Potentially overloading a socket

[jwells]

Hallo gents. I'm glad we know-nothings can hit a question into Google and end up at a forum like this.

To the point of the matter, I'm a student living in a somewhat old house, and I unfortunately also need my own fridge, which means that on a single socket, I am planning to have:

A) A gaming computer (600w PSU)
B) A fridge (medium size fridge up to waist height, not mini-fridge)
C) A somewhat old TV
D) The first generation of PlayStation 2
E) Smaller things such as a charger for a Nintendo DS, a modem and router, an alarm clock and a printer that is only switched on when necessary.

I'm no fool - I want to do some serious checking before I submit myself to an inevitable electric fire. The house is reasonably old, but the electricity is managed by a set of switches (I'm told this is information you'll use to advise me further).

Thanks in advance for your input.

- J. Wells

 

[JonoPashley]

One Single Socket would be overloaded with all that on it, I assume you rent the room from someone, in which case you may wish to contact them and see if they can have a electrician look at increasing the points availiable and if the current circuits can take the extra loading.

 

[Spark123]

I doubt you will be anywhere near 13A (about 3000w) even with all that lot plugged in.

 

[jwells]

So it's a case of looking for a specific total, and seeing how close it is? In whcih case, perhaps I should find out how much power my appliances take - can I find this on the plugs? (currently can't look myself)

 

[Spark123]

You'll find the info on each of the appliance's rating plate.

 

[JonoPashley]

Wattage is usually stamped onto a plate somewhere on the casing.

Appendix 8 Table 8B of the On Site Guide has good guidelines for numbers of sockets. The Socket may be adequate at the moment but it leaves little room for additional portable equipment that may be required at a later date.

 

[flameport]

While extra sockets would be ideal, in student accomodation this simply won't be happening.
Just get a multiway socket strip on a short lead and use that.
10 way versions are available. ( http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=96834 as one fairly expensive example)

Highly unlikely you will get to 13A, and even if it was overloaded somehow, the fuse in the plug will blow long before any cables melt or burn.

Something NOT to use is the 'cube' type multiway adaptors like this:

as the weight of 2 or 3 plugs hanging several inches away from the wall will tend to pull the thing out of the wall socket. Two of the leads also end up being bent out of shape on the 3 way versions.

 

[electronicsuk]

Should be fine with the loads you mention as long as the printer is not a laser. Oh, and don't be thinking of having any women round - a hairdryer or set of straighteners might be just enough to tip it over the edge

 

[securespark]

Should be fine with the loads you mention as long as the printer is not a laser. Oh, and don't be thinking of having any women round - a hairdryer or set of straighteners might be just enough to tip it over the edge

Not to mention a mains-driven bedroom friend...

 

[stargazer]

...yes that thought had also occurred to me.
Will the start up surge from a vacuum cleaner be problematic?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Got to lectures, you lazy ***, instead of spending your time lying around playing games, watching TV and drinking lager from the fridge.

 

[ColJack]

...yes that thought had also occurred to me.
Will the start up surge from a vacuum cleaner be problematic?

blokes a student, doubt they even know what a vacuum cleaner is...

 

[jwells]

I'll have you know that one day out of seven my room is a living shrine of cleanliness.