so over feeling sorry for customers

[murdock]

i have adopted a new attitude with my make it work...workmanship.

if you are stupid enough to get 5 aircons fitted and let the a/c company connect the units without getting a qualified electrician to work out the load on the socket outlest because they are just 9000 units and 12 000 units connected to the socket outlet...then you must pay twice...once for the aircon company to install and connect then again for the electrician to come and do the job properly...run more circuits.

this is becomeing good bussiness for us electricians and the beuty is the people are desperate...because the units are tripping when it is 30 + degrees and the fridge and everything goes off...so they need it done asap...i love it.

i listend to a salesman trying to sell aircons to one of my customers and when i confronted him about the problem...he said he would get back to me...yes i ran seperate circuits for the customers...dont forget aircons are like motors they have a startup current...even thought the new use less start up current....it is still there and putting in a 30 amp breaker using 2.5 mm twin &e is not the way to overcome the problem.

joints in the cable which dont reach the plug socket are causeing major fires...been to a couple...surprised the insurance comapnies pay out for this type of thing...in fact my mates granny flat burnt to the ground because of a bad connection on the lead between the a/c unit and the socket...and something else to be careful of...man you must see how the unit explodes and flies across the room...lucky it didnt kill the tenant...infact if it wasnt for the unit exploding and waker her up she would have died from the smoke which filled the room.

[Sparks]

Yip, there's only one way & that's the right way. Which of our "intelligent" clients would have the local butcher do their surgeon's job?....

[SparkyScott]

Hi there Murdock,just a few questions hope you dont mind-when you say 9000 and 12000 is that for all 5 of them and what watts were they?what did you put those aircons on breaker wise?Also the size of cable?im just curious as we never needed aircons in scotland its cold enough haha.

Scott

[tec0]

murdock > I am planning to convert a small room into a small office space, now the problem is there is only 1 plug in the room. Connected to a 30 amp breaker. I need to connect 2 computers and a printer fax combo. Now what would be the best way to go about it? Both the PC’s will have 1kw UPS sucking power. I was thinking a multi plug would do the trick but now I am not so sure anymore.

It is not my house so a modification is out of the question.


So basically what protection system can I install that will avoid an untimely death?

[Justloadit]

Tec0, at 30 Amps you could drive almost 7Kwatts of load. The multi adapter you showing is more than ample for your application. They are usually rated at about 2Kwatts or 10Amps, depends on the thermal breaker, the round red button just below the switch. No need to modify the house

[AndyD]

.......there is only 1 plug in the room. Connected to a 30 amp breaker.

A 30 Amp breaker on a socket circuit.....would be worth investigating the cable size because the standard install puts socket circuits on a 20A breaker. An old installation standard used 4mm cabling on a 25A breaker.....but not 30Amp.

I would use a multi plug as you showed but spend a little extra and get one with surge protection built in.

[tec0]

I did a bit of a inspection, now I cannot see what type of wiring was used because it is really old but other than that every breaker in the home is about 30 Amp so if I understand it correctly this house is a disaster waiting to happen, cable burning and then flames and no more me?? Oh the stove is on a 60 amp??

I will take a few photos if you think it can help?

[Sparks]

30A is fine if the cables are 4mm or thicker. The CB rating is relevant to the cable diameter. Max for 2.5mm cable is 26A.

[bergie]

a 16 amp socket outlet can be supplied by a c/breaker not exceeding 20 amp regardless of cable size above 2,5mm
25% + 16 amps = 20 amps
same for 32 amp socket outlets: 32 +25% = 40 amp c/breaker 6mm cable

[Sparks]

Where can I get a 15A or 10A rated light fitting please? And for the plug circuit which was extended with (2.5mm) to include lights I would also like to purches 20A light fittings.

[Sparks]

I would use a multi plug as you showed but spend a little extra and get one with surge protection built in.

Last I noticed multiplugs were supplied with 0.75mm cables?

[AndyD]

Would depend on the multiplug but they don't fall under the 0142 regs, if they're SABS approved they're not a problem as long as they're not fixed installation.

[bergie]

light fittings are'nt rated 10,15,20 amps.i doesnt have to be.you can use any light fitting on a 10,15,20 amp circuit . it is the cable that must be the correct size and protected.

[Dave A]

a 16 amp socket outlet can be supplied by a c/breaker not exceeding 20 amp regardless of cable size above 2,5mm
25% + 16 amps = 20 amps
same for 32 amp socket outlets: 32 +25% = 40 amp c/breaker 6mm cable

Where can I get a 15A or 10A rated light fitting please? And for the plug circuit which was extended with (2.5mm) to include lights I would also like to purches 20A light fittings.

light fittings are'nt rated 10,15,20 amps.i doesnt have to be.you can use any light fitting on a 10,15,20 amp circuit . it is the cable that must be the correct size and protected.

This sequence begs the question that I suggest Sparks intended to imply - why the different handling of light fittings vs socket outlets when it comes to circuit over-current protection?

[bergie]

the way i see it is the light fitting can only use as much as the lamp wattage and the socket outlet as much as the appliance that is plugged in.for example a welding machine would push the socket outlet to maximum.