help - power overload on plug..??

[nolaces]

hi,

please can you help me here.

i have a 4 plug extension lead (5amp fuse in it) plugged into another 4 plug extension lead and use them for my portable tv, bed side lamp, fan, dvd, laptop and router.

ive had this set up for years with no problems until last night when i unplugged one of the devices and plugged in an electric kettle (3amp fuse in it)

half way through boiling the kettle, the extension lead it was plugged into, cut out and all power was lost on each of the devices plugged in it, including the kettle.

was it the kettle that blew the fuse do you think?

id plugged the kettle in to boil it a couple of times before and this has never happened.

any ideas please?
im a thicky female when it comes to this sort of thing! lol

thanks in advance.

[pug100]

A kettle should have a minimum of 13A fuse. Replace the one in the kettle plug first. When you use the kettle plug it into its own wall socket this way the fuse will not blow.

IMO your setup is quite overloaded, you are running 8 sockets (2x 4 way extentions) from a sinlge outlet. the only reason you've got away with this so far is that most of the devices are low power. The kettle is a high power device and this is what has caused you problems.

[nolaces]

thanks pug,

the kettle still works, ive just tried it.

the extension lead is what has blown - ive just tried it.

[terambulan]

U will have lots of fuses to replace to restore the various items.

The point is overload and is a fire risk.

Get a 13amp multi-hole plug and run ur exts from that. U only have to remove 1 plug to insert kettle, which loses more power while switched on.

[terambulan]

Correction.....kettle USES more power wen on.

[Paul22118]

nolaces, you must sort out the electrical supply here. There is serious risk of overheat and maybe fire. Have you another wall socket for one of the extensions? Can you ensure that only a limited number of appliances are running at any one time, thus reducing the possibility of overheat. This is dangerous.........

[nolaces]

thank you all for your time and help, really appreciated, thanks alot!

all the appliances still work, including the kettle, they just dont work in the extension lead the kettle was plugged into last night.

[woodchopper]

Don't listen to what niceboy says - he hasn't got a clue about electrics and loading - the fuse can only be changed to a 13a if the cable to the extension sockets is capable of handling 13a or it is liable to melt and catch fire.
Have not seen any kettles with 3a fuses fitted- check the power rating on it - if it is rated at 1000w or over it must be fitted with a 13a fuse - below 1000w and a 5a fuse will suffice.
Best to get an extension lead that is capable of handling 13a.
Get a friendly electrician to advise you - would hate to hear of you getting burnt to a crisp.

[nolaces]

thanks woodchopper, yeah it is a 13amp kettle, my mistake, sorry.

ive just checked the now duff extension lead and theres a sticker on the outside saying it is fitted with a 13amp fuse, so cant understand when i unscrew it, theres a 5amp fuse in there?!

so, are you saying then if there was a 13amp fuse in the now duff extension lead plug, it wouldnt have fused when i tried boiling the kettle?

:o)

[vehelpfulguy]

I thought it was against the law to plug an extension lead into another extension lead ?

[woodchopper]

If it was originally fitted with a 13a fuse it is safe tpo change it back to a 13a and it probably would have not blown when using the kettle.

[nolaces]

is it ilegal??....

im not sure if it was originally fitted with a 13amp or not?

im going to stop using the kettle on the extension lead and replace the 5amp with another 5amp.