Extension Leads in the Kitchen

[plugwash]

John, you'd be surprised of how many these cheapo "surge protection extension" leads fail due to an actual surge. A cheap design consisting of just a MOV and a fuse prevents the extension lead from working again. This leads to people chucking it in the bin and causing more waste.

At least the teardowns I've seen, the fuses only disconnect the surge protection element. The rest of the extension lead can continue to operate after the surge protection has failed.

 

[JohnW2]

At least the teardowns I've seen, the fuses only disconnect the surge protection element. The rest of the extension lead can continue to operate after the surge protection has failed.

Yes, per what I recently wrote, that's what I thought (at the time) was the intended behaviour of the early surge protection things (i.e. that just the SPC functionality, not the functionality of the entire cable/extension/whatever, was 'sacrificial') - but, as I also said, operation of that fuse obviously implies that the 'surge suppression' has been limited, so one wonders how much 'surge protection' actual;y occurred before the fuse blew!

 

[Taylortwocities]

You could consider replacing the double socket with a triple.

How will that help? Triple sockets have an inbuilt 13amp fuse, so it would efectively be that same situation as a multi extension socket.

 

[ericmark]

I can't see how the SPD working or not is going to make any difference? If the tenant thinks he needs one, the only way to get him not to use one in the extension lead, would be to fit one in the consumer unit.

I see @JohnW2 point, I have no idea if my SPD has saved me anything, all I can say is my son has replaced many more LED bulbs as me, and I have a SPD, and he doesn't, but could be so many other reasons.

My inverter controlled devices, fridge/freezer, freezer, washing machine, tumble drier, and of course computers, may be saved by using a SPD, but as to kettle, can't see the point.

 

[JohnW2]

I see @JohnW2 point, I have no idea if my SPD has saved me anything ...

Quite - and, as I said, I can't see how we will ever be able to say whether any SPD has ever saved anything - since, without a crystal ball or psychic powers, we can't ever know what would have happened without the SPD. It's the same as with the 'direct personal protection' of RCDs - even if someone survives an electric shock which trips an RCD (seemingly an extremely rare event), one can never know whether or not they would have survived had there been no RCD.

My inverter controlled devices, fridge/freezer, freezer, washing machine, tumble drier, and of course computers, may be saved by using a SPD ....

Nothing's impossible but, as you know, I have very serious doubts!

, but as to kettle, can't see the point.

Quite so. I can't see any 'surge' harming something without electronics. If there were something approaching a 'direct lightning strike', I think that damaged kettles would probably be the least of one's problems!

 

[johnny2007]

Not an electrician, but once I had an mcb that kept tripping at Christmas time.
It was an extension lead making it trip.
Once replaced it didn't trip again.
I opened the extension lead to see if there was anything obviously wrong but all seemed fine.
I tried it on another circuit and tripped it as well.
Chucked it in the bin.

 

[endecotp]

How will that help? Triple sockets have an inbuilt 13amp fuse, so it would efectively be that same situation as a multi extension socket.

Mine isn’t. Hmm, I seem to recall both being available when I fitted this about 10 years ago but now I can only find fused ones for sale. Has something changed?

 

[JohnW2]

Mine isn’t. Hmm, I seem to recall both being available when I fitted this about 10 years ago but now I can only find fused ones for sale. Has something changed?

I must say that I didn't think that triple sockets had ever existed or been 'allowed' - just as 3-outlet adapters (for 3 x BS 1363 plugs) are required to be fused, whereas 2-outlet ones aren't.

It seems a little odd that there was felt to be a need for a 13A fuse in 3-outlet sockets/adapters, but not in 2-outlet ones, given that it would be theoretically possible to plug 26 A worth of loads into the latter.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It seems a little odd that there was felt to be a need for a 13A fuse in 3-outlet sockets/adapters, but not in 2-outlet ones, given that it would be theoretically possible to plug 26 A worth of loads into the latter.

Surely not; if - as they should be even if they are not - they were made to be capable of handling 26A - just as double sockets obviously should be.

Also the fact that the maximum fuse available is 13A is just another anomaly of the anachronistic system.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I must say that I didn't think that triple sockets had ever existed or been 'allowed' - just as 3-outlet adapters (for 3 x BS 1363 plugs) are required to be fused, whereas 2-outlet ones aren't.

It seems a little odd that there was felt to be a need for a 13A fuse in 3-outlet sockets/adapters, but not in 2-outlet ones, given that it would be theoretically possible to plug 26 A worth of loads into the latter.

 

[JohnW2]

<image of a fused triples sockets, the likes of which I have several in my house?

Death to my typing fingers . However, was it not obvious that in what you quoted, my fingers had been told to (but didn't!) type:

I must say that I didn't think that unfused triple sockets had ever existed or been 'allowed'

????

 

[JohnW2]

Surely not; if - as they should be even if they are not - they were made to be capable of handling 26A - just as double sockets obviously should be.

That's my point - why should they feel that the current through a 3-outlet socket or adapter should be 'limited to' 13A (not that a 13 A fuse achieves that ) , when just a 2-outlet one should be cable of handling 26A. I suppose that, as you go on to say, the answer might be ...

Also the fact that the maximum fuse available is 13A is just another anomaly of the anachronistic system.

..., since a 26 A fuse in a 3-outlet socket or adapter might make sense.

 

[plugwash]

Mine isn’t. Hmm, I seem to recall both being available when I fitted this about 10 years ago but now I can only find fused ones for sale. Has something changed?

BS1363 requires triple and higher sockets without fuses to be tested at a total load of 32A 28A,

I've personally never seen a triple socket with a single set of electrical connections without a fuse, I have however seen multiple independent sockets mounted on the same plate.

 

[JohnW2]

BS1363 requires triple and higher sockets without fuses to be tested at a total load of 32A,

BS 1363-2: 2023 appears to say 28 A (2 x 14A) but, as you presumably are saying, implies that unfused triple ones may exist (even though I've never seen one).

I've personally never seen a triple socket with a single set of electrical connections without a fuse,

As above, same here, which I suppose is why I suspected that they never have existed.

I have however seen multiple independent sockets mounted on the same plate.

Well, yes, but that's not really any different from any other situation of 'multiple sockets', whether 'mounted in the same plate' or 'scattered around', is it?

 

[IfInDoubtDIY]

Personally I question the need for a surge protector for a kettle toaster and microwave. It’s not as if any of those things have particularly sensitive electronics inside them - they’re not computers after all.

I suspect the tenants have heard “Surge Protection” as one of the big “buzzword” phrases (up there with “gluten free”, “organic” and “natural”) and have decided that this is definitely a bandwagon they wish to jump on without even understanding the meaning of the phrase.

Yes, I’m a cynical g*t.