European Outlet Amp Ratings

[AdrianWint]

So if my equipment draws 12A, then it is permissible to plug it into a 13A outlet. I suppose that makes sense. Similarly, are there any US regulations that put an amp limit on what you can plug into a 15 or 20A outlet?

The UK guys are pushing back on the Schuko style plug and want a ceeform plug because they are readily available in the UK and also available on the mainland.

The plug has to serve as a disconnect for the equipment, but it is not an "emergency stop". I would be more confident with the Ceeform disconnecting the equipment under full load. But the standard plug should not have to be able to disconnect a product under load right? Normal chords (Schuko, and the 13A UK plugs) should only be used as a service disconnect only? The equipment has two fractional .33HP compressors and about 1000W of heat....

As a UK designer I wouldn't be too concerned about demand of 12A from a 13A socket as long as that's an intermittent peak. The 13A socket isn't designed to supply 13A for 24/7/365 - the figure for that would be around 10A but for peaks of 13A lasting a few tens of minutes I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Schuko is not used here in the UK at all. I don't think our regulations prohibit the Schuko but is isn't common - my electrical wholesaler would not have an outlet on the shelf & I would have to special order it which would take several days.
If you supplied an item with a Schuko fitted it would be removed & replaced by a 13A plug ...... I can guarantee it

Most 13A sockets here are switched, often double pole. There is no problem using the socket for functional switching or using it as a disconnect means, however, I would expect your equipment to contain its own ON/OFF switch.

If your kit is going into an industrial environment then most electricians would have no issue with the Ceeform connector. If its going into an office/domestic/light commercial then demanding a ceeform would probably count against you in terms of potential sales.


Adrian

 

[iceworm]

visibility

 

[kwired]

Think more along the lines of one ring final running around the entire residence visiting every outlet. Contrast this with running each outlet as a home run (as was done in the days before the ring final). I think this is the logic that its designers followed.

There is a permissible radial configuration that uses 4.0mm sq twin & earth on a 32A MCB. This is often implemented as a means to support things such as a laundry circuit or a kitchen. I don't think I've ever come across a hole house wired using one or more of these.

Its true that with our 230V supply you don't have to pay so much attention to volt drop & if the electrician sticks to 'standard' circuits then he can be confident of achieving his required 3% VD without really putting any thought into it.

Most ring finals are very lightly loaded. The capacity of a healthy ring is 32A * 230V = 7360 VA. With the current cost of domestic electricity in the UK being around 0.15 UK pounds per kw/h .... using the full capacity of the ring will set you back just over 1 UK pound per hour - I can't afford that..... its rare that my whole house draws more than 7kW never mind just the socket outlets! (We don't have domestic air-con & we tend to heat our homes using natural gas fired wet (water in iron radiators) central heating systems)

Adrian

Is that ring practice mostly just for those 13 amp receptacles found in homes and light commercial type installations?

I am a little more accustomed to agricultural wiring both single and three phase installations and often long circuit runs, making a loop back to the source seems to make less sense for many of those applications than to just run a larger single conductor, just kind of curious what is common for you in those kinds of applications.

 

[iceworm]

m

 

[fifty60]

Excellent, thanks for the information and advice everyone!