what really happens with an overload

[gnubie]

Another clip someone may find interesting, 30A wire fuse. Note the current and interval before it breaks. Now think back to that cheapie AC fan you bought from China and the ludicrously thin wire in its cord. Which will happen first? Your 15A (15A is the typical GPO circuit rating in Australia, USA is 20A IIRC) AC fuse / breaker opens, or the fan cord catches on fire and burns your house down.

 

[JoeHam]

I would suggest steel toed flip flops for a test like that ?

 

[Supervstech]

FYI, USA has 3 types of residential circuit.
Common is 15A 120V
Outdoor, and kitchens/dining rooms have 20A 120V
Laundry has 20A 120V, and 30A 240V
Garages can have any amperage 240V circuits, and 20A 120V outlets.

 

[gnubie]

15A is your plug/outlet rating though, right? The cabling and breaker behind it has higher, ie one can have more than one outlet on a circuit even when taking into consideration diverse loads.

Standard outlets (a single General Purpose Outlet, GPO) here are rated at 10A but the wiring and fuse behind the circuit, which may have several outlets ie several outlets in a single wall plate/separate outlets in different rooms etc, being rated at 15A.

 

[Supervstech]

15A is your plug/outlet rating though, right? The cabling and breaker behind it has higher, ie one can have more than one outlet on a circuit even when taking into consideration diverse loads.

Standard outlets (a single General Purpose Outlet, GPO) here are rated at 10A but the wiring and fuse behind the circuit, which may have several outlets ie several outlets in a single wall plate/separate outlets in different rooms etc, being rated at 15A.

Nope.
The circuit will have a single 15A breaker on the entire run, and there may be anywhere from 1 to 30 receptacles on that circuit... all unprotected further... unless a surge strip plugged in has its own breaker...

 

[gnubie]

Sometimes I wonder who wrote your standards. Sometimes paranoid, sometimes fire is OK.

 

[Supervstech]

Sometimes I wonder who wrote your standards. Sometimes paranoid, sometimes fire is OK.

Yep...
At least it is only 120V at the outlet here... so that 15A circuit with #14 copper wiring only has 1800 watts maximum before tripping.

 

[gnubie]

Yet... no service fuse on mains leadin to premises. Don't worry, if there's a short the wires will melt off the house and break the circuit.

 

[Supervstech]

Yet... no service fuse on mains leadin to premises. Don't worry, if there's a short the wires will melt off the house and break the circuit.

Depending on the transformer load, there are catastrophic fuses on the drop to the house, and there is a main breaker at the line input to the house in the main panel.

 

[gnubie]

Did you mention this catastrophic fuse on the leadin last time service fuses were bought up?