I am installing an electric shower and am wondering about the total
house electrical load. If we turn on all possible appliances at once it
will come to about 26kW.

The main fuse is only 80Amp so I guess I need the electricity board to
put in a bigger one (125 Amp?). What I'm wondering is whether this will
be possible with the existing electrical supply cable, which doesn't
look very big - it is only about 15mm diameter where it comes out of the
ground and into the house. If it needs upgrading, how much does it
tend to cost?

Thanks
Roger

On 8 Apr, 12:04, Roger Moss "rwm2 [at] rwmoss.gotadsl.co.uk" wrote:
I am installing an electric shower and am wondering about the total
house electrical load. If we turn on all possible appliances at once it
will come to about 26kW.

The main fuse is only 80Amp so I guess I need the electricity board to
put in a bigger one (125 Amp?). What I'm wondering is whether this will
be possible with the existing electrical supply cable, which doesn't
look very big - it is only about 15mm diameter where it comes out of the
ground and into the house. If it needs upgrading, how much does it
tend to cost?

Thanks
Roger

I've never come across a 125amp main fuse. The biggest I have seen is
100amp. My fuse is 60amp, and I paid Central Networks about 1.5k to
upgrade my supply a couple of years ago - still no sign of them...

Have you considered 3-phase?

T

On 8 Apr 2007 04:13:24 -0700, mused:

On 8 Apr, 12:04, Roger Moss "rwm2 [at] rwmoss.gotadsl.co.uk" wrote:
I am installing an electric shower and am wondering about the total
house electrical load. If we turn on all possible appliances at once it
will come to about 26kW.

The main fuse is only 80Amp so I guess I need the electricity board to
put in a bigger one (125 Amp?). What I'm wondering is whether this will
be possible with the existing electrical supply cable, which doesn't
look very big - it is only about 15mm diameter where it comes out of the
ground and into the house. If it needs upgrading, how much does it
tend to cost?

Thanks
Roger

I've never come across a 125amp main fuse. The biggest I have seen is
100amp. My fuse is 60amp, and I paid Central Networks about 1.5k to
upgrade my supply a couple of years ago - still no sign of them...

Just because you've only seen 100A doesn't ean that it is the biggest.

Have you considered 3-phase?

Totally unneccesary, if you don't actually know anything about
electrics then don't reply, or qualify your answer with a line that
says you know nothing.

The OP seems to be forgetting about diversity. Basically, how likely
is it that you will actually have absolutely everything switched on
full blast at once? If I measured al the appliances in this house I'd
get to about 300A or so IIRC.

Unless your shower is a 20kW model then I doubt you'll see any
problems.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

On 8 Apr, 12:17, Lurch spewed:

I've never come across a 125amp main fuse. The biggest I have seen is
100amp. My fuse is 60amp, and I paid Central Networks about 1.5k to
upgrade my supply a couple of years ago - still no sign of them...

Just because you've only seen 100A doesn't ean that it is the biggest.


I can't argue with that. Perhaps you could let us all know which local
distribution company installs fuses 100A?

Have you considered 3-phase?

Totally unneccesary, if you don't actually know anything about
electrics then don't reply, or qualify your answer with a line that
says you know nothing.


I beg your pardon!! I will reply to whomever I choose, you cheeky
little sod!

So far we have learned that just because I haven't seen a main fuse
100A doesn't mean they don't exist - thanks for that, and that 3-
phase is totally unnecessary. I'll admit the 3-phase quip at the end
was meant more as an opportunity for ammusement tinged with a hint of
innevitability. As domestic demand increases, it's an economically
viable possibility. It would also mean that 60amp per phase would be
enough.

It depends where you are. If you really need a lot of power, and you
have to pay for a "reconnection" as I have, then getting 3-phase
supply would certainly future-poof your investment. You don't have to
use all the phases!

The OP seems to be forgetting about diversity. Basically, how likely
is it that you will actually have absolutely everything switched on
full blast at once? If I measured al the appliances in this house I'd
get to about 300A or so IIRC.


Sorry I missed the bit where the OP said absolutely everything would
be switched on. When the OP referred to appliances I assumed that is
what was meant. You claim to have 70kW of appliances!!! No wonder the
earth is warming! As you are the expert and I know nothing, perhaps
you could suggest what diversity the OP should apply? I'd be
interested in your expert opinion.


On the other hand, the chances are that unless the OP has a very old
supply, a phonecall to the local distributer could quickly get his
meter tails upgraded to 25mm if necessary and a 100Amp main fuse
fitted. Then he could switch almost all of his appliances on, and
maybe even turn on some lights.

