabited. Not clue what the average usage will be.
What do you mean by 'a long time'? Do you mean physically tracing and inspecting each cable? Because the entire point of the question is not to do that.
I've figured out which circuit each socket is on, unless ive inadvertently missed a socket somewhere. Most of them are on a single circuit. I can guess what will be attached where, although the property isnt yet inhabited. Not clue what the average usage will be.
The voltage at the CU should be known, let's say 230V. A diagnostic tool plugged into a socket should be capable of drawing a known, fixed current and measuring the voltage at the socket, giving a voltage drop and resistance of the cables. If you also give it an estimate of the cable length, this should tell you whether the resistance is within acceptable limits, no? Furthermore, the tool should be able to detect if the resistance is constant over time , or increases in a manner consistent with and overheating cable somewhere.
So let's say you plug this tool in an every socket, and have it draw as close as possible to the rated current of the circuit at every socket. If you're not getting a rising resistance or as long as the resistance plateaus at some acceptable value, all is well in theory?
So let's say you plug this tool in an every socket, and have it draw as close as possible to the rated current of the circuit at every socket. If you're not getting a rising resistance or as long as the resistance plateaus at some acceptable value, all is well in theory?
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I can monitor what a socket uses
and I can also see what I am using for the whole house,
with my solar software, one could use as said a clamp meter 
here shows looking at earth leakage, and the old yellow one was giving a poor reading and the jaws were not seating well, but it is rather old, bought it in Hong Kong when it was still British.
A radial can't be overloaded, the MCB/Fuse/RCBO is smaller that the cable capacity, only the ring final can be overloaded if the load is near the origin. If near the origin the load on the two cables will not be even, So we have a 32 amp overload and 20 amp cables, so the instructions
advise on their use, and how they should be arranged, with
However, it is tradition, from the days of the twin tub washer, we have used the kitchen for one day of the week as a laundry room, and since no cooking done on that day, it was not a problem, could not really cook with a twin tub in middle of the floor, but as we moved to front loading machines, and then added a drier, this is now the biggest single load on a ring final.
It was the electric fire, but as we have improved the insulation in the home, we have moved away from 3 kW electric fires, now 2 kW seems to be the limit, with oil filled radiators down to around 850 watts, and most are thermostatically controlled, I remember my parents with a 4 bar fire, but these have long gone.
Only time I have seen a ring final at its limit, is a new build where the builder was trying to dry out the house, for me the smart meter does not help, due to having solar and battery, but normally they do show how little electric we use, my highest draw is likely mid-summer with the AC running.
Why are you worried?
and I can also see what I am using for the whole house, here shows looking at earth leakage, and the old yellow one was giving a poor reading and the jaws were not seating well, but it is rather old, bought it in Hong Kong when it was still British.A radial can't be overloaded, the MCB/Fuse/RCBO is smaller that the cable capacity, only the ring final can be overloaded if the load is near the origin. If near the origin the load on the two cables will not be even, So we have a 32 amp overload and 20 amp cables, so the instructions
The "rated power exceeding 2 kW on their own dedicated radial circuit" for equipment likely to use high current for an extended time, has been done for years with the immersion heater, but next down the list must be a resistive clothes drier, these can run for an hour at 2.5 kW so we really should put them on a dedicated circuit.
However, it is tradition, from the days of the twin tub washer, we have used the kitchen for one day of the week as a laundry room, and since no cooking done on that day, it was not a problem, could not really cook with a twin tub in middle of the floor, but as we moved to front loading machines, and then added a drier, this is now the biggest single load on a ring final.
It was the electric fire, but as we have improved the insulation in the home, we have moved away from 3 kW electric fires, now 2 kW seems to be the limit, with oil filled radiators down to around 850 watts, and most are thermostatically controlled, I remember my parents with a 4 bar fire, but these have long gone.
Only time I have seen a ring final at its limit, is a new build where the builder was trying to dry out the house, for me the smart meter does not help, due to having solar and battery, but normally they do show how little electric we use, my highest draw is likely mid-summer with the AC running.
Why are you worried?
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