Ditto.
Maybe, in the case of very large cookers. I think that accessories used on cooker circuits are likely to be 'rated' at 40, 45 or 50A, which, even without any diversity, would accommodate cookers with a maximum demand up to around 10kW, perhaps more.
Subsequent posts suggest that you agree with them?
Not really - but, as I said, and just as BAS said, it "would not feel right" to me to put a "13A" plug on a "4kW" cooking appliance. Would you do it in your own home (if you were still in the UK)? Would you do it in a customer's home (in the UK)?
"N/A", but ....
Dunno. Since, traditionally, OPDs seem to be regarded as only being there to protect cables, we only really think/talk of cable protection and, in that context, we assume that it has been decided that the cables can happily handle the 'excessive' currents (beyond their tabulated CCC) which may flow before an OPD operates. If it is not felt that OPDs are there to protect accessories, it is not so obvious that similar consideration will necessarily have been given to how accessories respond to 'excessive' currents (beyond their 'rating') during the period before an OPD operates.
It takes very unlikely circumstances for a cooker to produce an overload as a consequence of a fault (everyday sense) but, in the situation we are discussing, a cooker will sometimes draw considerably more than the after-diversity current - so, if circuit is designed and constructed on the basis of the after-diversity current, the the current will sometimes be 'excessive' - hence analagous to an 'overload' due to a fault (everyday sense).
Yes, we know that some people believe that, and my personal experience is certainly that they can get quite warm after long periods of carrying 13A. However, what is being discussed here is not continuous currents (or 13A or whatever) but, rather, brief periods of current flow in excess of 13A.
I wouldn't have done it in a customer's house - but that doesn't mean it might be fundamentally incorrect.
Are we not aware that light switches can have their contacts welded together by a fault current, even though the OPD has done what it should and the cables are fine?
Quite so. Although I don't think I've personally experienced that, I've certainly heard reports of it happening. Mind you, ('true') fault currents are in a different ballpark from the moderate 'over-currents' we're talking about, even if they should only have a very brief duration if the OPD does its work.
That makes at least three of us, then. In reality I would imagine that very few, if any, electricians would actually consdier doing it, anywhere.
Indeed, and we (at least I) don't know whether the plug/socket could tolerate (without damage) those current/time combinations, particularly the high/brief ones, in the same way that cable is assumed to be able to.
If they cannot, then should it be considered that the 13A (or16A) is an absolute maximum current that it can handle.
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