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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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    That's completely different - the total output is limited by the fuse in the plug, and possibly another one in the sockets.



    It's the same from the user point of view - in terms of what the can safely plug in. (OK the failure mode is slightly different if they get it wrong...)


    The vast majority of appliances draw much less than 13A (it's rare to find a CE marked portable appliance these days that draws more than 10A - as some continental plugs/sockets are limited to 10A) and those than can draw the full 13A usually don't do so for long, so the 13A total limitation probably isn't as restrictive as it might first appear.


    The theory seems to be that a double socket is equivalent to a single socket plus an unfused 2-way adaptor.

    MK make a triple 13 A fixed socket, but they are collectively fused in the same way by a BS 1362 fuse. Their literature specifies a rating of 13 A for singles and doubles, but 13 A total for triples. It does not say 13 A total for doubles.



    MK are renowned for their dual sockets having a overall rating higher than BS 1363's minimum requirements. I don't think we can infer from their statement that the same applies to all other manufacturers.


       - Andy.
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  • 0

    That's completely different - the total output is limited by the fuse in the plug, and possibly another one in the sockets.



    It's the same from the user point of view - in terms of what the can safely plug in. (OK the failure mode is slightly different if they get it wrong...)


    The vast majority of appliances draw much less than 13A (it's rare to find a CE marked portable appliance these days that draws more than 10A - as some continental plugs/sockets are limited to 10A) and those than can draw the full 13A usually don't do so for long, so the 13A total limitation probably isn't as restrictive as it might first appear.


    The theory seems to be that a double socket is equivalent to a single socket plus an unfused 2-way adaptor.

    MK make a triple 13 A fixed socket, but they are collectively fused in the same way by a BS 1362 fuse. Their literature specifies a rating of 13 A for singles and doubles, but 13 A total for triples. It does not say 13 A total for doubles.



    MK are renowned for their dual sockets having a overall rating higher than BS 1363's minimum requirements. I don't think we can infer from their statement that the same applies to all other manufacturers.


       - Andy.
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