3 ms·
Houses are wired for 16A per circuit on both sides of the pond, with high-power appliances typically pulling around 10A to avoid tripping the fuse when somethin
by wongarsu 2y ago
Houses are wired for 16A per circuit on both sides of the pond, with high-power appliances typically pulling around 10A to avoid tripping the fuse when something else is turned on at the same time. It's just a nice point where wires are easy to handle, plugs are compact, and everything is relatively cheap.
The US could have toasters and hair dryers that work as well as European ones if everything was wired for 32A, but you only do that for porch heaters or electric vehicle chargers.
- mystified5016 2y agoNo, the standard in the US is 15 or 20A. 20 is more popular nowadays. 240V appliances typically get a 35 or 50A circuit. But then you also have to deal with the fact that a lot of homes have wiring that can only handle 10A, but someone has replaced the glass fuse with a 20A breaker. Fun stuff.
- bardak 2y agoI still haven't seen a single 20A domestic appliance though
- mjevans 2y agoI have, though it's semi-prosumer equipment. The largest UPS systems for standard systems, like someone might want for a small home-lab rack, can be found with 20A 120V plugs that work in normal outlets; if they're on a 20A rated circuit like a kitchen refrigerator or bathroom sink outlet (the two most common sorts in rental units). I suspect some beauty products might also use 20A, or in combination easily reach that.
- bcoates 2y agoVery common in light commercial applications but almost unheard of in residential because nobody installs nema 20a sockets in houses even if the circuit can handle it