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Thread: Power cut

  1. #1
    DF VIP Member Bilbo_baggin's Avatar
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    Tech Power cut

    We don't get power cuts like a lot of places do - the supply is very stable and even in storms we never get an outage.

    Now to the oddity..


    I bought a larger TV recently and for a week everything has been fine powerwise in the house, just as it always has been.

    Then once on Friday night, and then twice on Saturday, the circuit breakers went and all our power went off of course.


    I find it hard to believe that the new larger TV could be a cause - even big sets are low on power usage.

    So having a look, I decided I may be over loading the double socket in the corner and have now stripped all that down so that the double socket has just 4 items (Pano TV, Virgin Tivo, BR Player, and Sony Surround system).

    What I also had was my computer and peripherals coming from there too, so they were removed and now feed from a twin socket elsewhere.


    So could it be feasible that the large TV may have been the cause with all that lot above going from the one twin socket, or could it be that I'm just getting a series of transient power problems that I am told can occur almost anywhere in the electricity network area, which go just as suddenly as they arrived, never to happen again?

    Additionally, would it be a good idea to take the 3 television accessories into a 3-way adaptor in one side of the twin socket and run the TV independently in the other twin socket - or even plug the TV into a short extension that has a surge protector built into it so as to give isolation to the television?


    Bilbo.

  2. #2
    DF General DogsBody
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    Default Re: Power cut

    I personally wouldn't overload any electrical sockets, I got an electrical in to add 2 more double sockets under my workstation where everything is plugged in. these are then fed to the fuse box on their own circuit away from any other house items.

    Thanks to Mickey

    Bilbo_baggin (25th September 2016)  


  3. #3
    DF VIP Member Bilbo_baggin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Can't afford a sparks to come and rewire sadly...

    Bilbo.

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    DF Rookie cromwell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Always use Surgebreakers m8,

    Thanks to cromwell

    Bilbo_baggin (25th September 2016)  


  5. #5
    DF Rookie cromwell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Like most of us, lots of tv/pc/mag ect, so get the big one, something like this m8 HERE

    Thanks to cromwell

    Bilbo_baggin (26th September 2016)  


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    DF Moderator EvilBoB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    I'd look at the info on each device. Each device will have a draw on the supply. If the cable isn't enough to handle the load it will trip. It could be that the wrong wire was used for the socket or if it's an older property it may just not be up to it. If the gauge is wrong to the socket you could be risking a fire by overloading it as the cable WILL get hot if it's overloaded.

    I've got an old Panasonic plasma that is very power hungry (800w), add in a PC with a big PSU that's processing lots and you could be talking well over 2kw. I have an amp that draws 1200w when cranked up! Then add in Tivo (~20w), Bluray player should be very little but these all add up. Check your extensions for max load as well if you are using extension strips as they may have a limit of only 800w - or even less!

    The other option that could be causing a problem is a fault with the TV - something shorting inside. If the above doesn't pan out I'd think about returning the TV and getting a replacement just in case!
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    Thanks to EvilBoB

    Bilbo_baggin (26th September 2016)  


  7. #7
    DF VIP Member Bilbo_baggin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Quote Originally Posted by cromwell View Post
    Like most of us, lots of tv/pc/mag ect, so get the big one, something like this m8 HERE

    I got their 4 gang one m8 - don't need any extra sockets than that.

    Bilbo.

    Thanks to Bilbo_baggin

    cromwell (27th September 2016)  


  8. #8
    DF VIP Member Bilbo_baggin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Quote Originally Posted by EvilBoB View Post
    I'd look at the info on each device. Each device will have a draw on the supply. If the cable isn't enough to handle the load it will trip. It could be that the wrong wire was used for the socket or if it's an older property it may just not be up to it. If the gauge is wrong to the socket you could be risking a fire by overloading it as the cable WILL get hot if it's overloaded.

    I've got an old Panasonic plasma that is very power hungry (800w), add in a PC with a big PSU that's processing lots and you could be talking well over 2kw. I have an amp that draws 1200w when cranked up! Then add in Tivo (~20w), Bluray player should be very little but these all add up. Check your extensions for max load as well if you are using extension strips as they may have a limit of only 800w - or even less!

    The other option that could be causing a problem is a fault with the TV - something shorting inside. If the above doesn't pan out I'd think about returning the TV and getting a replacement just in case!

    This TV only uses 113 w m8, so that's next to nothing really.

    I did find some damaged (though not exposed) cable on the lead from the cooker (just to a 13amp plug - it uses electricity just for the igniter to set the gas alight) but you never know, that could still be the cause. I have just bought an RCD to go onto that 3 pin plug. (It's a gas cooker so the power only should be small for what it does).

    Bilbo.

  9. #9
    DF VIP Member Soulassassin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    A bad earth will trip the circuit breaker irrespective of what power is being drawn.

  10. #10
    DF VIP Member Bilbo_baggin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Quote Originally Posted by Soulassassin View Post
    A bad earth will trip the circuit breaker irrespective of what power is being drawn.
    The TV won't have an earth in the plug though...

    Bilbo.

  11. #11
    DF Rookie cromwell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    If it happens a lot their is a problem, but one off you ok, ???

  12. #12
    DF VIP Member Bilbo_baggin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Power cut

    Quote Originally Posted by cromwell View Post
    If it happens a lot their is a problem, but one off you ok, ???
    It went once Friday, twice Saturday, once Sunday (until a 2nd time as I unplugged a double adaptor).

    Now I have an RCD at the cooker and a surge protector at the telly. No issues since Sunday tea-time...

    Bilbo.

    Thanks to Bilbo_baggin

    cromwell (27th September 2016)  


  13. #13
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    Default Re: Power cut

    If its the earth breaker that's tripping then it wont be the tv because it wont have an earth connection. If its the overload breaker it could be anything connected to the ring main including the TV. Even though there is a 13 amp fuse in the plug a dead short could still activate the 32 amp breaker because the breaker can respond faster to the overload than the fuse in the plug.

    Although not a good idea you could stack 20 multi adapters on top of each other with lots of devices connected to them and as long as you don't exceed the capacity of the 32 amp ring main then you wont trip the circuit. The breaker doesn't know whether you are drawing 32 amps shared between all the sockets in the house or you have everything drawing 32 amps from the one socket. The first couple of multi adapters (the ones closest the socket) may show their displeasure by starting a fire but it wont trigger the circuit breaker. The water from the local fire brigade trying to put your house out may well activate the earth trip though.

    I am not a fan of plug in multi adapters but will happily use a good multi way extension lead like the one here which cromwell has already recommended in his post above. You are not likely to exceed it's rated current of 13 amps (3kw). (">

    2 Thanks given to BigBird

    Bilbo_baggin (27th September 2016),  cromwell (27th September 2016)  


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