A matter of curiosity .....
I have often seen it written here, and elsewhere, that nearly all double sockets (I think probably all other than MK) are 'rated' only at 20A, not 26A.
For a start, I think it should go without saying that, if true, this is a daft (and potentially dangerous) situation; we can be sure that the vast majority of users are blissfully unaware of this, and therefore would have no reason to think that there was anything wrong in plugging two 3 KW loads into one double socket. It probably won't happen often but, by the same token, it is virtually bound to happen sometimes!
However, I cannot help but wonder what this 20A 'rating' actually means - or, rather, what it is that causes the manufacturers to say that the total load should not exceed 20A. If one looks at a double socket, virtually all of the components are totally separate for the two 'halves' - switch (if present), all the components of the actual socket (that which accepts pins of the plug) and even the connections from the terminals to the individual switch or socket - and no manufacturer is suggesting that one of the sockets of a pair, in itself, cannot carry a 13A load. In fact, the only components that seem common to the two halves of a double socket are the terminals. Not only do they usually look (to me) plenty meaty enough to carry 26A but, given that double sockets are very commonly installed in RFCs, the cables terminated in the double socket could be carrying up to 32A, anyway, regardless opf how much (or little) current is being drawn from the double socket in question.
So what is going on here? I strongly suspect that all double sockets are perfectly OK with a 2x13A load, but something is leading most manufacturers to want to wash their hands of responsibility for what happens if the total load exceeds 20A. Being 'cautious' is all very well, but if that's their approach, they might just as well sell 13A plugs 'rated' at 10A!
Kind Regards, John.
I have often seen it written here, and elsewhere, that nearly all double sockets (I think probably all other than MK) are 'rated' only at 20A, not 26A.
For a start, I think it should go without saying that, if true, this is a daft (and potentially dangerous) situation; we can be sure that the vast majority of users are blissfully unaware of this, and therefore would have no reason to think that there was anything wrong in plugging two 3 KW loads into one double socket. It probably won't happen often but, by the same token, it is virtually bound to happen sometimes!
However, I cannot help but wonder what this 20A 'rating' actually means - or, rather, what it is that causes the manufacturers to say that the total load should not exceed 20A. If one looks at a double socket, virtually all of the components are totally separate for the two 'halves' - switch (if present), all the components of the actual socket (that which accepts pins of the plug) and even the connections from the terminals to the individual switch or socket - and no manufacturer is suggesting that one of the sockets of a pair, in itself, cannot carry a 13A load. In fact, the only components that seem common to the two halves of a double socket are the terminals. Not only do they usually look (to me) plenty meaty enough to carry 26A but, given that double sockets are very commonly installed in RFCs, the cables terminated in the double socket could be carrying up to 32A, anyway, regardless opf how much (or little) current is being drawn from the double socket in question.
So what is going on here? I strongly suspect that all double sockets are perfectly OK with a 2x13A load, but something is leading most manufacturers to want to wash their hands of responsibility for what happens if the total load exceeds 20A. Being 'cautious' is all very well, but if that's their approach, they might just as well sell 13A plugs 'rated' at 10A!
Kind Regards, John.