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From: Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: British (european?) kitchen counter electric outlets
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2024 10:05:44 -0700
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On 6/9/2024 9:01 AM, Liz Tuddenham wrote:
> Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:
> 
>> On 6/8/2024 11:57 PM, Liz Tuddenham wrote:
>   [...]
>>> There are generally
>>> fewer electrical gadgets in UK kitchens and those which are used less
>>> often are stored away in cupboards and only brought out and plugged in
>>> when needed, so a smaller number of outlets is usually sufficient.
>>
>> Any "major appliances" (stove/oven, dishwasher, refrigerator) tend to
>> have dedicated outlets (and dedicated circuits).  I suspect a
>> microwave oven would be the most common appliance that is constantly
>> powered in a US kitchen.
> 
> Electric cookers are invariably wired-in permanently with their own
> dedicated spur from the fuse box or consumer unit.  This is because UK
> cookers have tended to be standalone units with (for intance) four top
> rings, a grill and an oven.  With everything switched on (such as
> preparing Christmas dinner) they can draw over 12 kW.

Yes, the stovetop on ours can dissipate 9KW (1200+1200+3600+3000+100W)
with another 4KW (max(3000,4200,1300)) in the oven proper.  I assume
there are some smarts in the appliance to "schedule" the drive to individual
heating elements.

(I know some of the induction cooktops only plan on two elements being
active concurrently -- no doubt to save on drive electronics.  But, I
don't know if they are smart enough to time-division multiplex the drive
so that all of the stovetop burners can be used at reduced duty cycle)

> They must have a two-pole isolating switch located close to, but not
> directly above, them.  Often these isolators also have a built-in single
> socket which is handy for an electric kettle or similar appliance that
> is used frequently and needs to be kept near the cooker.

Virtually all "circuit protection devices" are remotely located, here,
in the load center -- near where the main service enters the home.
(some kitchens may have a sub-panel to economize on wiring).  But,
in general, appliances would have their own "power switches" as
part of their design -- assuming the notion of "OFF" makes sense.

To support "old work", one can purchase GFCI receptacles that can
provide that functionality at the outlet (instead of in the load
center).  If located as the "first" (closest, electrically, to the
load center) outlet, the balance of the outlets on that branch
circuit can be protected as "loads" to that first unit.

I've been reviewing "electric kettles" to make boiling water
independant from the stove -- to reduce the wear and tear on the
(hard to replace) heating element in the stovetop AND to minimize
the chance of boilover (which necessitates a cleaning of the stovetop)
I also think this may reduce the amount of heat thrown into the
kitchen in the process.

> In the last 20 years there has been a trend towards separate units in
> different locations for the various function of a cooker, so some of the
> lower-power units can be fed from a socket instead of being permanently
> wired-in.

One can purchase separate stovetops and ovens, here.  But, the stovetop
tends to be the lion's share of the power consumption (see above).

You can buy a small "single burner" heating element (like to heat a
pot of water) but it would tend to be slower in doing so (e.g., I
boil water -- half a gallon at a time -- on the stove's 3600W element
set to HIGH).

Kitchens tend to attract "gadgets".  But, experience will teach you not
to indulge those whims if you are concerned with where to site or store
them!  E.g., my cavatelli maker hides in the garage for 350+ days out
of the year (cuz making cavatelli from scratch is too tedious to do
that often!).  Ditto pizelle maker, pasta maker, cannoli tubes,
artichoke stands, cheese/meat grinder, bread pans, casserole dishes,
etc.  WHEN you need them, they are invaluable.  But, the rest of the
time, they are just "things" begging for a place to hide!

This can get tedious with some of the larger bits of kit (e.g., the stand
mixer is large and bulky and TOO OFTEN finds its way back into the
kitchen:  "I'm getting too old for this shit!"

[Our kitchen (food prep area) is relatively small -- ~150 sq ft.  So,
the storage space there is precious.  And, is relatively easy to fill
when you consider flatware, kitchen utensils, pots/pans, foodstuffs,
etc. that you rely on EVERY day.  Counterspace doubly so as you don't
want to sacrifice parts of it to storing larger devices if not going
to be used regularly.  (We discarded our countertop toaster/convection
oven in favor of a stove with dual ovens just to reclaim that bit of 
counterspace!  When I bake cookies, I rely on the top of SWMBOs 42x54"
"map cabinet" for an extra 16 sq ft of cooling racks!)]

> Refrigerators and microwave ovens will work off a 13 amp socket, so they
> are rarely 'plumbed-in'   ...but the socket may be located on the wall
> directly behind them and inacessible unless the appliance is moved out
> first.

Refrigerators often have a dedicated branch circuit so the circuit
isn't accidentally tripped, putting those foodstuffs at risk.
None of our appliances require tools to "disconnect"; each
has some form of plug/socket arrangement -- though access to
it may be difficult (e.g., pull out the stove, refrigerator,
dishwasher to gain access)

Microwave ovens are just countertop appliances (in most cases; some
are wired in place but most are as replaceable as a toaster).
We moved our microwave onto a different branch circuit to increase
the margin available on the countertop circuits.

> Washing machines and dishwashers are plumbed-in for water and waste but
> they are usually restricted to 3 kW and will therefore work off a 13 amp
> socket.  The arrangement of water hoses, taps and fittings close to a
> 240v power point is an uncomfortable one, but doesn't seem to cause much
> trouble in practice.

Some homes will have "instant hot water" (a small, tankless electric water
heater that can bring small quantities of water to "boiling" nearly instantly.
This dispensed via an additional spigot on the sink).  Others may have
a "real" hot water heater under each sink -- this to reduce the time to
having hot water at that location.  E.g., it's probably a 40ft run UNDERGROUND
from our water heater to any of the loads it services.

> I heard from a domestic appliance manufacturer with international sales
> that the models for America, the UK and Europe differ in the design of
> the casing.  The American models are designed to make more noise, as
> this gives the impression they are powerful.  The UK models are quieter
> to give the impression of efficiency and the European models are
> super-quiet to give the impression of environmental friendliness.
> 
> I don't know how true that is, but it is an interesting view on national
> psychology.

This depends on the company's positioning.  Some products (dishwashers,
washing machines) are advertised as "quiet".  It is a means of
distinguishing between different product offerings within a manufacturer's
line.  We, for example, have to rely on "alarms" for these devices
to tell us when they are "done".  And, the alarms are hardly large enough
to be heard throughout the house -- being "one-time" events, if you don't
hear it when it alarms, you miss it completely:  "Has my wash finished?"

Many other products intentionally -- and obviously -- attempt to deceive.
Witness "puffy" pickup trucks that are just lots of air behind their
sheetmetal skins.  Garbage disposals tend to have a similarly sized motor
encased in a (hollow) plastic outer skin to make them APPEAR heftier.  etc.