Tom

wrote:

On the other hand, the chances are that unless the OP has a very old
supply, a phonecall to the local distributer

The enquiry has to be made via the supplier and not the distribution
network operator (DNO). A communication nightmare usually begins at
that point.

could quickly get his meter tails upgraded to 25mm if necessary

Meter tails are the consumer's property and responsibility. Neither the
DNO nor the meter operating company will touch them.

and a 100Amp main fuse fitted.

Only if the service cable and supply network are adequate. Otherwise
the cost of upgrading may be substantial.

--
Andy

On the other hand, the chances are that unless the OP has a very old
supply, a phonecall to the local distributer
The enquiry has to be made via the supplier and not the distribution
network operator (DNO). A communication nightmare usually begins at
that point.

Not all the time - we take cutout change requests direct as a DNO.

could quickly get his meter tails upgraded to 25mm if necessary
Meter tails are the consumer's property and responsibility. Neither the
DNO nor the meter operating company will touch them.

We normally bat these in the direction of the meter operator c/o their
supplier, the customer being told to ask for an isolator to be fitted.

They don't often come back unless they've forgotten their lines ;-)

In article .com,
writes:
I've never come across a 125amp main fuse. The biggest I have seen is
100amp. My fuse is 60amp, and I paid Central Networks about 1.5k to
upgrade my supply a couple of years ago - still no sign of them...

The rule (at least used to be) 100A max for a single phase supply.
After that, you had to go to 3-phase supply. If 3 x 100A was not
enough, then obviously a 3-phase supply could be more than 100A
per phase.

This rule seems to be very similar across much of EU, except the
single phase supply limit varies. In some countries it's as low as
20A, so most people have 3-phase.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew Gabriel said the following on 08/04/2007 21:51:
In article .com,
writes:
I've never come across a 125amp main fuse. The biggest I have seen is
100amp. My fuse is 60amp, and I paid Central Networks about 1.5k to
upgrade my supply a couple of years ago - still no sign of them...

The rule (at least used to be) 100A max for a single phase supply.
After that, you had to go to 3-phase supply. If 3 x 100A was not
enough, then obviously a 3-phase supply could be more than 100A
per phase.

This rule seems to be very similar across much of EU, except the
single phase supply limit varies. In some countries it's as low as
20A, so most people have 3-phase.


Just a thought, but seeing as both of the UK manufacturers of house
service cut-outs and suppliers of BS1361 fuses only provide product up
to 100A rating, it would seem that you would not normally get a single
phase domestic supply in excess of 100A.

http://www.wt-henley.com/Products/Lo...r.html#Service

http://www.lucyswitchgear.com/site/c...sp?article=489

http://www.bussmann.co.uk/New%20LV/House%20service.pdf

http://www.biagmbh.com/katalog/pdfs/96/9692.pdf

Roger Moss wrote:
I am installing an electric shower and am wondering about the total
house electrical load. If we turn on all possible appliances at once it
will come to about 26kW.

The main fuse is only 80Amp so I guess I need the electricity board to
put in a bigger one (125 Amp?). What I'm wondering is whether this will
be possible with the existing electrical supply cable, which doesn't
look very big - it is only about 15mm diameter where it comes out of the
ground and into the house. If it needs upgrading, how much does it
tend to cost?

Thanks
Roger

The usual answer is that you never do have all appliances on at once.

The normal procedure is to stay with what you have, and if it blows get
the leccy board to uprate to the maximum the incoming cables will allow.

In general that will be 100A in my (limited) experience. YMMV

In message , Roger Moss
"rwm2 [at] writes
I am installing an electric shower and am wondering about the total
house electrical load. If we turn on all possible appliances at once
it will come to about 26kW.

The main fuse is only 80Amp so I guess I need the electricity board to
put in a bigger one (125 Amp?). What I'm wondering is whether this
will be possible with the existing electrical supply cable, which
doesn't look very big - it is only about 15mm diameter where it comes
out of the ground and into the house. If it needs upgrading, how
much does it tend to cost?


Two words. "Diversity factor" where although the total load could seem
to exceed the rating of the supply, the chance of them all being on
simultaneously for a prolonged length of time is so low that there is no
problem.

If you do find that the electricity boards mains fuse fails repeatedly
then I'm sure they will take the appropriate action to upgrade your
supply.

--
Clive Mitchell
http://www.bigclive.com

If you do find that the electricity boards mains fuse fails repeatedly
then I'm sure they will take the appropriate action to upgrade your
supply.

cough

Either tell you to reduce your load, or if the incoming cable isn't
large enough to support what you're asking for, to pay for a larger
incomer.