Only 60A per connection according to UKPN.

[Vicario]

I contacted UKPN to ask if my fuse could be upgraded from 60A. I'm having an EV charger so my electrician has recommended 80 or 100. I've just received this in an email. 'In your area our network can only guarantee 60A per connection'. I've been asked to send a photo of my cutout and CU for one of their technicians to comment on. I'm in South London. EV chargers are sprouting up everywhere so are they starting to restrict power usage? My fitter said that he can throttle most EV chargers to 16A if needed.

 

[JohnW2]

... 'In your area our network can only guarantee 60A per connection'. ...

I suppose that if that is true, then it is true.

Whether or not that is a satisfactory, or even 'sustainable', situation as we move forwards (EV charging, heat pumps, electric cooking etc.) is perhaps a different matter!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

This house also on a 60 amp fuse, it was the standard with the old Wylex fuse boxes as that was rating of the fuse box, as to how much we really use not sure, some EV charging units have a monitor on the supply and can throttle back if in danger of blowing the fuse, but compared with Spain and South of France we have a massive supply even at 60 amp, I was reading how pre-smart meter they would have a 20 amp fuse and exceeding that for short time was OK, but the Smart meters have been set up to cut out on exactly the agreed amps, so are switching off far more.

 

[Londoner2]

.

 

[Vicario]

Would the 'decent electrician' bring the fuse fairy in his toolbox or would he need to ask the DNO to come out anyway.

 

[JohnW2]

advice removed

What an extraordinary suggestion - I would advise anyone who read it to ignore it!

Kind Regards, John

 

[plugwash]

Most modern EV chargers have a grid-limit feature, so a 60A fuse really shouldn't be a problem if they are installed properly.

 

[Vicario]

Question for the professionals....Just out of interest, what is the highest load that you've ever found in a typical 3 bedroom semi? If UKPN will only guarantee 60A per connection, what does that mean in practice?

 

[JohnD]

My fitter said that he can throttle most EV chargers to 16A if needed.

that would be handy for anyone who has solar panels.

 

[JohnW2]

Question for the professionals....Just out of interest, what is the highest load that you've ever found in a typical 3 bedroom semi? If UKPN will only guarantee 60A per connection, what does that mean in practice?

If you mean the instantaneous (short-term) peak load, that is likely to be well over 60A. Although an electrician would vey rarely see an installation at the time of peak load, I'm sure it could easily be higher than 60A - a shower alone could take 40A+ (for a fairly short time), as cook a large cooker.

However, what matters to the DNO is the maximum average load across many installations, and that will be much lower than the peak instantons load within each installation, since not all houses will have peak loads simultaneously. I think that DNO's rule of thumb for houses without electric heating is an average of about 10A per property.

Kind Regards, John