Immersion + sockets = 16amp??

Hi,

I'm not an electrician!

I'd like to ask anyone's advice who knows about things like the BS7671 regulations as to whether what we have is within the law or not.... I know it's annoying as heck to have power tripping out!

We rent... need I say more?

So, we have a socket circuit and immersion heater on a 16amp MCB (I think that's what they're called). This circuit has 3 computers attached. When we add the fridge freezer, it's fine until the fridge fan comes on, then it trips out. I'd just like to know if it's legal or not to have the immersion heater on the same circuit as a bunch of sockets? If it is, is there any chance of a quote from the standards to send to my agent? Or is this because we shouldn't have the fridge on the circuit? (which we don't now, it's on another one!)

I would be very grateful for any help you could offer.

Maz

Reply to
mazzarc
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As it is an agent and not the owner, I would suggest that you simply put in writing that you suspect that there is a house wiring fault, explain that the breaker trips and that the sockets appear to be wired off the immersion heater circuit. Ask when the last electrical safety certificate was issued.

It isn't mandatory that the landlord has an electrical safety inspection carried out regularly, unlike gas systems. His insurance company may insist on it. His agent may insist on it.

With the tenant having reported a problem, the landlord would be in deep doggy doo if he didn't take action when a fault was reported - and something further transpired. The agent will want to make sure that he can't be sued, either.

It isn't a question of "within the law". It sounds like someone, possibly the owner, is into a bit of diy. If he didn't follow best practice by using a dedicated circuit and breaker for the immersion heater, heaven knows what else he got up to. It may just be bad practice. It may, OTOH, be highly unsafe.

If that doesn't work - tell the agent that you are going to take your worries to the building control office of your local council. Plus a copy going to whatever professional organisation the agent claims to belong to.. But I doubt that it will go that far.

Reply to
Palindrome

Sounds like you are in the UK, but you should say?

The 16A circuit was probably intended for the immersion heater alone. It's not a normally used circuit rating for socket outlets. So I suspect it's been extended without due consideration for the loading. An immersion heater is not allowed any diversity (unless it's a tiny under- sink one heating only 20 litres of water), so when sizing a circuit, the full continuous load must be allowed for. This normally means it can't share a circuit with socket outlets, which depend heavily on diversity.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Yes, in the UK, sorry I forgot to mention that.

Thank you for your input, it is giving me an idea of what to do. I have already reported this and am having an inspection done by the agent's electrician... but I'm not sure I trust them as they put it in. I'll probably ask for an independent one.

Regards,

Maz

Reply to
mazzarc

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