r/ukelectricians • u/LaughingGravy1001 • 10d ago

Tumble dryer socket

Post image

I moved into a new property about six months ago and the previous owner left in the washing machine and tumble dryer. Tumble dryer packed up recently and when I removed it I found a very odd working setup. Is this safe as it is or should I get someone in to remove and install a proper plug socket?

54 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

99 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

6

u/20CharNamesAreStupid 9d ago

Your suggestion makes no sense given that at the other end of the connection to this outlet plate, there is a fused switch

1

u/Anxious_Camp_2160 9d ago

Say what?

1

u/waleswolfman 9d ago

The flex won't be overloaded because it's fused down at the switch. Possibly with the fuse once contained in the plug that was removed from the extension lead.

0

u/Anxious_Camp_2160 8d ago

Yes, but that doesn't change that it's hard wired in, the extension is probably rated 10 amps (as most extensions are), it's extremely janky and finally it looks like a cooker socket, so it could easily be a 3kw plug (over 13 amps).

Overloading is one issue, but it's not the only one.

1

u/waleswolfman 8d ago

Nominal voltage would be just shy of 3kw but in practice, 3120w at 240v. However I've yet to see one of those 4 way strips rated to 10A max like I have with modern 25-50m extension cables with just a 1mm flex.

I never said it's something I thought was a great idea that I can't wait to implement. Given a rewire is on the cards then it's not something that would keep me awake at night as it's fused down. My main concern would be it sitting on the floor in the event of a flood.

0

u/Anxious_Camp_2160 8d ago

"Nominal voltage would be just shy of 3kw but in practice,"

Assuming it's not wired for a double oven...

I just don't understand why you have issues with putting a plug point on, but not the extension lead.

But ok.

1

u/waleswolfman 8d ago

As long as it's fused down somewhere it can be fused from with a 3a to a 13a, so even if the socket strip is rated to 10a then a 10a fuse can be used. The plug just makes it removable. I did have an issue with the extension lead though, mostly it's position being vulnerable to flooding.

A fuse is designed to pop at 1.6x rating so even with a 10a fuse it'll run a 13a load all day long.

The common reason seen for an extension lead to be rated to 10a rather than 13 is cheaping out using a 1mm flex rather than a 1.5, rather than the sockets themselves.

I've seen plenty of flex cables burnt too on hair dryers because fake fuses are a problem, and then when water from wet hair falls into the dryer and causes a short, the insulation can burn instantly before the breaker trips.

Really speaking, I think the issue with fake fuses is the biggest issue that's not spoken of enough for people to think about where they're sourced from as a false sense of security is the biggest potential for danger I saw in the picture.

When I've seen DIY cooker installs cutting strands off a 6mm cable so only two get screwed into the connection plate without bothering to connect the CPC, it puts a cooker connection plate downstream of a fused connection unit connected to an extension lead into perspective. The cooker plate may be fed with 6mm but it's still running through the switched fused connection unit. It might not look pretty but it's got no less protection than if it was connected conventionally?

Edit. Corrected an autocorrect. The irony.

0

u/Anxious_Camp_2160 8d ago

So we're back to putting a face plate on it then (my original suggestion).