can my house take it?

[Ciarian Abbott]

before i get stared ide like to say im not an electrician so i dont really know anything about electricity

my query is i was looking at buying this welder P\Tica 151 Portable Arc Welder | Northern Tool + Equipment on the website it says it runs of a 16a mains fuse how can i find out if my house can take this will it be on my fuse box if so where please please help me

 

[gazzaman241]

although i am not an electrician, i have done the 2391,2392,pat testing exams etc.
and was wondering why you couldn`t use a rcd in line 16 amp socket to 13 amp male plug,
as i do. although i do have a 20 amp supply from my comsumer unit to my garage so if anything happens only the garage supply tripps out.

RCD IN LINE 16 AMP SOCKET TO 13 AMP MALE PLUG on eBay (end time 22-Feb-11 07:10:40 GMT)

hope this is ok to post as i don`t post often. please delete if not

gazza

 

[geordie]

That would not work as the item pulls 16amps so will just blow the fuse in the 13amp plug or melt the plug

 

[Risteard]

Also by the sounds of your post you have a bs3036 cu and it's is not permissible to further add circuits to this.

According to which Reg?

 

[gazzaman241]

geordie m8
its what i have been using without much hassle. it has an in line rcd and the only thing i get is it trips if i am continously welding with it ,which is not very often.
i bought the welder new for £50 not realising it needed a 16 amp supply.i have also checked to make sure the cable doesn`t over heat as i have seen some extension cables mult on their reel.

 

[Hawk81]

although i am not an electrician, i have done the 2391,2392,pat testing exams etc.
and was wondering why you couldn`t use a rcd in line 16 amp socket to 13 amp male plug,
as i do. although i do have a 20 amp supply from my comsumer unit to my garage so if anything happens only the garage supply tripps out.

RCD IN LINE 16 AMP SOCKET TO 13 AMP MALE PLUG on eBay (end time 22-Feb-11 07:10:40 GMT)

hope this is ok to post as i don`t post often. please delete if not

gazza

I would strongly advise against this for the use of a welder over a long period of time. Not only is the plug top but the socket outlet are not designed for more than 13amps

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The lower end of industrial/commercial welding machines can be used with a 13A plug and socket, without much problem, as long as they are not continuesly being used on high settings.
Your house can take it, allthough occaisionally you may have to change the 13A plug fuse.

 

[SimpleSimon]

although i am not an electrician, i have done the 2391,2392,pat testing exams etc.
and was wondering why you couldn`t use a rcd in line 16 amp socket to 13 amp male plug,
as i do. although i do have a 20 amp supply from my comsumer unit to my garage so if anything happens only the garage supply tripps out.

RCD IN LINE 16 AMP SOCKET TO 13 AMP MALE PLUG on eBay (end time 22-Feb-11 07:10:40 GMT)

hope this is ok to post as i don`t post often. please delete if not

gazza

Has that thing got a BS number on it or CE mark?

 

[BlueToBits]

before i get stared ide like to say im not an electrician so i dont really know anything about electricity

my query is i was looking at buying this welder P\Tica 151 Portable Arc Welder | Northern Tool + Equipment on the website it says it runs of a 16a mains fuse how can i find out if my house can take this will it be on my fuse box if so where please please help me

It is rated at 2.5Kw which is around 10 Amps. It is probably made in China, originally intended for the European market and is fitted with a moulded 16A Shucko plug (French/Spanish/German etc) as all European appliances do. European installations have 16A and 20A power circuits, it sounds like it is telling the European user to use a 16A circuit, not a 20A one. I use a similar (if not the same) welder with a 13A plug on it without problems in France and the UK.
Just cut off the moulded plug and fit a standard UK square pin plug with a 13A fuse, if you are confident you can do this safely. Don't use a holiday/tourist adaptor plug.
The worst that can happen is that the plug fuse will blow. In reality, the duty cycle of these welders is so poor that you can't run it a full power for more than 1 minute in 20 without it cutting out so you will be winding the power down anyway. For light, occasional work its OK. Use a 'Power Breaker' adaptor plug if your consumer unit (fuse board) is not fitted with a trip device with a little test button with the letters RCD or RCBO or RCB printed on it.
The safety (danger) issues in welding are a different concern and you really need to make certain you are wearing the correct personal protection and using the welder properly (In my personal experience anyhow! )

 

[High Tower]

According to which Reg?

Why is there always someone on this forum that has to start splitting hairs!!

Ok i stand corrected.

In the vast sum of cases it is not feasable to add further circuits to a BS3036 cu, as there is no provision for RCd's and more to the point they Do NOT provide the acceptable dissconection times.

I am currently say in a Airport departure lounge, so unfortunatly i have not got a BRB to start giving out Reg numbers.

However if you want to argue this insignificant and irrelevant point carry on, i still stand by what i said, if you want to start advising a non skilled member of the public that they can add circuits to a 3036 board then you carry on.

 

[gazzaman241]

i haven`t thought to look for the bs no on it although it is made in china, was bought new last year from screwfix and has worked ok for the use i give it.

gazza

 

[sparks1234]

For what its worth, and High Tower was not wholly correct as you could use the existing consumer unit, you could always connect it through a 20 amp DP switch with surface wiring and then there would be no nneed for RCD.
Why get that upset when you are proved incorrect.even if you are sat in an airport lounge.

 

[High Tower]

For what its worth, and High Tower was not wholly correct as you could use the existing consumer unit, you could always connect it through a 20 amp DP switch with surface wiring and then there would be no nneed for RCD.
Why get that upset when you are proved incorrect.even if you are sat in an airport lounge.

Disconection times, will the circuit disconnect within 0.4 of a second using a 3036 board?

And as usual the holier than thou squad has taken what I have said and got excitable

Read my original post! I said in most cases it's not acceptable to add circuits and to consult a competent person. Diddnt say it was right or wrong, we can't even confirm what it is, I was just covering all the bases.

And I don't agree with your post as I
Am always the first to hold my hands up when I'm wrong.

 

[Risteard]

Disconection times, will the circuit disconnect within 0.4 of a second using a 3036 board?

Why wouldn't it if the Zs is sufficiently low? See Table 41.2 of the IEE Wiring Regulations.

 

[sparks1234]

There are ways and means of doing things, whats to say you cant come out of the consumer unit put an enclosure up with either an MCB or RCBO in it.
The way I read it High Tower, you did seam to get upset when proven incorrect...my opinion

 

[Risteard]

From Commentary on IEE Wiring Regulations (p.228) "It is important to note that the sizes of copper wire for use in semi-enclosed fuses are retained. This helps to dispel the widely held misunderstanding that semi-enclosed (rewirable) fuses are not allowed by the current Wiring Regulations. They are."