5 ms·

UK plug sockets are rated at 13 A, giving a maximum power rating of 2,990 W. Kettles are consequently amongst the highest-drawing household appliances in the UK

by cjs_ac 3y ago

UK plug sockets are rated at 13 A, giving a maximum power rating of 2,990 W. Kettles are consequently amongst the highest-drawing household appliances in the UK. Back when there were only three television channels, the National Grid planners used to pore over the Radio Times, looking for popular programmes like the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special (21 to 28 million viewers in 1977), so they could prepare for the demand surge of the entire nation putting the kettle on at the end of the programme.

quartz 3y ago
Related HN discussion about UK power demand surges due to millions of kettles being simultaneously turned on during TV breaks: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560
- AdamN 3y ago
  TV Pickup (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup) also leads to the political issue where one of the drivers of Brexit was that the 'EU' wanted to 'take away' traditional kettles because there was a proposal to embed a warm up cycle of a few seconds into the heating element so it didn't have spiky power consumption which caused very large amounts of simultaneous draw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCAzalhldg8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCAzalhldg8
Lapha 3y ago
>UK plug sockets are rated at 13 A, giving a maximum power rating of 2,990 W. Nominally, anyway. When the EU standardised mains voltages they mostly did so on paper by fudging the tolerances, UK's 240v +/- 3% became 230v -6/+10%. 28 years later and I still see the mains voltage in the 240-250v range more often than not.
jcul 3y ago
I remember discussing this during a lecture as part of my electronic engineering degree, speaking about planning for demand during half time of big football matches when everyone went and boiled the kettle at the same time.
GuB-42 3y ago
Is there a reason why European kettles are typically 2200W and UK kettles are 3000W? European plug sockets are typically rated for 16A, secured with a matching breaker and allowing for about 3500W of power. Appliances that use the full 3500W are rare but they exist, so it is not like it is illegal. So why don't Europeans get the 3000W kettles too? Maybe some people have 10A circuits, maybe this is a margin so that other appliances can be plugged in the same circuit, or maybe it is just more expensive. I have noticed that most 3000W+ appliances I can buy in France are more "professional", like what you can find in commercial kitchens or in workshops, but again, it does not mean they are not sold to consumers.
- mschuster91 3y ago
  > European plug sockets are typically rated for 16A, secured with a matching breaker and allowing for about 3500W of power. Appliances that use the full 3500W are rare but they exist, so it is not like it is illegal. So why don't Europeans get the 3000W kettles too? The British plug (and ring wiring scheme) was designed for two 13A electric heaters on a single ring, so continuous load. Meanwhile, German Schuko and the related French E plug are theoretically capable of 16A peak load, modern sockets are capable of 16A continuous load as well, but a lot of old installations and especially old sockets are rated for 10A only - so typical kettles are limited to 2200W/9.6A to leave a bit of headroom for older, more trigger-happy circuit breakers and other devices on the same circuit.
  - lb1lf 3y ago
    I think - I am an electrical engineer working in the offshore industry, so I have only superficial knowledge of shore-based installations - anyway, I seem to recall that the Norwegian electrical code calls for Schuko not being used to carry more than 10A continously, 16A intermittent. However, until relatively recently, the average residential circuit was 10A, though you could get 16A if you asked for it - typically for tumble driers, washing machines and the like - so the market for appliances requiring more than 10A was quite slim. I am sure the appliance stores didn't want to have to explain to each and every customer that the beefy kettle they had just put on the counter might not work at their house - hence, 10A appliances for all. (Incidentally, I have a 3kW kettle I bought in the UK and a couple of 16A outlets on my kitchen counter.)

by cjs_ac 3y ago

quartz 3y ago

Related HN discussion about UK power demand surges due to millions of kettles being simultaneously turned on during TV breaks: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560

AdamN 3y ago
TV Pickup (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup) also leads to the political issue where one of the drivers of Brexit was that the 'EU' wanted to 'take away' traditional kettles because there was a proposal to embed a warm up cycle of a few seconds into the heating element so it didn't have spiky power consumption which caused very large amounts of simultaneous draw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCAzalhldg8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCAzalhldg8

Lapha 3y ago

>UK plug sockets are rated at 13 A, giving a maximum power rating of 2,990 W. Nominally, anyway. When the EU standardised mains voltages they mostly did so on paper by fudging the tolerances, UK's 240v +/- 3% became 230v -6/+10%. 28 years later and I still see the mains voltage in the 240-250v range more often than not.

jcul 3y ago

I remember discussing this during a lecture as part of my electronic engineering degree, speaking about planning for demand during half time of big football matches when everyone went and boiled the kettle at the same time.

GuB-42 3y ago

Is there a reason why European kettles are typically 2200W and UK kettles are 3000W? European plug sockets are typically rated for 16A, secured with a matching breaker and allowing for about 3500W of power. Appliances that use the full 3500W are rare but they exist, so it is not like it is illegal. So why don't Europeans get the 3000W kettles too? Maybe some people have 10A circuits, maybe this is a margin so that other appliances can be plugged in the same circuit, or maybe it is just more expensive. I have noticed that most 3000W+ appliances I can buy in France are more "professional", like what you can find in commercial kitchens or in workshops, but again, it does not mean they are not sold to consumers.

mschuster91 3y ago
> European plug sockets are typically rated for 16A, secured with a matching breaker and allowing for about 3500W of power. Appliances that use the full 3500W are rare but they exist, so it is not like it is illegal. So why don't Europeans get the 3000W kettles too? The British plug (and ring wiring scheme) was designed for two 13A electric heaters on a single ring, so continuous load. Meanwhile, German Schuko and the related French E plug are theoretically capable of 16A peak load, modern sockets are capable of 16A continuous load as well, but a lot of old installations and especially old sockets are rated for 10A only - so typical kettles are limited to 2200W/9.6A to leave a bit of headroom for older, more trigger-happy circuit breakers and other devices on the same circuit.
- lb1lf 3y ago
  I think - I am an electrical engineer working in the offshore industry, so I have only superficial knowledge of shore-based installations - anyway, I seem to recall that the Norwegian electrical code calls for Schuko not being used to carry more than 10A continously, 16A intermittent. However, until relatively recently, the average residential circuit was 10A, though you could get 16A if you asked for it - typically for tumble driers, washing machines and the like - so the market for appliances requiring more than 10A was quite slim. I am sure the appliance stores didn't want to have to explain to each and every customer that the beefy kettle they had just put on the counter might not work at their house - hence, 10A appliances for all. (Incidentally, I have a 3kW kettle I bought in the UK and a couple of 16A outlets on my kitchen counter.)