Adding and removing! panel heaters

[paulh53]

Plug & FCU fuses Come in 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, & 13 amp ranges,
But only the 3, 5, & 13 amp fuses are commonly available,
I think "RS" still supply the 1, 7, & 10 amp,

 

[mapj1]

As a heater is very unlikely to fault to a marginal overload, rather than catastrophic short, and assuming the feed cable will be up to it, a 13A fuse will be fine in practice, and avoids problems with cold inrush (not that i'd expect much from a storage heater, as the absolute temperature range isn't that great.)

Actually a typical 5 A fuse will never reliably blow at 5.4 amps, but it will dissipate over a watt, and probably oxidise and burn its contacts over time.

As an aside this is a serious problem with some designs of cheaper moulded plug, as the heat can't get out and when people have fitted the lower rated fuse 'to make things safer' they actually introduce a greater risk.

The regs do specifically say that the over current protection need not be a close fit for fixed heaters and immersions, though without the book here now I can't quote you a page number or the form of words.

regards M.

 

[plugwash]

you missed the 2A size

maplin used to sell 2 3 5 7 10 and 13 but now only sell 3 5 and 13

rs and farnell sell the full range or 1 2 3 5 7 10 and 13 im sure CPC did too but i can find plug fuses on thier site at all.

tlc have 2 3 5 10 and 13

electricalshop.net have 2 3 5 and 13

 

[AS]

Thanks for that, I knew the heater was closer to 5A and that was what was confusing me as the 13A fuse seemed so much larger. Hadn't seen 7A or 10A fuses but will try those places and use one of them.
Cheers

 

[andy]

Thanks for that, I knew the heater was closer to 5A and that was what was confusing me as the 13A fuse seemed so much larger. Hadn't seen 7A or 10A fuses but will try those places and use one of them.
Cheers

i would just use 13A. most heaters do since there more popular

 

[AS]

Ok -will use 13A,
Thanks