Fuses Greater Than 13Amps

Hi,

As part of a kitchen refurbishment, we had a cut-off switch put in for our washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher. I thought it would be just that, a switch but it also has a fuse, 13Amp which means it blows if we run all three machines at the same time and sometimes if we run just two.

This is, of course, a problem for us ... I would rather have an unfused switch but I haven't so my question is simple ... is 13 Amp the highest normal (UK plug type) fuse I can get and if there are higher, where can I get them from?

Thx

James

short answer is no.

blows for a reason and is 13a for a reason. 

chances are that you are running all 3 appliances from a spur.

Just for arguments sake say each machine has a peak of 10a running all 3 will be 30a+

You need a properly designed circuit to handle those loads.

dare I ask who did this refurbishment for You? 

I think your kitchen fitter and spark (if there was one) have created a problem that you now understand ..................

All those kitchen appliances need a single 13A each.

FWIW this was a socket running a dryer and washing machine without a fuse.

Wow ....

nice

currently investigating a kitchen ring fault ,  the NICEIC installer thinks that concealing connections is acceptable, and he has a single cable running to a 13a fuse, then a single cable to a dual socket for the kitchen and dryer.

And there are others like this ...

lord knows why they think it’s acceptable, 

no certs , didn’t think it was necessary, due to another replacing the cu a year earlier.... when challenged, they provided 1 cert, despite changes to 3 circuits ....

not it sure why the niceic allow so much carp from their members......

The fuses are there to protect the cables and the accessories. All switches have a maximum current they can safely carry, if the circuits do not have correct fuses fitted, make sure you have the fire brigade on speed dial. (have a google about the statistics of house fires started due to electrical faults). Sounds like you employed incompetent persons to do the kitchen refurbishment. No one in their right mind would wire three appliances you mentioned via a single 13A fused spur.  If you cannot afford to get it wired correctly then the solution is to only run one appliance at a time. As the Duck says each of those appliances can typically be drawings 10A+.  Which is why they each have their own 13A fused in the pre fitted plug they come with.  

Doc H.

Its a badly designed circuit  by the installer .      Its actually safe I suppose,  because if you exceed  13A  the fuse is protecting the cable  and it blows  .  

Your temptation to find a bigger fuse  is akin to the days of rewirable fuse wire  ...so when an overload blew the fuse  it was changed to bigger wire  and eventually , a nail...and then the house burnt down. 

There are bigger fuses of course but they won't fit into your fused isolator...thats how the system works .  

Unfortunately many kitchen fitters  suddenly became electricians  overnight  so they didn't have to employ a sparks to do it properly .   They generally don't do the same with the gas  as they can find themselves facing a spell in prison  .  

Get a sparks in to see how its wired & if he can alter the circuit arrangement  for you .