Fridge Freezer and extension

[derris]

I have a tall fridge freezer in my kitchen/diner and the side of the room it's on only has one socket, a 2 gang in the corner of the dining area which is about 2m from where the fridge is positioned.

Since I moved in 6 years ago, Ive had it plugged into an extension lead as it won't reach the socket. It's been fine, but I've read that they shouldn't be plugged into extensions, is this right? Should I dome something else?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If it's working fine then it's working fine.

How long is the extension lead? I think the concern about using them on things like fridges is that they briefly take a lot of current when the motor starts up, and if someone has used a long extension lead the voltage could drop so much that it interferes with the motor starting.

But it's a bit of a waste of an extension lead. Best alternative would be to install another socket, failing that to lengthen the flex, either by just replacing it if you can access where it is connected in the fridge, or by using a flex connector. That way you can tailor the length of flex so it isn't excessive.

 

[ericmark]

Yes I note with my new freezer and fridge/freezer both Samsung it says not to use an extension lead however since the socket is covered by a cupboard although I could plug it directly in I don't I have a short 4 way extension lead so I can unplug without moving cupboard. And the Samsung guy when he came to repair the freezer did not seem to think this was a problem.

With older fridge and freezer with single phase motors there is an issue if the volt drop is too great the volt drop on a wall socket it regulated but with extension leads it could exceed the limits and cause stress to the starting system used with fridge and freezer motors. But a short one would be no problem and with modern inverter control fridge/freezers the maximum current is only around 200W and that is for the de-frost heaters so volt drop is no longer a problem but it still has the warning on the instruction book.

So in the garage which is already on the limit for volt drop and with a 20 foot extension lead to get to back of garage and an old pre-inverter fridge/freezer yes the extension lead could cause a problem. In the kitchen where volt drop is unlikely to be at limit with a short 3 foot extension lead with no other items plugged into the lead there is unlikely any problem.

With inverter control even in back of the garage there is unlikely to be any problem.

Note:- It would seem inverter control with domestic fridge/freezers is purely to do with motor starting and the motor runs at the same speed at all times with commercial freezers the inverter control is very different.

When a freezer motor stops the pressure is still in the pipes so re-starting can't be done until the pressure has dropped. A thermal device trips in the freezer motor which after a set time will auto re-set and the freezer motor will then start with no load (pressure in pipes) having a volt drop means the motor may not start fast enough and may trip the thermal device when it should not trip and each time it trips it gets a little weaker. So on unplugging a freezer you should always wait 15 minutes before plugging back in.

With inverter motor control the inverter looks after the motor instead of the thermal trip which is why manufacturers can offer a 10 year guarantee on motor and inverter where lucky if you get 2 years with old thermal type.

So short answer is carry on using a short extension lead in kitchen it is unlikely to cause any problems.

 

[JohnW2]

I have a tall fridge freezer in my kitchen/diner and the side of the room it's on only has one socket, a 2 gang in the corner of the dining area which is about 2m from where the fridge is positioned. ... Since I moved in 6 years ago, Ive had it plugged into an extension lead as it won't reach the socket.

I presume that means that the extension lead is very short - maybe as short as 1m, and probably no more than 3m at most. If that's the case, then I'm sure that there is no problem, electrically (even though it would theoretically be a bit neater without it!).

Do I take it that the routing of the extension lead does not create any hazard of someone tripping over it?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[derris]

Thanks for your help guys much appreciated. Another question though, I've recently got a tumble dryer which is situated on the same wall as the fridge/freezer and obviously has the same issue. As the extension I've got has two sockets, I use this also for when I use the dryer. Is this ok or too much? Should I use a separate extension lead for this? (it needs to use the same 2 gang wall socket)

Do I take it that the routing of the extension lead does not create any hazard of someone tripping over it?

