Can 2 x 16amp = 32amp Supply?

[Danzinsky]

Hi,

I'm visiting an outdoor event at a camp site which has a 16amp supply. My catering unit draws about 30amps - max. 32amps. Is it possible to get a cable that plugs in to 2 x 16amp supplies that will give me 32 amps? The 16 amp connectors are right next to each other.

Any ideas greatly appreciated!

Greg

 

[telectrix]

absolutely not. unless you split your circuits in the unit into 2 separate circuits, and use 2 separate feeds.

 

[Rockingit]

In a word- yes, and no.

Yes, in the sense that there is nothing wrong with parallel supplies so long as they start and end in the same place and are ultimately on the same supply circuit, upstream protection etc.

No, by virtue of the fact that there is no safe way to make it happen for you in this application. Years ago in the events industry we used to make cable adaptors up with 2 x plugs going into 1 x bigger socket.....we called them 'widow makers' for a good reason - if you unplug one side then the male pins are all live because of the 'back feed' from the other plug.

You might also find that just because the camp site is using 16A ceeform outlets, they might not be supplied at that value.

DON'T DO IT!

Don't be a cheapskate, just take a genny.

 

[wade88]

32 amp splitters were condemned last year by health and safety over all sites requiring temporary power supplied by micro generation. I work for a power company over the summer and we work all major gigs and festivals providing stage power, lighting and site concession power and lighting etc. We frequently used 32 - 2 x 16amp splitters, it was a standard piece of site kit for us and we would sit on coffee breaks and make them up ourselves if we ran short.

Problem obviously being if your draw on each 16 amp leg is not absolutely equal then you run a serious and very clear risk of burning a cable out and causing a fire - in a catering unit with numerous cans of butane lying around for your cookers, i would not recommend this. If one of your 16amp legs is only pulling 3 amps, then in theory the other leg can potentially draw 29 amps through a cable that would only be rated at half that.

Event Site power always carried the motto "if it works it work" to a degree and many regs were over looked to just make a gig happen. But H&S have got their act together in certain areas, namely that of the power sector.

If you require 32 amps but have only been provided with a 16A feed then i suggest you find the site manager or who ever is involved in site production, get them to get in touch with the power boys and request an upgrade of cable - it wont be a big issue, as you will pay your bill on the basis of KW's used over the course of the event so i suggest you request a second 16A feed and run two different circuits as Tele says

 

[wade88]

Rockingit beat me to it - ah another one familiar with the widow maker. Who did you work for mate? Also i completely over looked the more obvious danger with splitters and thats the swinging live as you said!! Although surely the OP would in fact not be wanting a window maker anyway but a 32 splitter to a double 16amp socket end - not 16A plugs

 

[Rockingit]

We frequently used 32 - 2 x 16amp splitters

Think this fella is wanting to run the other way mate - 2 x 16 > 1 x 32

 

[wade88]

Cant bring your own genny's on site unless you are fire crew or have prior permission - you have to go through the power provided that won the contract for that job like every other concession.

 

[telectrix]

assuming that your elctric cooking appliances are on 1362 plugs, you could run half of them from 1 16A supply, and plug the others via an extension lead (with the 1362 plug replaced with a commando plug) from the 2nd 16A supply

 

[wade88]

no he cant? Its just possible surely?! Site power providers will come off their boards as your aware that are placed around site according to power requirements in that zone. These distro boards are a bank of ceeform sockets that are then run off where necessary, but the cable feeds to each concession at the point of provision are always sockets of course. So the OP cant be needing plugs his end as that would suggest his gear has socket tails which would be very odd

 

[Rockingit]

I get the impression Wade that this is more Boy Scouts on a caravan park rather than an experienced trader on a site as you and I would know it. Otherwise, they'd know all this already.

 

[Danzinsky]

So many replies already - thanks!

Just to clarify, the supply has a unit with 2 sockets either side of it, rated at 16amps, with breakers near by on a post.

So my thought was that I could get a socket which I plug my 32 amp cable in to, and the output is then split in to 2 x 16amp cables with 16 amp plugs which I then plug in to 2 x 16 amp sockets.

I thought that so long as the 16 amp cables are equal in length etc. the maximum draw on each 16 amp socket will still be 16 amps as if it goes over, it will trip.

 

[Rockingit]

So many replies already - thanks!

Just to clarify, the supply has a unit with 2 sockets either side of it, rated at 16amps, with breakers near by on a post.

So my thought was that I could get a socket which I plug my 32 amp cable in to, and the output is then split in to 2 x 16amp cables with 16 amp plugs which I then plug in to 2 x 16 amp sockets.

I thought that so long as the 16 amp cables are equal in length etc. the maximum draw on each 16 amp socket will still be 16 amps as if it goes over, it will trip.

Yep, this is exactly what I thought you meant. NO - you can't do this, it's dangerous. Either find a way to split your equipment into 2 x lines of 16A supply which are separate, or ask the campsite to provide you with a 32A supply (and expect to get charged £££ for doing so, as they'll have to get a sparky in to do it). Cheapest option - check with the campsite that it's OK to bring a small genny with you.

 

[Strima]

Do you need a 32A supply? What equipment are you running? If you could post what equipment and what wattage it is rated for you maybe surprised.

 

[sedgy34]

Hi,

I'm visiting an outdoor event at a camp site which has a 16amp supply. My catering unit draws about 30amps - max. 32amps. Is it possible to get a cable that plugs in to 2 x 16amp supplies that will give me 32 amps? The 16 amp connectors are right next to each other.

Any ideas greatly appreciated!
Greg

get a generater with 32amp output solves you problem everytime you go to those places

 

[wade88]

Ah i stand corrected you are right Chris - i pressumed like a fool that he was on a proper site at a proper event with a team of sparks around putting in temp power - didnt realise he was coming off a caravan post. In which case all advice above applies. Without an extra 16A feed in, there is nothing you can do unfortunately Greg