Would you expect an issue with a freezer and tumble drier running from the same socket?

[StackemEvs]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find an answer. Parents have an extension running from a ring socket in the kitchen to the garage (about 15 ft in length), this is for a freezer. Santa's brought them a tumble drier (although I'm sure they haven't been that good) which has also been put in the garage.

Would people see it safe to have them both running from the same cable? Both by nature have surges. Another cable could be run from the house ring but I see this as overkill if not needed.

For the short-term I've just said to unplug the freezer while the tumble drier is on, confident that the freezer will stay frozen for a couple of hours. This is a short term bodge job and I'm sure sooner or later she will forget to unplug/plug back in. As a separate thought to this does anyone know of a extension cable that has a unique switch allowing only one or the other to be used at one time?

 

[JohnD]

the freezer will not be much trouble, but a drier is a very high-load appliance, usually running continuously for more than an hour. They are more prone to overheat an extension lead than when plugged into a socket. It is important that extension cables should be fully extended, not partially coiled.

If there is a fault, it will be expensive to lose the frozen food, though having the house burn down would be worse.

Is the garage attached, or free-standing?

 

[StackemEvs]

The garage is free-standing which is the reason for an extension from a plug in the downstairs ring. I'm assuming your suggestion would be if the garage is connected to the house to extend the downstairs ring to the garage.

As you say the drier is high load which isn't ideal for an extension even on its own.

 

[JohnW2]

the freezer will not be much trouble, but a drier is a very high-load appliance, usually running continuously for more than an hour. They are more prone to overheat an extension lead than when plugged into a socket. It is important that extension cables should be fully extended, not partially coiled.

Indeed. Most driers seem to be around 2kW. If that's the case then, although not ideal, a good quality extension lead rated at 13A (a good few seem to be 10A) and, as you say, completely un-coiled, theoretically ought to be able to cope safely with the combined drier+freezer load.

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

My concern would also be voltage drop. Unless it's an inverter freezer, which it may be, it needs a healthy voltage to start the compressor without shortening its life or damaging it. With a dryer running and at the end of a long cable, things become more likely to struggle.
Load wise it is within spec other than that especially if it's 2kw dryer.

 

[JohnW2]

My concern would also be voltage drop. Unless it's an inverter freezer, which it may be, it needs a healthy voltage to start the compressor without shortening its life or damaging it. With a dryer running and at the end of a long cable, things become more likely to struggle. Load wise it is within spec other than that especially if it's 2kw dryer.

Certainly a consdieration, but if it's a ~2kW dryer, 15 metres of (hopefully) 1.25mm² flex would drop less than 5V, which would usually not be a problem - since, for most consumers, that would probably still leave ≥235V for the freezer (which presumably is expected to work with any permissible UK supply voltage, hence down to 216.2V).

An alternative, and compliant, approach would be to have a 1.5mm² T+E spur from the house ring, which would not result in much less voltage drop.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

An alternative, and compliant, approach would be to have a 1.5mm² T+E spur from the house ring, which would not result in much less voltage drop.

Kind Regards, John

The garage is free standing - so probably SWA needed.

 

[JohnW2]

The garage is free standing - so probably SWA needed.

Fair enough - but, as I'm sure you understand, my point was that compliant 'fixed wiring' could have almost as much VD as a true "13A rated" 15m extension lead.

Hence, when I wrote "T+E", maybe I should have anticipated comments like yours by writing "T+E or SWA, or ......" (or maybe just "fixed wiring", to cover everything)!

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Yes, I just don't like leaving the impression that t&e is a valid solution.

More importantly I don't like using extension cables for any length of time for higher powered equipment. The extra connection in an extension cable can easily have a much higher resistance than expected, because of oxidation etc. This can easily outweigh the theoretical cable drop. Also if an extension cable is used it really should only be a *very* temporary measure, particularly if the only correct method is properly installed SWA. It did not sound to me as though this was going to be a temporary measure.

 

[JohnW2]

More importantly I don't like using extension cables for any length of time for higher powered equipment....

I imagine that we all agree with that, and most have said/implied so in this thread.

It's one of the risks which can presumably increase in parallel with increasing regulation/restriction of DIY work on fixed wiring if/when it occurs, and particularly if it becomes too restrictive. Unless extension leads are outlawed there (I have no idea), I imagine that this could be a particular problem in Australia.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

I'm not sure why you are encouraging this dangerous bodge. If someone had asked how power their garage it would have been a no brainer to suggest a properly buried SWA cable. But when someone says they already use an extension cable for the same purpose, you say that it is probably ok, and in any case no worse than a properly wired circuit.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm not sure why you are encouraging this dangerous bodge.

I'm not meaning to 'encourage' it, but it is the situation we are being asked about. The OP wanted to know whether a single extension cable could safely carry the load of both appliances, or whether he should utilise a second extension cable for the second appliance.

If someone had asked how power their garage it would have been a no brainer to suggest a properly buried SWA cable.

Indeed, but we were not asked that question ...

... But when someone says they already use an extension cable for the same purpose, you say that it is probably ok...

I answered the OP's question by saying that, if the dryer was around 2kW, a decent, fully-uncoiled, 13A-rated extension cable could carry the combined load.

... and in any case no worse than a properly wired circuit.

That was a specific response to JohnD's suggestion that voltage drop might be a problem. What I said was "no worse" (I actually said, in paraphrase, 'not much worse') was the voltage drop, not anything else.

Happy New Year.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The garage is free-standing which is the reason for an extension from a plug in the downstairs ring.

It absolutely is not.

 

[securespark]

The freezer ought to be one that is able to cope with very low ambient temperatures. Not all are designed to be used in an unheated, poorly insulated space.

 

[JohnW2]

The freezer ought to be one that is able to cope with very low ambient temperatures. Not all are designed to be used in an unheated, poorly insulated space.

Indeed. In fact, "Not all" is probably an understatement, at least in terms of what manufacturers say - as far as I can make out, the manufacturers of most say that they are not suitable for use in environments with low ambient temp during winter, such as garages and outhouses.

However, despite that, and despite the theoretical problem that we understand, there must be countless ('unsuitable for outhouses') freezers (and some fridges) out there, but I don't think that I have personally ever heard of an actual case of the refrigeration failing because of the ambient temperature - have you?

Kind Regards, John