Wall Socket electricity outlet - Load configuration?

[fonebone]

I have a room with just a double wall socket for electricity. There is a basic four-way 13amp fused extension lead plugged into each socket -

2 extension leads total.

Extension 1 has the computer (5amp fuse) and monitor (5amp fuse) Extension 2 has the computer loudspeakers (13amp fuse) very nice.

Winter is around the corner and I would like to plug in my little Halogen Heater somewhere (13amp fuse) without overloading anything.

a) Computer and Monitor are on all day. b) Loudspeakers are on intermittantly throughout the day (web browsing) and maybe an hour in the evening if I'm lucky although the volume is mostly low and never loud. c) The heater has three 400w settings, presumably 1200w total. When it is on at all it is usually just 400w. On my birthday it might be upped to 800w. I can't remember it ever being used at 1200w. d) I don't know anything about electricity.

Thanks in advance

[meow2222]

you can plug it into either x lead quite happily.

NT

[fonebone]

Many thanks meow2222, but I was hoping for a little extra cream on top of the milk by way of easing my concerns.. this isn't woodwork we are talking about, by the way.. lol

[Phil L]

So you have four outlets on each lead making eight sockets in total, but you are only using 2 on 1 lead and one on the other?

I have a four socket lead too, this is what's in mine;

1) double adapter taking speakers and printer 2) monitor 3) double adapter taking pc tower and cable modem 4 double adapter taking router and desk fan

seven items in total and I'll bet combined they don't take as much electricity as a TV and VCR...my advice: plug all your computer related stuff into one extension lead and your heater in the other

[Owain]

All of which probably isn't more than about 600 watts in total.

What I would suggest is buying a 6 or 8 way extension and plugging all the computery bits into that, on one half of the double socket.

Then plug the heater into the other half of the double socket.

You don't have to, but it would be good practice to not plug a heater into a multi-way socket.

And you won't accidentally unplug the computer instead of the heater.

A small fan heater is probably better at warming the whole you than a halogen heater.

You can run about 3,000 watts off a 13amp extension lead or about 4,000 watts off a double socket (they aren't actually rated at 2 x 13A).

Owain

[fonebone]

Yup. Computer and Monitor in one and Speakers in the other. I am thinking of going with the fire on 400W and Speakers on low volume with contributions to the local Fire Brigade Christmas Fund

[fonebone]

Yup. Computer and Monitor in one and Speakers in the other. I am thinking of adding the fire on 400W to the Speakers on low volume with contributions to the local Fire Brigade Christmas Fund

[meow2222]

just add up the power ratings of all appliances, youre way under 3.1kW or 13A.

NT

[fonebone]

Many thanks Owain & Meow - exactly the info I was looking for.

[Ian Stirling]

Speaking personally. I'd plug extension 2 into extension 1, replace the fuse in extension 1 with a 5A fuse, and plug all the computery stuff into that. And replace monitor/computer/loudspeaker fuses with 2A.

And fire into other socket.

This is not strictly needed - but it slightly reduces the likelyhood of the main breaker tripping on a blowing fuse, and can reduce severity of damage to equipment on faults.