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mains cable power rating


misterbassman

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Posted

A google chucks up 6A as a figure on alot of sites, but please make sure someone else confirms this, as I'm not a 100% sure. Try playing around with search strings in Google and see what it chucks up.

 

Stu

Posted
Just wanted to double check what the accepted power rating is on 1.0 mm squared mains cable.

flex or T&E install cable? PVC or Rubber? How many cores? etc etc

 

3-core PVC Flex, 3182Y, 10 Amps

T&E, 6242Y, 13/17 Amps

Posted

RS states that 3183Y 1.0mm2 can take 10A.

 

They also sell moulded IEC leads with 13A plug fused at 13A and 10A IEC sockets connected together with 1.0mm2 cable. Can anyone tell me where the 3A goes and how to get a PAT certificate on RS 426-373 for instance?

Posted

Current carrying capacity varies according to conductor size, insulation material. and location ventilation.

 

1mm 3 core pvc flex is good for 10 amps in free air, tape it into a multicable assembly and the heat builds up so the rating goes down.

Posted
They also sell moulded IEC leads with 13A plug fused at 13A and 10A IEC sockets connected together with 1.0mm2 cable.  Can anyone tell me where the 3A goes and how to get a PAT certificate on RS 426-373 for instance?

You will only ever draw 10A through the cable because the connected equipment, fitted as it is with a 10A inlet, will not draw more than 10A.

 

So it's not a problem giving it a PAT certificate.

Posted
You will only ever draw 10A through the cable because the connected equipment, fitted as it is with a 10A inlet, will not draw more than 10A.

 

So it's not a problem giving it a PAT certificate.

If I can just play devil's advocate for a moment, Brian ... :** laughs out loud **:

 

What about if you use the IEC cable made from 10A rated components and a 13A-fused plugtop to power a 1-in/4-out IEC distribution block? The potential is then there to draw more than 10A down the cable.

Posted
You will only ever draw 10A through the cable because the connected equipment, fitted as it is with a 10A inlet, will not draw more than 10A.

 

So it's not a problem giving it a PAT certificate.

If I can just play devil's advocate for a moment, Brian ... :blink:

 

What about if you use the IEC cable made from 10A rated components and a 13A-fused plugtop to power a 1-in/4-out IEC distribution block? The potential is then there to draw more than 10A down the cable.

Ah, you mean the IEC distribution boards with the 20mm 10A fuse on the input? :** laughs out loud **:

Posted
Ah, you mean the IEC distribution boards with the 20mm 10A fuse on the input?  :** laughs out loud **:

Well, the better ones are fused, yes - but what about something like this?

Posted

Ah, found what I was looking for...

 

IEC320 (which is the standard for what we call IEC connectors) allow the use of 0.75 sq mm cable for DETACHABLE power cords fitted with 10A connectors as long as it is no more than 2m long. It also allows 1.0 sq mm cable fitted with 16A IEC 320 connectors, again no more than 2m long.

 

It's also worth noting that IEC65 (EN60065) allows cables to rise 60 deg C above ambient in normal operation!!!

 

EDIT...

 

Mind you, the whole situation is a mess because at least two other standards disagree.

 

In an ideal world we would put 10A fuses in our cord sets (actually Bulgin ones can be ordered with 10A fuses).

Posted
Well, the better ones are fused, yes - but what about something like this?

True, I'd forgotten those things. But in the end you'll still only get 13A down the cable which will not cause a problem (see my comment in the post above about temperature rises).

Posted
In an ideal world we would put 10A fuses in our cord sets

 

Like this one?

 

http://www.dragonfly.plus.com/fuses.jpg

 

Yup - that's a BS1362 10A fuse, alongside a 2A one, and a 13A one for comparison.

 

I have no idea where I got these - I found them in my toolbox during a clearout at the weekend (along with a blown 60W half silvered spot bulb I'd been carring around for the last 6 years...)

 

Its amazing what crud accumulates in the bottom of a toolbox.

 

Marc

Posted
Like this one?

 

Yup - that's a BS1362 10A fuse, alongside a 2A one, and a 13A one for comparison.

The pic didn't work but 10A fuses are easy to get, your high street might not stock them but RS and Farnell do.

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