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Author Topic: Is there an electrician in the house?  (Read 3388 times)

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TheBoy

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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #15 on: 02 March 2007, 16:08:22 »

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Am I missing something?

Isn't the plug on the compressor a standard 3 pin plug with a 13 amp fuse in it?

 :-?



Yes but......fuses age....every time a current pulse passes through them they expand and contract causing them to get slightly weeker....eventualy they fail, often at less than thier rated current

The one on my welder dies every 12 montsh or so (it runs very close to the 13A limit on full chat)

I am amazed that a house of that age doesn't have MCB's as it s not much older than mine....
It is around the cutover period - around 1990....
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TheBoy

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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #16 on: 02 March 2007, 16:09:40 »

AA - if you're still stuck, let me know - I come from a family of Sparkies, and one of my brothers still is, so he can advise if necessary...
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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #17 on: 02 March 2007, 17:07:11 »

Right...here's the latest saga....tried it at my mates who has circuit breakers...not a peep.

Rang the help line...told them what happened..they said the motors duff, take it back to Aldi.

Just taken it back and swopped it for another one.

Grilled the manager who assured me they have not had any more returned....

Will keep you informed.

Can't set it up before Monday as I've got a busy weekend.

Is everyone elses OK?

Thanks for the help and interest lads :y

...and yes, it's got a 3 pin plug with a 13 amp fuse.
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theolodian

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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #18 on: 02 March 2007, 17:10:10 »

Quote
Right...here's the latest saga....tried it at my mates who has circuit breakers...not a peep.

Rang the help line...told them what happened..they said the motors duff, take it back to Aldi.

Just taken it back and swopped it for another one.

Grilled the manager who assured me they have not had any more returned....

Will keep you informed.

Can't set it up before Monday as I've got a busy weekend.

Is everyone elses OK?

Thanks for the help and interest lads :y

...and yes, it's got a 3 pin plug with a 13 amp fuse.
Did you check that fuse?  Might be why no peep.  :P
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Kevin Wood

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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #19 on: 02 March 2007, 17:20:40 »

As others have said, I'd suspect an old fuse that was a bit weak anyway. Fuses will normally tolerate a massive overload for a short period of time as the fuse wire has to get hot enough to burn out before the current is interrupted. A big motor will take a large amount of current (way more than the 13 amp plug rating) for a very short period of time during startup.

It's usually circuit breakers that trip on high inrush currents as they are quicker acting in general.

Freezers and the like will only take a few hundred watts whilst running so the loading from these is not significant, but again they take large surges when first starting. On the whole you'd be unlucky if the freezer chose to start at exactly the same time as the compressor so I don't see sharing the circuit with a few freezers as being a problem.

It's got to be worth re-wiring the fuse and trying again. Try not to clamp the fuse wire too tightly in the holder as this could weaken it around the screws.

I wouldn't upgrade the fuse rating. It will be a 15 amp for a reason, probably to protect the cable between house and garage so unless you can confirm this is rated for more, leave the fuse as is.

You can get slow acting circuit breakers which are designed to withstand high inrush currents and you should be able to get one that plugs into your consumer unit in place of the fuse. I'd expect a fuse in good condition to cope, however.

If you still have problems, try running the compressor through a long extension lead (unwind it from the reel if it gets hot in use). This will give a little resistance and may reduce the inrush current sufficiently.

Kevin
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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #20 on: 02 March 2007, 17:34:24 »

Quote
Quote
Right...here's the latest saga....tried it at my mates who has circuit breakers...not a peep.

Rang the help line...told them what happened..they said the motors duff, take it back to Aldi.

Just taken it back and swopped it for another one.

Grilled the manager who assured me they have not had any more returned....

Will keep you informed.

Can't set it up before Monday as I've got a busy weekend.

Is everyone elses OK?

Thanks for the help and interest lads :y

...and yes, it's got a 3 pin plug with a 13 amp fuse.
Did you check that fuse?  Might be why no peep.  :P

Yes, first thing I checked.
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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #21 on: 02 March 2007, 17:36:31 »

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As others have said, I'd suspect an old fuse that was a bit weak anyway. Fuses will normally tolerate a massive overload for a short period of time as the fuse wire has to get hot enough to burn out before the current is interrupted. A big motor will take a large amount of current (way more than the 13 amp plug rating) for a very short period of time during startup.

It's usually circuit breakers that trip on high inrush currents as they are quicker acting in general.