The extension is routed behind the skirting board, so there is no trip hazard.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks for your help guys much appreciated. Another question though, I've recently got a tumble dryer which is situated on the same wall as the fridge/freezer and obviously has the same issue. As the extension I've got has two sockets, I use this also for when I use the dryer. Is this ok or too much? Should I use a separate extension lead for this? (it needs to use the same 2 gang wall socket)

A tumble dryer is a totally different kettle of fish from a fridge - it consumes considerable amounts of power for appreciable periods of time. I personally would be reticent/hesitant to run it off an extension lead (replacing or extending the dryer's cable would be much better) but, if you must, I would personally be inclined to use a separate extension lead - but other opinions may vary!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So now there are two things to plug in where there's no socket.

Best alternative would be to install another socket.

 

[JohnW2]

So now there are two things to plug in where there's no socket.

Best alternative would be to install another socket.

From what I understand, there is a double socket about 2 metres away, so, whilst an additional socket would obviously be one solution, it might be more a matter of the cable lengths of the appliances.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

In theroy over 2kW fixed appliance and because of weight it's classed as fixed not portable should have a dedicated supply. I know often a tumble drier does not have a dedicated supply but nothing else should use the same extension lead as used with a tumble drier.

 

[JohnW2]

In theroy over 2kW fixed appliance and because of weight it's classed as fixed not portable should have a dedicated supply....

I accept that there is wisdom in that view, but have you ever actually seen a tumble dryer supplied by a dedicated circuit?

I know often a tumble drier does not have a dedicated supply but nothing else should use the same extension lead as used with a tumble drier.

Indeed - as I've said, that is also my view. Frankly, as I also said, I'd prefer a dryer not to be on an extension lead at all (even if the dryer were its only load), since, apart from anything else, that represents an additional, unnecessary, plug and socket (aka potential points of failure or overheating) in the melting pot.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Steve]

In theroy over 2kW fixed appliance and because of weight it's classed as fixed not portable should have a dedicated supply....

I accept that there is wisdom in that view, but have you ever actually seen a tumble dryer supplied by a dedicated circuit?

Yes, a 240v one in America.

Anyway, the vast majority of those modern short 2- and 4-way extension leads are 1.25mm cables, plenty enough for a single large appliance like a tumble dryer. But I'd always be checking the temperature of the extension socket and the plug in the wall just to be safe in case of loose connections.

My parents had a 3 bar fire rated at 3120w plugged into a 10 metre 1mm extension lead for about 10 years (though they rarely used more than 1 bar and the two 60w orange lamps)

 

[JohnW2]

I accept that there is wisdom in that view, but have you ever actually seen a tumble dryer supplied by a dedicated circuit?

Yes, a 240v one in America.

That's cheating - but I admit I should have added 'in the UK', since it would also be common in many other parts of the world.

Anyway, the vast majority of those modern short 2- and 4-way extension leads are 1.25mm cables, plenty enough for a single large appliance like a tumble dryer. But I'd always be checking the temperature of the extension socket and the plug in the wall just to be safe in case of loose connections.

That's the point isn't it? As I said, plug/socket pairs are a potential source of overheating and associated problems, so to have two such pairs, rather than just one pair, in the feed to a dryer is not, IMO, ideal.

My parents had a 3 bar fire rated at 3120w plugged into a 10 metre 1mm extension lead for about 10 years (though they rarely used more than 1 bar and the two 60w orange lamps)

Sure, but as BAS is always saying, had he been driving without wearing a seatbelt for the past 40 years, he would have suffered no more injuries. However, drawing conclusions from anecdotes is very dangerous, particularly when one is talking about very low risks!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My parents had a 3 bar fire rated at 3120w plugged into a 10 metre 1mm extension lead for about 10 years

Did they unwind it, or was it an additional source of heating?

 

[Steve]

My parents had a 3 bar fire rated at 3120w plugged into a 10 metre 1mm extension lead for about 10 years

Did they unwind it, or was it an additional source of heating?

It wasn't on a reel. Just a single socket on the end of a long flex.