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From: Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: British (european?) kitchen counter electric outlets
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2024 08:00:18 +0100
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On 10/06/2024 01:04, john larkin wrote:
> On Sun, 9 Jun 2024 23:38:28 +0100, TTman <kraken.sankey@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> On 08/06/2024 23:53, Don Y wrote:
>>> In the US, we are required (new construction) to have two dedicated 20A
>>> (2400W) circuits to service countertop "small appliances".  In addition,
>>> there is also a requirement for a relatively tight spacing between
>>> (duplex) receptacles -- the intent to keep cords short (IIRC, < 4ft...
>>> we settled on 3').
>>>
>>> SWMBO was watching a britcom and commented at how few receptacles/outlets
>>> were in evidence to serve the countertop.  Granted, each outlet is rated a
>>> fair bit higher than US (each US outlet being 2400W -- the full load rating
>>> of the branch circuit supporting it).  But, still, how do you address
>>> NUMBERS of appliances in use, concurrently -- where each appliance will
>>> likely draw only a fraction of the rated branch circuit's current so
>>> total load isn't an issue?
>>>
>>> E.g., we (presently) have a ~1KW microwave oven and a ~1KW toaster as
>>> ever-present loads.  To that, it is not uncommon to add an electric
>>> wok, hand or stand mixer, pizzelle iron, etc.  The abundance of
>>> outlets makes it easy to add appliances as well as providing flexibility
>>> over where they can be put into use.
>>>
>> We mostly fit double outlet sockets 20-30 cm above worktops on the wall.
>> Each socket ( there can be several spread around the kitchen area) can
>> supply ( in theory) 30 Amps @ 230V. Back at the main fusebox, there will
>> be a 30 Amp MCB( miniature contact breaker). All the sockets are wired
>> in a 'ring main' format to prevent excessive volt drops at any outlet. A
>> kettle will have a typical power rating of 3kW so ~13 Amps draw. Other
>> main appliances - dish washer/washing machine/oven etc mostly have thier
>> own separate supplies. Ovens will be wired using 6mm
>> cable.Microwave/toaster coffe maker will be plugged itto a wall socket
>> in the kitchen. Plugs will be fitted with either 3A/5A or 13A fuses
>> depending.
> 
> Our serious heat loads (house central heat, fireplace, water heater,
> cooktop, clothes dryer) are natural gas. It's simple and very
> reliable. Do brits commonly use gas at home?

Much more so than electricity for heating as it's much cheaper - about a 
third to one quarter of the cost.

There is a move here to get people to install air-sourced heat pumps 
instead which use electricity and are said to provide about the same 
heating as gas for a similar cost as they output about 3 - 4kWh of heat 
for every 1kWh of electricity they consume (ground-sourced heat pumps 
are more efficient but fiendishly expensive and need a lot of land). All 
this is to support the use of renewable energy from solar or wind power. 
What is often not made clear is that current heating systems will have 
to be replaced almost entirely as ASHP provide heated water at a lower 
temperature than the currently-used gas or oil burners do. This 
necessitates using much bigger radiators and/or installing underfloor 
water heating. And to be added to that is the need for better insulation 
so that heat loss is reduced.

> How much do you pay for electricity in a typical month?

How long is a piece of string? It will depend on personal preferences, 
weather conditions, how efficient the heating system is (including 
losses), etc. We have a "price cap" in the UK which - sort of - controls 
the prices of gas and electricity. From 
<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58090533>: "From 1 July until 30 
September, gas prices will be capped at 5.48p per kilowatt hour (kWh), 
and electricity at 22.36p per kWh". It would be possible to find (much) 
lower prices than those, depending on the tariff used from the company 
who supplies the power.

I'm not sure if you can see that BBC page in the USA, but if so there's 
a lot more information there.

-- 
Jeff