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BS 1363 13A Socket Continuous Max Load

sparkiemike

Let me start by saying this is NOT about the maximum load of a double socket outlet, that has been done before!

At a recent Elex “seminar” Darren Staniforth from Scolmore made a comment that BS1363 socket outlets were only tested for 8A continuous load. This was news to me because my 1995 version of BS1363-2 says for the Temperature rise test the connected load will be 14A for a minimum continuous period of 4hours or longer until stability is reached and max duration of 8hours. 

If I recall the comments at Elex correctly, he then went on to say the latest version of BS1363 made provision for socket outlets to have a continuous load of 13A to cater for equipment like EV chargers ("granny cable") and these “plug and play” 13A hot tubs that seem so popular now. Also that some manufacturers (maybe Scolmore?) were now making socket outlets to accommodate these large loads of long continuous periods.

So my question is, does anybody know what BS 1363-2:2016+A1:2018 says about continuous loads that is different from before? And if there is a change which manufacturers are making socket outlets to the latest standard?

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    ebee: 
     

    Well call me insane if you want to. But. I think the “man in the street” would probably have a reasonable expectation that a 13A socket could reasonably carry a 13A load indefinately. Otherwise we`d call it a 7.3A socket - 13A max burst for 1 hour Max per 24 hour period socket or some such description. 

    Personally I would not usually consider much over 10A for any time and less so with some of the carp that is readily available

    I agree, 13 amps should mean able to supply a nominal 13 amps continually. I would go so far as to say that a “nominal 13 amps” should mean tested at 14 amps or at 14.3 amps so as to allow for mains voltage variations and manufacturing tolerances of the connected load.

    And that this should be at the highest ambient temperature likely to be encountered regularly, say 30 degrees.

     

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  • 0

    ebee: 
     

    Well call me insane if you want to. But. I think the “man in the street” would probably have a reasonable expectation that a 13A socket could reasonably carry a 13A load indefinately. Otherwise we`d call it a 7.3A socket - 13A max burst for 1 hour Max per 24 hour period socket or some such description. 

    Personally I would not usually consider much over 10A for any time and less so with some of the carp that is readily available

    I agree, 13 amps should mean able to supply a nominal 13 amps continually. I would go so far as to say that a “nominal 13 amps” should mean tested at 14 amps or at 14.3 amps so as to allow for mains voltage variations and manufacturing tolerances of the connected load.

    And that this should be at the highest ambient temperature likely to be encountered regularly, say 30 degrees.

     

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