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Too Many Sockets?

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katerich48 | 15:21 Sun 08th Nov 2015 | DIY
9 Answers
Can you have to many things plugged in, in a kitchen I have the usual - oven, hob, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, and an assortment of wall electrical sockets - my question is: now I want a tumble dryer in there my son-in-law thinks No its too many big electrical things in there and they will start to blow! I think he's wrong as I had a tumble dryer in one of my kitchens years ago...Any advice would be helpful..
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In the absence of an electrician's answer, I reckon that you'll be OK if you put a tumble dryer in. Just don't switch everything in the kitchen on at once!
15:25 Sun 08th Nov 2015
In the absence of an electrician's answer, I reckon that you'll be OK if you put a tumble dryer in. Just don't switch everything in the kitchen on at once!
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Thanks Bookbinder..
As long as you haven't got them all heaped up on a single-socket and you have your kitchen on it's own 'ring' you should be ok.

As bookbinder says, I wouldn't switch everything on at once to test the theory, though...
Glad I could help.
its not the sockets per se. Its the fuse in the fuse box that will blow if you try to run too many things at once. I have got 20 sockets in my kitchen plus the fridge freezer, cooker, washing machine, boiler and dishwasher, but when the kitchen was fitted, this was taken into account when the sockets were wired in. Its when further sockets are added after the kitchen is set up, or when plug in multi sockets are used as well as all the other sockets and everything is switched on at once.
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Thanks JTH...
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Woolfgang - thanks for your answer - but you've lost me - far too technical...Will have to get someone to explain and check out fuse box? But thanks anyway..
The oven and hob should be on a separate circuit from all the other appliances.

Of the others only the kettle, dishwasher and washing machine take a large current; even then only for the time they are heating up the water. The ring main is man enough to take two of them at the same time as well as the fridge.
IF the wiring was installed correctly then any overload would result in a tripped circuit breaker at most.However if its been designed and wired incorrect then overheating of the circuit cables ...or worse, could result.Did the last electrical inspection reveal any issues?

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