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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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    The correct current rating of the over current device for a 13 amp single socket is 16, 20 or 32 amps, if you fit a 10 amp OCD plugging in a 10 amp EV charger would run it at full capacity for an extended period, which is not good design and if a garden shredder or the like is plugged in that draws a full 13 amps it will be overload.

    Over twenty years ago before I qualified as an electrician I installed a outdoor double socket at home with an indoor 13 RCD FCU supplying it, I plugged a garden shredder in with a 3kW induction motor and ran it for some time, then the RCD FCU packed up.

    The RCD FCU and the SRCD devices are rated at 13 amps for resistive loads and 3 amps for inductive loads, so I had to replace the RCD FCU and plugged the shredder in elsewhere, then when I replaced the consumer unit I replaced it with a 20 amp double pole switch, so it’s now protected by a B32 MCB In the consumer uni.

    For an outdoor EV 13 amp socket such as the Masterplug unit I would choose a double pole C16 30 mA Type A RCBO or a DP B20 30 mA Type A RCBO to replace that BG such as a Wylex compact RCBO to accommodate garden equipment, pressure washers, etc that may have a higher starting current.

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  • 0

    The correct current rating of the over current device for a 13 amp single socket is 16, 20 or 32 amps, if you fit a 10 amp OCD plugging in a 10 amp EV charger would run it at full capacity for an extended period, which is not good design and if a garden shredder or the like is plugged in that draws a full 13 amps it will be overload.

    Over twenty years ago before I qualified as an electrician I installed a outdoor double socket at home with an indoor 13 RCD FCU supplying it, I plugged a garden shredder in with a 3kW induction motor and ran it for some time, then the RCD FCU packed up.

    The RCD FCU and the SRCD devices are rated at 13 amps for resistive loads and 3 amps for inductive loads, so I had to replace the RCD FCU and plugged the shredder in elsewhere, then when I replaced the consumer unit I replaced it with a 20 amp double pole switch, so it’s now protected by a B32 MCB In the consumer uni.

    For an outdoor EV 13 amp socket such as the Masterplug unit I would choose a double pole C16 30 mA Type A RCBO or a DP B20 30 mA Type A RCBO to replace that BG such as a Wylex compact RCBO to accommodate garden equipment, pressure washers, etc that may have a higher starting current.

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