In message ws.net,
":::Jerry::::" wrote:



With our 240V 30/32A rings, 30/32A, 20A and 16A radials we are
allowed,
effectively, an unlimited number of sockets. My house has (ignoring
the
kitchen) 24 double sockets. Because it is relatively small, these
could have been (though they aren't) supplied by a single ring or
even a
single 30/32A radial. If the circuit fuse pops, that's a lot of
appliances to check.

Exactly, if one appliance caused the circuit protection to trip you
take the whole lot down, with a radial circuit you only take one or
two down - there is nothing to stop local appliance protection being
used at the plug - belt and braces without the huge step from 3 A to
30 A if some idiot does something stupid - nor the chance of every
appliance from the 'teas-maid' to the freezer (or computer...) being
taken down by a faulty table lamp.


This is some interesting definition of "radial" I've not heard before.
Even US-style radials are likely to have (as I understand it) several
outlets per circuit. Popping the circuit protection *is* going to take
out a lot of appliances. Popping a plug fuse in our system is going to
take out *one* appliance, or possibly a few if the fuse which pops is in
a multiple-outlet adapter.

The alternative is to have radials which feed just one or two sockets
each. That is one heck of a big distribution board in most modern
houses, and a darned expensive one to boot. *And* it will *still* take
out several appliances in one go.

I think we're all getting a bit tangled up now though. I replied to you
thinking you were defending US-style 15A or 20A radial circuits, but I
discover that you're (probably) not. If you were, I'd also take you to
task for saying "there's nothing to stop local appliance protection
being used at the plug" because I don't know, apart from GFCI outlets,
how this would be done in the US. And even GFCI outlets are (usually)
wired to protect all outlets downstream...

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Two free issues: http://www.livtech.co.uk/ Living With Technology
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