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?

 

[telectrix]

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

must be the wrong size nail.

 

[Guest55]

forget the regs cable ratings , i bet 2.5 will hold at least 60A for hours before the insulation starts to burn.*


* this isnt in invitation to try it on your next job.
;-)

 

[44ALLAN]

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,

As someone far brighter than me pointed out in a post several months ago..................'current will take the path of least resistance' so on initial start up one leg(shorter leg) of the ring will be taking more current but as it heats up the resistance will increase and some of the current will then flow down the longer leg until it equalises..............or something like that lol.
DW is your man

 

[Guest111]

The weirdest part of this thread is that it proves just how helpless some people have become,I'm not talking about the OP but whoever has given him this job,Hells teeth you can walk into any electrical shop and buy plug in heaters,people do every day,most have 2 little brackets that fix to the wall and then one screw underneath then simply plug in! The guy who wants it done sounds like my weirdo neighbour,asked me to knock up 2 small metal gates for his drive out of steel,then changed his mind when I refused his request for a full set of engineering drawings.The worlds gone mad.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

I wouldn't worry too much to be honest as a lot of folk may not be able to afford to have them on that long together. Greedy utility companies!