Loading a ring circuit

[NoSparks]

I am installing two 2Kw convector heaters in a small flat. The obvious way would be to connect them to the ring, especially since they each have a 13A plug. However 4Kw sounds a lot to me on a ring. Its rather more than an immersion heater! but on the other hand no where near the 7.3Kw for which the ring is designed, on the other hand it may or may not cause an imbalance in the loading of each leg or the ring,

If I were desining this from scratch then obviously they would have their own supply, but I'm not! There again if I run seperate supplies it would have to be in trunking along the hall ceiling, not very elegant. There are so many variables I'm undecided. What would your take be?

 

[plugsandsparks]

suppose it depends on what else is on the ring and where the heaters are in relation to the relatives lengths of leg1 and leg2. Undecided also

 

[dan86]

well I dunno what else load wise is on the ring, but personally I'd just plug em in and get on with it!

 

[dan86]

hmm, beaten to it by plugsandsparks!

 

[gazj82]

If the Kitchen is on a seperate ring then your most likely good. If it is on the same ring, make sure no one has done something goofy like put a built in oven on it already!

 

[telectrix]

and i assume the heaters have stats, so won't always be pulling full load simultaneously.

 

[gazj82]

and i assume the heaters have stats, so won't always be pulling full load simultaneously.

Obviously that too, and with anything else on thr ring even if it is a load of kitchen appliances.

You'd probably be really unlucky to get any problems

 

[plugsandsparks]

oopsss etc - sod it i am not writing that out again

 

[7029 dave]

If their on 13amp plug tops not classed as fixed appliances are they.

 

[NoSparks]

I'd thought about the stats but if somebody comes in on a cold night and puts both on togther then they may both be on together for some time. On the other hand nobody would think twice about putting two 2KW fan heaters on togther. Also the reason for the 100sq meter floor area for a ring appears to be the limit of how much heating would be placed on a single ring, and this is inside that limit.

 

[Guest55]

if there is only 1 ring for the whole flat i'd be inclined to fit seperate radial for heaters.
probably a 4mm / 32A circuit so extra heaters could be added later if needed.

 

[Dizzy_Maskell]

Depends what you are asked and how much been paid,
Initially plug them in see what happens if causes issues go back and add new circuits.
Surely can't hurt try and see what happens people might not want pay for the extra if they don't need it

 

[kingeri]

At the end of the day ring finals are designed to allow heaters to be plugged in and used. That's what most people do, no electrician needed! My only concern would be the one leg being overloaded, but that's not going to happen from the 17amps max that these could potentially pull. As said, just ensure there's no other high-draw appliances on that ring.

 

[NoSparks]

Thanks for all your comments.

Try it and see - In my oppinion this is bad advice where the consequences would be overloading and burning out a cable.

The Forum software managed to do what I could not and found previous references to loading. These reveal that BGB App 15 contains a recomendation that items In Excess of 2Kw and Comprehensive space heating should have their own supply. As kingeri points out, the combined load (17A) is less than the maximum load on a 2.5mm cable (Method C) so they are unlikely to cause a problem, even if totally imbalanced would still be within the capacity of the cable. The only consideration therefore is other loads.

 

[HandySparks]

Try it and see - In my oppinion this is bad advice where the consequences would be overloading and burning out a cable.

If you get burning out of cable, the overcurrent protective device for the circuit is clearly wrongly rated or faulty.