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Domestic extension cable gauge?
Fred W B - 2/6/10 at 08:09 AM

In the kitchen department.......

What gauge cable should I use to make a 4 meter extension cord for a domestic 3400 watt appliance?

Cheers

Fred W B

Guinness - 2/6/10 at 08:15 AM



HTH!


nitram38 - 2/6/10 at 08:17 AM

Based on 230V, your current is over 14 Amps.
Even if you buy a suitable sized flex (probably 2.5mm) the max fuse size is 13A so you will be replacing the fuse alot!

Fred W B - 2/6/10 at 08:20 AM

Its a mini oven, so that rating would only be with both plates and the oven going flat out, which won't happen in practice

Here we use 20 amp circuit breakers on plug circuits

Cheers

Fred W B

[Edited on 2/6/10 by Fred W B]

tegwin - 2/6/10 at 08:22 AM

Most large domestic appliences should be hard wired into the wall on a suitable isolater... these are normally fed directly from the distribution board on 30A cables...

4mm squared would give you 32A

MikeCapon - 2/6/10 at 08:23 AM

I'm not a sparky but I am doing a lot of this sort of stuff at the moment. I'd run 2.5mm˛ direct from the fuse box on its own 20A circuit breaker.

HTH

Mike

mangogrooveworkshop - 2/6/10 at 09:53 AM

South Africa has no fuses in the plug tops and they are round pin 15A. None of the pansy power plugs that we have here.

Only one big difference here in the UK the power stays on almost 99.999999% percent of the time
out there its the ESKOM lottery.

greglogan - 2/6/10 at 09:54 AM

appliances over 2.5kw are normally hard-wired via a 20A DP switch usually back to a dedicated MCB (breaker) at the board. 2.5mm sq cable will run it but not via a plugtop as it WILL overheat and (hopefully) blow the plugtop fuse. Beaing in mind that the plugtop and socket are only designed to carry 13A also.

Fred W B - 2/6/10 at 11:10 AM

Thanks for the responses all.


quote:

out there its the ESKOM lottery.


not been at all bad lately - Got to keep the lights on for the world cup.

Cheers

Fred W B

[Edited on 2/6/10 by Fred W B]

Confused but excited. - 2/6/10 at 11:30 AM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeCapon
I'm not a sparky but I am doing a lot of this sort of stuff at the moment. I'd run 2.5mm˛ direct from the fuse box on its own 20A circuit breaker.

HTH

Mike

Perhaps you shouldn't be.

[Edited on 2/6/10 by Confused but excited.]

MikeCapon - 2/6/10 at 01:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
quote:
Originally posted by MikeCapon
I'm not a sparky but I am doing a lot of this sort of stuff at the moment. I'd run 2.5mm˛ direct from the fuse box on its own 20A circuit breaker.

HTH

Mike

Perhaps you shouldn't be.

[Edited on 2/6/10 by Confused but excited.]


Why? Have I made an error? 2.5 cable should be more than adequate and a 16A breaker may be a little short. A 32A breaker should not be used with 2.5 cable so I can't see where the mistake is?

JoelP - 2/6/10 at 08:03 PM

^^ you would be fine unless it was a long run, or subject to a derating factor. 2.5mm t&e cable surface clipped is rated at 27A over a specified distance.