UK Don't boil the kettle while charging your electric car because it will blow the fuse, National Grid warns
On Tue, 22 Aug 2017 17:27:50 +0100, Caecilius
wrote: On Tue, 22 Aug 2017 07:00:54 -0400, "BurfordTJustice" wrote: "The average household is supplied with single phase electricity and is fitted with a main fuse of 60-80 amps," the National Grid said. "If one were to use an above average power charger, say 11kW, this would require 48 amps. When using such a charger it would mean that you could not use other high demand electrical items... ?without tripping the house's main fuse." IME, main fuses are pretty tolerant of short-duration, low-level overloads. If you have an 80A main fuse running at 100% load, I would doubt that the additional 12A for a kettle for the 3 mins or so that it takes to boil will blow it. There's probably a formal specification somewhere, but in practice I've found that fuses will run up to around 150% for quite a long time. They don't really start "blowing" (as in failing immediately) until you get around 200%. And isn't it possible to ask for 100A if you need it? I've always been able to specify 100A on all the properties I've had connected; but perhaps that's because none of them have been out in the boonies. That is just strange to Americans. The minimum allowable service in the US is 100a at 240v (specified in the electrical code) and it has been that way for at least 50-60 years. Most common is 200a and 400a is not unusual in a bigger house. A true "mansion" like Al Gore has would have 1200a or more. |
UK Don't boil the kettle while charging your electric car becauseit will blow the fuse, National Grid warns
On Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 12:59:38 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tue, 22 Aug 2017 17:27:50 +0100, Caecilius wrote: On Tue, 22 Aug 2017 07:00:54 -0400, "BurfordTJustice" wrote: "The average household is supplied with single phase electricity and is fitted with a main fuse of 60-80 amps," the National Grid said. "If one were to use an above average power charger, say 11kW, this would require 48 amps. When using such a charger it would mean that you could not use other high demand electrical items... ?without tripping the house's main fuse." IME, main fuses are pretty tolerant of short-duration, low-level overloads. If you have an 80A main fuse running at 100% load, I would doubt that the additional 12A for a kettle for the 3 mins or so that it takes to boil will blow it. There's probably a formal specification somewhere, but in practice I've found that fuses will run up to around 150% for quite a long time. They don't really start "blowing" (as in failing immediately) until you get around 200%. And isn't it possible to ask for 100A if you need it? I've always been able to specify 100A on all the properties I've had connected; but perhaps that's because none of them have been out in the boonies. That is just strange to Americans. The minimum allowable service in the US is 100a at 240v (specified in the electrical code) and it has been that way for at least 50-60 years. Most common is 200a and 400a is not unusual in a bigger house. A true "mansion" like Al Gore has would have 1200a or more. +1 200A here And boy, if the UK is going with electric cars and they have 60 to 80 amp services, either it's going to take a very long time to charge those cars or they will need a service upgrade. I think chargers for electric cars can need and use a 50A circuit. And this is basic energy physics that new battery technology, chargers, etc isn't going to fix. |
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