What fuse for PC?

[cmbcmb]

My new Dell PC is rated at 230V, 1.8A but comes with a lead with 5A fuse in the plug. Why not 3A? Similarly the 230V, 1.3A monitor also has a 5A fused lead. Why not 3A?

I wish to run both from a "Y-power lead" (UK plug to 2xIEC sockets), item PL0962602 sold by CPC. Since the total current from both PC & monitor is 3.1A, a 5A fuse in the plug should do nicely. But I'm puzzled by their original choice of 5A for each one.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Risteard]

5A BS 1362 fuse is common in IT equipment. The fuse is only there to protect the cable anyway.

 

[JUD]

Maybe just a standard lead they use.

Some PSUs in PCs can be rated at 1000W (4.35A) or more .

 

[antimatter]

The item to which you refer PL0962602 is rated @ 10a, so will have a 13a fuse protecting both IEC sockets (that operate from a standard UK plug top).

Source - http://cpcireland.farnell.com/images/en_CC/Focus_Dec08.pdf Page 6

 

[timtheenchanter]

start up surge??

not measured it, but my machine has an 800W PSU, 3HDD and 2 optical drives, all of which spin up at the same time on start up, along with the cooling fans to max momentarily.

must surge over 3A?? (thinking of my freezer that has a start up of over 650W, yet rated 400W)

 

[Burnt Fingers]

I think, IEC leads are fused with a standard 5A because they are interchangeable, and should they ever get on to a laser printer or photocopier, there is a consideration of start up current. On my PAT Travels I have seen very few 3A IEC leads, but hundreds of 5A ones.

 

[grantr37]

I know this is an old post, but just in case anybody looks one day and wonders about the leads and the 5A fuses, its because the leads to supply PC's and Laptop chargers are made as cheaply as possible given the known load and current they are supplying, so most use 1.25mm stranded soft copper wire as opposed to 2mm rigid stranded copper wire used in other IEC Leads ......supplying Kettles....and if a PC lead was to be shoved into a kettle that will draw about 11 Amps,by an office worker for instance who had perhaps unplugged a kettle in the canteen and carried it to a desk, it would melt and catch fire...so a 5A fuse is fitted and would blow right away, trouble is that it would then get replaced with a 13A fuse by joe punter and catch fire the second time round...many manufacturers of laptop chargers now use a cloverleaf adapter instead of the standard IEC type.....but the PC's remain the same size/shape...

 

[Tuttle]

I don't think that you can plug an IEC lead from a PC into a kettle. Kettle leads have a notch taken out of them and the socket on kettles only takes plugs with this notch. I believe that you can plug a kettle lead into a PC but not the other way around.

 

[grantr37]

Its not just kettles, but there are kettles which will accept a normal size/shape IEC lead, a few of the newer ones have a notch in the lead but not all.....

 

[Adam W]

That would be a C15 lead, as opposed to the 'standard' C13 as used with PCs. Also known as a 'hot lead', it is used for theatrical lighting and other appliances which get hot.
I have come across a lot of computer IEC leads which were fused at 10A which seemed a lot higher than it needs to be, although the manufacturers specifications override any other information available.
I assumed it was for inrush currents as well.

 

[grantr37]

Laptop power supplies are usually fitted with 10A fuses as well, but on replacing them you have to order them as they are not really sold in very many shops...