Freezers and the like will only take a few hundred watts whilst running so the loading from these is not significant, but again they take large surges when first starting. On the whole you'd be unlucky if the freezer chose to start at exactly the same time as the compressor so I don't see sharing the circuit with a few freezers as being a problem.

It's got to be worth re-wiring the fuse and trying again. Try not to clamp the fuse wire too tightly in the holder as this could weaken it around the screws.

I wouldn't upgrade the fuse rating. It will be a 15 amp for a reason, probably to protect the cable between house and garage so unless you can confirm this is rated for more, leave the fuse as is.

You can get slow acting circuit breakers which are designed to withstand high inrush currents and you should be able to get one that plugs into your consumer unit in place of the fuse. I'd expect a fuse in good condition to cope, however.

If you still have problems, try running the compressor through a long extension lead (unwind it from the reel if it gets hot in use). This will give a little resistance and may reduce the inrush current sufficiently.

Kevin

It's a 15amp cartridge fuse.

Will try the replacement compressor on Monday, as the previous one was obviously duff.

See post above.
« Last Edit: 02 March 2007, 17:36:57 by Auto_Addict »
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Taxi_Driver

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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #22 on: 02 March 2007, 18:53:38 »

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House is 18 years old fitted with fuses >:(

Main fuse board (in house)

Lighting - downstairs - 5amp
Lighting - upstairs - 5amp
Imersian heater - 15amp
Garage - 15amp
Sockets (house) - 30amp
Cooker - 30amp

Cable to garage - 600/1000v.

Im am surprised a tad....at your fuses AA

Lighting is ok  :y
Immersion heaters are usually fused at 20amps
Why only one ring main for the sockets? Its usually kitchen and bedrooms on one 30amp circuit, rest of sockets on another 30amp circuit.
Cooker is usually 45amps(unless you have a gas hob) Electric cookers with double ovens etc, need more than 30amps usually
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sir moanalot

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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #23 on: 02 March 2007, 20:01:32 »

if the compressor is duff it may be a short to earth or low insulation between live & neutral which would likely blow the fuse. the fuse in the holder (15a) will weaken in time probably rating itself nearer 9-12 amp. thats why it would blow that b4 the plug fuse.
uprating fuses usually means the faulty component is allowed to surge to a higher ampage along the cable before it burns the fuse out -eventually.  fuses are there to protect the cabling not the components so upping fuse rating may damaging wiring- expensive to replace !!!!
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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #24 on: 02 March 2007, 21:27:16 »

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House is 18 years old fitted with fuses >:(

Main fuse board (in house)

Lighting - downstairs - 5amp
Lighting - upstairs - 5amp
Imersian heater - 15amp
Garage - 15amp
Sockets (house) - 30amp
Cooker - 30amp

Cable to garage - 600/1000v.

Im am surprised a tad....at your fuses AA

Lighting is ok  :y
Immersion heaters are usually fused at 20amps
Why only one ring main for the sockets? Its usually kitchen and bedrooms on one 30amp circuit, rest of sockets on another 30amp circuit.
Cooker is usually 45amps(unless you have a gas hob) Electric cookers with double ovens etc, need more than 30amps usually

Agree that there should be at least 2 ring mains for the sockets of 30 amps each.  However, this is obviously an older installation and Immersions were always 15 amps along with cookers at 30 amps.  A separate ring for kitchens came out relatively recently.......  I too, am surprised that you have fuses and not MCBs............................
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Re: Is there an electrician in the house?
« Reply #25 on: 03 March 2007, 08:02:52 »

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Quote
House is 18 years old fitted with fuses >:(

Main fuse board (in house)

Lighting - downstairs - 5amp
Lighting - upstairs - 5amp
Imersian heater - 15amp
Garage - 15amp
Sockets (house) - 30amp
Cooker - 30amp

Cable to garage - 600/1000v.

Im am surprised a tad....at your fuses AA

Lighting is ok  :y
Immersion heaters are usually fused at 20amps
Why only one ring main for the sockets? Its usually kitchen and bedrooms on one 30amp circuit, rest of sockets on another 30amp circuit.
Cooker is usually 45amps(unless you have a gas hob) Electric cookers with double ovens etc, need more than 30amps usually

Agree that there should be at least 2 ring mains for the sockets of 30 amps each.  However, this is obviously an older installation and Immersions were always 15 amps along with cookers at 30 amps.  A separate ring for kitchens came out relatively recently.......  I too, am surprised that you have fuses and not MCBs............................

Well, I'm stuck with it at the moment, can't afford a rewire.
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