Spanish fusebox problems and questions.....

[Will__]

Here's a picture of the fuse box from our new shop in Barcelona. The sparky wants to replace loads of stuff, but I reckon we could get away with leaving it since there are loads of outlets spread all over the office, as well as CAT5, and it used to be a biggish office.

Question is, can anyone decipher this into layman's terms? Like, is this enough to run a few PCs, screens, a kettle, 5 Technics records decks, 5 amps, and maybe a few other things. Maybe some kind soul could work out how to calculate the milliamps or amps rating? Nothing excessive there, no?

http://www.geocities.com/willem_willem012/IMG_0034.JPG

It's a biggish pic - if your IE autoresizes the pic you won't be able to read the specs on the switches, but if you open it up in a photo editor, you'll be able to zoom in on them.

thanks

[Will__]

sorry that link doesn't work unless you cut and paste it. Ta.

[norfolk boy]

Will us sparky types on �500 an hour,who always find extras on a job (nudge nudge, wink wink, cash will do nice, have you got the kettle on. What no biscuits!)Haven't got time to check out your help page!On a serious note you can't tell if your circuit requirements are sufficient just by looking at a picture of a fuse box.Get in three local firms the smaller the better and pay them for half an hour of their advice.yes this may seem an expensive way but trust me you will get a better answer as they are not trying to gain work because of being paid.

[Will__]

ok thanks. The wirings all new, so I'm just looking for a milliamp count really. Or an Amp rating.

[Hippy]

OK so here goes. To calculate your power requirements write down the WATTAGE of each device you intend plugging into a particular circuit in the left column. This should be on the data plate on the back of the devices. If the device tells you the AMPERAGE then list that on the right. Typically, computers take 350 Watts max and CRT monitors 430 watts max. Your kettle is likely to be about 2000 watts, and your record decks about 70 watts and your amplifiers could be about 120 watts each.

Now, watts is the result of volts times amps, or to put it another way amps equals watts divided by volts. Let us assume that your voltage is 220 (find out so that you can do the simple sums yourself) for each of the watts numbers on the left of your list get out the calculator and divide watts by volts. For example, that computer will take about 1.6 amps and the monitor about 2 amps. Put these amp figures in the right column so that you end up with the amps for everything. Add these together and that will tell you how much power you need and you can decide if the wiring and fuses look ok for that load.

The fuses are there to protect the wiring and prevent overloads and fires starting. Never put bigger fuses in because you want more power, or the old ones keep blowing.

Nothing I say should be a substitute for a proper and impartial on-site survey; all I have described is how to calculate your approximate power requirements.

[Disco Fever]

I'm also a Sparky who work for himself and looking at the state of the MCB board you have it looks like someone has put two or three different makes of Miniture Circuit Breaker in the wrong board. I would also suggest that you get three or four different firms, or even better sole traders as they are cheaper, and get quotes. BUT make sure the people you get are covered by a governing body like we have in the UK, NICEIC, or have at least some kind of proof that they are Electricians, as in the UK some people think cause they can put a plug on they can wire up anything and make a right bodge up of it belive me ive been to some places that use copper cable for fuse wire and wonder why I wont touch it with a large plastic pole til its put right. Electric is dangerous get a professional in, it will pay you in the end.