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Grid switch ratings enquiry

Farmboy
Had an interesting chat with a tech dept this afternoon after coming across some grid switches in a domestic kitchen.


Four grid switches (sharing a common backbox) are each fed via their own 16A cb's, and each feeds 1G sockets (for a cooker hood, fridge freezer, etc). Ignoring the cable sizes (the focus being on the grid switches), given the 13A plug fuses limits the loads in each cct, would you have the current rating of the grid switches equal to or higher than the 16A cb's (e.g. 20A), or lower (but equal to or higher than the socket rating e.g. 13A/14A)?


F
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  • 0
    The ratings on double socket-outlets say it all.


    In fact, you could interpret the test requirements as they used to be stated, that the double socket-outlet is tested at the same stress level (20 A total) as a single socket-outlet, as these stress tests haven't changed in a very long time.


    The only difference between the two, is that for the single socket-outlet, the load of 14 A is drawn from the socket-outlet, the 6 A load is placed on another set of conductors at the rear.


    The double socket-outlet has, as since combined units appeared, never been assumed to take two 13 A loads in the stress test (otherwise that test would have to be 2 x 14 A loads, one in each outlet)?
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  • 0
    The ratings on double socket-outlets say it all.


    In fact, you could interpret the test requirements as they used to be stated, that the double socket-outlet is tested at the same stress level (20 A total) as a single socket-outlet, as these stress tests haven't changed in a very long time.


    The only difference between the two, is that for the single socket-outlet, the load of 14 A is drawn from the socket-outlet, the 6 A load is placed on another set of conductors at the rear.


    The double socket-outlet has, as since combined units appeared, never been assumed to take two 13 A loads in the stress test (otherwise that test would have to be 2 x 14 A loads, one in each outlet)?
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