Widow maker - Why the Caterers

[SUNRAY]

Today a fete, their booking form includes the electric 'hook-up' requirements, I was sent scans of the 5 stalls requiring power, including this one:

Seeing them requesting a 13A socket I assumed the microwave oven to be 0.8KW

I positioned a 4 way 16A splitter box behind this catering stall with a ~3m 16A to 4 way 13A for them, plus 2 16A leads to feed 2 others further along the line.

The caterers turned up, set up their 2 gas barbies and gas urn and hooked up their power. When I checked in on them their kit consisted of their 13A to 16A adapter cable, 16A to 4 way 13A ~10m long, microwave oven and 6ft LED batten plugged into it. Roughly this:

When I saw what they had done I replugged without the 2 middle leads:

And they didn't understand why I removed their adapter cable. I truly don't know how but unpacking later I found it in my vehicle.

 

[ericmark]

I see the problem here, ⁣

but what is the problem here

the 4 way adaptor has a fuse, but this one

has no fuse in the socket strip so relying on your fuse/MCB/RCBO.

 

[SUNRAY]

The 4 ways are stock pics off the web, I chose 2 pics at random to make them look different.

I only removed mine while getting their 'adapter cable' out of the way.

The origin of the temporaries was 13A sockets in the hall so none of it was heavy duty. FWIW the 4 other stalls had similarly requested 13A sockets and they plugged their items directly into my sockets.

 

[AdrianUK]

I feel your pain!

I spent a good number of my (younger) years on doing generation & distribution on the UK Music Festival circuit.

Caterers always seemed to be the ones coming up with most...... "inventive" solutions to the power issues - anything from 16A male -males ("'cos you can't get a panel mount inlet to for the unit, mate" ... really? Have you tried a Caravan shop?) to a 'reverse' 32A to 2 x 16A splitter becuase using a single 16A kept tripping the breaker.

I remember one radio call to a Caterer who was complaining that there was "something wrong" with our power because his 'fridges weren't cooling the soft drinks. He was adamant it was "bad power". It didn't take long to work out what the issue was .... He had pallets of soft drinks out in the hot August sun behind his unit. His assistants were busy unpacking & placing the cans into a glass fronted 'fridge..... no sooner had they shut the door than another assistant would open it again & sell the drink! I wonder why they didn't cool from +30C to 5C in 10 seconds? He just couldn't see the problem!

 

[ericmark]

I remember Hong Kong, you took a can out of a fridge in the Park & Shop, and within seconds a replacement was put in from the other side of the fridge, you couldn't change one's mind and put it back. Not seen that system in the UK.

 

[Why Not Indeed]

I've seen it in Costco in the UK [not with cans though], their fridges and freezers are filled from the back].