Help with vintage electrics

[ban-all-sheds]

Any pictures to show us of your Earth Wife?

 

[securespark]

So assuming you use the correct cable 5 amp will be OK.

So what is the minimum size flexible cable that will carry 5A?

I'd give her one...

A good mowing, that is...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is that what people mean when they talk about a lady garden?

 

[OwainDIYer]

Certainly a well-trimmed bush.

 

[pellio]

Hi all,

I have an update and a question I hope will be of use to those who want to do the same as me.

I went to Maplin and they only had 13amp flex. So I bought 13amp flex and a 13amp plug.

I rewired the projector and it works. Just to clarify - all of the original wires, flexes etc were replaced by 13amp.

The bulb is 250watt- is this ok or am I in danger of ruining something?

Thanks in advance,

 

[Tigercubrider]

It's fine

 

[pellio]

Thanks Tigercubrider - your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[333rocky333]

Personally I would still fit a 3 or even a 5 amp fuse in the plug, in the unlikely event the projector does go faulty any internal damage could be less catastrophic.

General guidance for householders

A note on plug fuses
A common UK plug is generally fitted with a 3A or 13A fuse. For appliances up to 700w you use a 3A fuse and for appliances over 700w you use a 13A fuse.



Manufacturers have now standardised plug fuse ratings to be either 3A or 13A. However, 5 Amp fuses are still available to buy.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[winston1]

For appliances up to 700w you use a 3A fuse and for appliances over 700w you use a 13A fuse.

Completely wrong advice dreamt up by people who don't know what the fuse is for (to protect the cable not the appliance), and who don't understand about switch on surges.

 

[bernardgreen]

Winston, please accept that there are items of equipment where the manufacturer does include the fuse in the plug as part of the over all safety arrangments to be in place when the item is being used. For example limiting the amount of energy created in the short circuit arcing when a flexible cable fails close to the hand of the person using the appliance. ( Hair driers, hair straighteners, both have suffered "explosions" where the cable enters the handle of the appliance )

 

[winston1]

Winston, please accept that there are items of equipment where the manufacturer does include the fuse in the plug as part of the over all safety arrangments to be in place when the item is being used. For example limiting the amount of energy created in the short circuit arcing when a flexible cable fails close to the hand of the person using the appliance. ( Hair driers, hair straighteners, both have suffered "explosions" where the cable enters the handle of the appliance )

In which case it is yet another case of a manufacturer not knowing the facts. So what does that manufacturer do when he sells the same items in Europe? He certainly does not use a special European plug with a fuse. Are you suggesting he sells a less safe version here because there may be a fuse in the plug? (an example where there is not is when a customer fits a BS546 plug, quite legally).

 

[bernardgreen]

The manufacturers can take advantage of the UK plug having a fuse by recommending or requiring ( in the small print of the warranty ) that a suitable fuse rating less than 13 amps is fitted in the plug to reduce the harm that the hazard can cause. In other countries without a fuse in the plug the harm from the hazard of "exploding" cable is higher but ( it seems ) still within the safety limits that the authorities apply to the appliances.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

So what does that manufacturer do when he sells the same items in Europe? He certainly does not use a special European plug with a fuse.

By that logic, UK plug fuses below 13A provide no benefit with 13A cables, and should never be used with them.

 

[winston1]

By that logic, UK plug fuses below 13A provide no benefit with 13A cables, and should never be used with them.

That, indeed, would appear to be the case. But I didn't write the rules.