[balotz]

Hi

I'm moving back to the UK soon, and I have an electrical appliance from Germany which I'd like to bring with me.

It's an electric cooker with 4 hobs - the problem is that the power output on the label reads "4100W" - 4100 / 240 = 17 amps. AFAIK the limit for a standard wall socket is 13 amps, or 20 across two sockets.

Is it safe / possible to connect this device, supposing I can find a 17 amp fuse?

Thanks

Nick

 

[oh'mike]

You may need to wait a bit for one of our European electricians to check in---The French Electrician should know this---and there are others---Mike----

 

[Dave632]

Just curious... what's a "hob"?

 

[oh'mike]

A hob is a burner----

 

[AllanJ]

(minor edits made)
In a hardware store find out the amperes rating for a new receptacle (wall plug; wall socket) that matches the power plug (cord cap). You would want to run a brand new circuit from the breaker panel with the appropriate amperes rating (thickness of wires) and the appropriate receptacle. (When you get to the UK and the cooker's plug fits the existing receptacle, then you don't need to buy anything immediately yet.)

You may not substitute a larger (17 amp) fuse than was there originally unless you can prove that the circuit wiring and all wired in devices (receptacles, lights, fans, etc.) are designed for connecting to a circuit with that amperage.

It is possible that you will have an existing circuit that both allows 17 (or 20) amps and is permitted to have 13 amp general purpose receptacles on it. In this case you can add a 17 amp receptacle to that circuit. This depends on your local or nationwide electric code.

AFAIK the limit for a standard wall socket is 13 amps, or 20 across two sockets.

(analogy) In the U.S. 20 amp general purpose circuits accommodate both 15 amp and 20 amp receptacles and loads (lights, appliances, electronics). If a 15 amp receptacle is present on a 20 amp circuit the entire circuit must have as a minimum one duplex receptacle or two single receptacles on it

You may not cut off the plug and substitute another with a different amperes rating. But you could temporarily make an adapter cord perhaps 2 feet (0.6 m) long with a matching receptacle for the appliance and a matching plug for an existing wall receptacle. With 13 amperes available at the receptacle you could use the cooker but not all four burners at the same time.

You may not make an adapter cord with two plugs to fit into two existing receptacles at the same time (and one receptacle for the appliance power cord).

OT: out of curiosity: Is this cooker a tank like or casserole like appliance that you put the food into, or is it more like a stove with the burners on an upper flat surface (cooktop) for pots and pans?

 

[joed]

If you don't turn on all the hobs at once you won't draw the full current.

 

[frenchelectrican]

Hi

I'm moving back to the UK soon, and I have an electrical appliance from Germany which I'd like to bring with me.

It's an electric cooker with 4 hobs - the problem is that the power output on the label reads "4100W" - 4100 / 240 = 17 amps. AFAIK the limit for a standard wall socket is 13 amps, or 20 across two sockets.

Is it safe / possible to connect this device, supposing I can find a 17 amp fuse?

Thanks

Nick

Bonjour Nick.,

First of all welcome to the DIY fourm and happy hoildays to ya.

Now for your hob that is pretty big iffy due if you are using the hob in kitchen I think you should not have a issue but all it depending on how that place wired in ring or radial format. The rings will useally have 32 amp breaker but there is a major gotcha you have to use the fused plugs but for radial circuit that useally not a issue normally you can load it up to the maxuim OCPD level depending on the conductors itself.

Normally AFAIK in UK kitchen area typically wired in radial so you should not have a issue with it. ( just be aware that some case it still in radial format on older installment but not very often in this area but it do happend )

I am pretty sure you are allready aware there are few differnt verison of plugs they are using in UK they used the combation of old style and new style so just prepeare to change it if need to.

The other thing the 13 amp and 20 amp sockets are not the same size so just give you a head up with it.

Merci,
Marc

 

[frenchelectrican]

Allen.,

The Hob is most common countertop stove burners and some are portable and most case useally fixed ( perament ) and the size will varies they can go from single burner to multi burners ( typically 4 is common but there are some case more than 4 do show up )

Most of them are set up for 240 volt single phase ( not the centre tapped verison btw ) but the larger hobs can have a option to be wired either single phase or three phase.

Merci,
Marc