Coggs. (Compliance old guys and gals)
Appliance incoming fuses fitted or not.
The other problem scenario with 'skinny power
cords' on hand-held products is where the cord
enters the appliance and, despite all the patent
anti-flex cord grommets, the insulation breaks
down with stress and the skinny power cord
becomes a five foot length of fuse wire.
The problem is reduced in the UK where the most
popular plug style in domestic and commercial
applications is fitted with a HBC cartridge fuse.
PROVIDING the end user does not change the fuse
for a higher rating.
Three pin 13 A fused plug to BS1363.
( Oh how UL laughed at the size of our 'chunky'
plugs but did admit they were a good idea)
British Std Certified fuse cartridges to BS1362
are available in 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 13 A
ratings.
Eric.
PS. George - you didn't get the date wrong in
your last mail did you ?
On 24 Oct 01 at 14:40, [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>
> Gary,
>
> It was always my understanding that house fuses/breakers were to protect
> all the upstream stuff, e.g. service entry box, external transformers etc.
> They cannot realistically protect downstream stuff, as they have no
> knowledge of how much current is too much for a given appliance. However,
> the house wiring should be able to carry a current up to that of the fuse
> or CB rating.
>
> ITE manufacturers must protect their own product by the use of incoming
> fuses, CBs, etc. A fixed line cord is part of the product. Hence, the
> product fuse must blow before a "skinny" line cord on the product would
> melt down. For example, suppose a device is rated to draw 2.5A (electric
> razor?) and uses a "skinny" line cord at that rating. If an internal
> fault draws 14A, it might melt down the cord or the device, but it should
> not harm house wiring rated up to 15A.
>
> Of course, I have been wrong before. I think it was 1961.
>
> George
>
>
> ---------------------- Forwarded by George Alspaugh/Lex/Lexmark on 10/24/2001
> 02:31 PM ---------------------------
>
> Gary McInturff <gary.mcinturff%[email protected]> on
> 10/24/2001 12:06:00 PM
>
> Please respond to Gary McInturff
> <gary.mcinturff%[email protected]>
>
> To: "EMC-PSTC (E-mail)" <emc-pstc%[email protected]>
> cc: (bcc: George Alspaugh/Lex/Lexmark)
> Subject: skinny power cords.
>
>
>
>
> Fuses and breakers etc, are provided to protect the wiring
> downstream from these devices. A 15 amp breaker is allowed to have 14 AWG
> wire attached and run all though my house, and terminates in a 15 amp rated
> receptacle - parallel blade with ground pin.
> Why then can I plug in a computer that has only a 6 or 10 amp rated
> power cord? Surely, its not because the computer has supplemental fusing at
> 2 amps or whatever. That 2 amp fuse can't protect the wiring between it and
> the 15 amp breaker in my garage from prolonged operation at 15 amps. The
> breaker is completely happy running at that value so the wire just sits
> there and cooks!
> One would think that any cord rated less than 15 amps, would have
> to be terminated in a plug that doesn't mate with the wall outlet, much like
> a 15 amp connector plugged into a 20 amp outlet.
> Gary
>
>
>
>
>
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