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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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    A shucko socket is and as far as I know always has been  nominally 16A (not quite 4kW)  and until the advent of modern MCBs, used to be protected by a 16A fuse, commonly the Neozed style (" bottle fuse" ). With various regs changes the number of sockets and lights per fuse has varied a bit, but in any case to allocate the full 16A to one load would be unusual, as it leaves nothing for the rest of the circuit.

    The pins are normally nickel plated so do not go brown/ black and grotty over time like plain brass would.

    (As an aside, the slightly thinner pinned Russian plug that looks a bit like it that used to turn up with East German kit  does however have bare brass pins, and they can certainly corrode, and then go sizzle and pop when they age a bit, but being undersized does not help either.)

    Oddly the same pin dimensions as the schucko occur in Swiss plugs (with an earth pin however) but supplied by 13A breakers and called 10 amp points.

    Not to be confused with he 2 prong euro-plug with its thin inwardly sprung pins that fits everything badly is nominally rated at 2.5A, and even fits a 13A socket if you open the shutters for it - but please only do that if it is your own fused extension socket used for nothing else afterwards!

    Mike.

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  • 0

    A shucko socket is and as far as I know always has been  nominally 16A (not quite 4kW)  and until the advent of modern MCBs, used to be protected by a 16A fuse, commonly the Neozed style (" bottle fuse" ). With various regs changes the number of sockets and lights per fuse has varied a bit, but in any case to allocate the full 16A to one load would be unusual, as it leaves nothing for the rest of the circuit.

    The pins are normally nickel plated so do not go brown/ black and grotty over time like plain brass would.

    (As an aside, the slightly thinner pinned Russian plug that looks a bit like it that used to turn up with East German kit  does however have bare brass pins, and they can certainly corrode, and then go sizzle and pop when they age a bit, but being undersized does not help either.)

    Oddly the same pin dimensions as the schucko occur in Swiss plugs (with an earth pin however) but supplied by 13A breakers and called 10 amp points.

    Not to be confused with he 2 prong euro-plug with its thin inwardly sprung pins that fits everything badly is nominally rated at 2.5A, and even fits a 13A socket if you open the shutters for it - but please only do that if it is your own fused extension socket used for nothing else afterwards!

    Mike.

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