James

Ok, i have a normal 13amp double socket on my wall, one side i have my computern plugged in & the other i have a four way lead. From this i have my moniter, printer, scanner, then another four-way lead with my modem, bass box, table light & cordless phone.

Now i've thought this to be ok as it's not like any of that lot draws a massive amount of power and it's not like i have everything running at once.

Thing is i've bought a new moniter which has a tv function, which i'd like to make use of, only it requires an additional plug! - which will mean either sticking in another 4 way jobbie or a two-way plug somewhere. + a playstation probably.

Problem is the nearest wall socket is like 20ft away. is it relatively safe as it's not like anything is drawing mega amps?

slim20012

try it and when u dont sign in 4 a couple of days we will all know why

Rick

you can only draw 13amps from single plug. Any more, and the plug fuse will blow. If the fuse doesn't go, then you are fine. As you say, printer scanner etc take tenths of an amp.

escossie560

As long as the first 4 way lead has a 13amp fuse in (not a screw driver bit or silver foil) you can run as many lead off as you like , within reason.if the fuse start blowing you know you have reached your limits . If you shop around you can get 8and 10 way extensions with surge protection .Hope this helps

S3an

dont listen to this dodgy man just look at this

dojj

iTrader: (3)

the 4 way you are running is basicly a spur from the original socket
you are then running another spur from this
which you can't do as it's illegal or soemthing
now, if youthen find that the socket in the wall is also spured of another plug socket on the ring then you are doubly illegal in your doings

but the rest is up to you
why don't you run both 4 ways off of both sockets in the wall? therefore reducing the overall load on the plugs

Series1Dry

Plug a 4 way into each side of the double socket. Make sure that each has a 13Amp fuse and not tin foil or something like that and you will be fine. If you run more than 13Amp on each extension lead then it will just blow the fuse. It does'nt matter if the wall socket is a spur off the ring cos it will be wired in 2.5mm and this can take 16Amp.
If any extension leads are the coiled up type, make sure you unwind them fully before you use them as they can over heat.

escossie560

the 4 way you are running is basicly a spur from the original socket
you are then running another spur from this
which you can't do as it's illegal or soemthing
now, if youthen find that the socket in the wall is also spured of another plug socket on the ring then you are doubly illegal in your doings

but the rest is up to you
why don't you run both 4 ways off of both sockets in the wall? therefore reducing the overall load on the plugs [/quote]


sorry but it is not a spur from the ring as there is a 13 amp fuse in line,which make it a separate sub circuit, such as within the electrical regs you can only have one spured socket for every socket on a ring main,but if you put a fused spur in line you can have many more.[/quote]

escossie560

2.5mm cable takes in the region of 27amps

Series1Dry

If it will take 27amp then it will take 16amp surely

What i meant was there is no worry about the socket being used being a spur as it will easily take 16 amp, hence the ring main being fused at 32amp with 2 2.5mm. Yeah 2.5mm will take more but i meant it's not even a factor in what he wants to know

BM08

ive got a double socket in my room, one side has 2 way adapter plugged into it, into that adapter ive got sky digital and in the other hole on the adapter ive got a 4 way adapter with my tv,video, ps2 plugged in and one spare socket, then in the other side on the main wall socket ive got a 6 way belkin surge protector with my pc,flat screen, mouse/keyboard wireless receiver, logitech speakers/sub, wireless headphone receiver, and one free.

sound abit excessive? but its been like this for years and ive only ever got 5-6 things powered up at any one time.

BM08

BM08

Heres my little lot
Main sockets....

Then the plug you see on the left is this bad boy

escossie560

sorry see what your saying, its not my fault the fosters clouding my judgement well aleast we were agreeing

escossie560

make sure the square adaptor is a fused type ,if its not make sure your smoke alarm works

BM08

yeah im pretty sure the square one in the wall is fused, ill check after ive shut the pc down in abit

What was the chap on about above saying too many were illegal or something

escossie560

nothing illegal as long as everything has correct fuse rating,and all lead s in good condition.it may not be the best practice.but it will be safe

PhilM

Main reason for troubles I have heard is that the pins on the plugs get dirty/sh*tty with people touching them etc, they increase their resistance as a result and this causes heat...give them all a good clean with some contact cleaner just incase

James

thats all alright then, cheers lads.

they've all got the standard 13amp fuses in fom when i bought them, only a few years old.

I did have one four way jobbie in each plug but my four way's have the additional on/off switch on the top and i knocked it with my foot which in turn wiped my hard drive which is why the computer is straight into the wall to reduce such accidents!

Nick.

you are the single reason why the Uk are the highest power consumers in europe

Katie

He's probably just bought a load of double ended plugs for effect..if you follow the wire for few metres you just find another plug

dojj

iTrader: (3)

it's only illegal if you wire it up from the wall and into the ring main (well it was when i was doing it 15 years ago but things might have changed since then)