16A cable into 32A socket

prv said:
It does, however, have a lot to do with the current potentially available to flow through the cable.

Pete
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sailorman said:
it would still be protected by an RCD in the pillar
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An RCD has nothing to do with protection against high current.
It is a device to detect and trip in the event small ( usually 30mA ) earth leakage currents as a means of preventing electrocution. The max current ratting of an RCD is merely the maximum current it is rated to carry. You need a fuse or an mcb to protect against high current flow arising from short circuits or simply overload.

The fuse or circuit breaker on 32 amps supply socket should trip if 32 amps is exceeded. However if all the down stream wiring and other components cannot safely handle 32 amps they are at some risk.
 
VicS said:
An RCD has nothing to do with protection against high current.
It is a device to detect and trip in the event small ( usually 30mA ) earth leakage currents as a means of preventing electrocution. The max current ratting of an RCD is merely the maximum current it is rated to carry. You need a fuse or an mcb to protect against high current flow arising from short circuits or simply overload.

The fuse or circuit breaker on 32 amps supply socket should trip if 32 amps is exceeded. However if all the down stream wiring and other components cannot safely handle 32 amps they are at some risk.
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if connected to a vessel via a 16amp adapter & correct size cable,the vessel will no doubt have the correct mcb`s in its consumer unit. mine are 10amp
 
GrahamM376 said:
Unless the marina is breaking all regs. it doesn't matter. The supply point in the marina should have MCBs for each socket and an RCD protecting the lot, usually 2 or 4 sockets. Any short or imbalance such as leakage to ground on the shore lead or boat would isolate the shore lead instantly.

ADD - Don't forget the household ring main has 32A breakers and no-one worries about plugging a 0.5mm cable in.
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It should be protected by the correct size of fuse in the plug. ........... If not they should worry.
In a situation where appliances are subject to PAT they should fail if they do not have the incorrect fuse fitted in the plug.
 
VicS said:
It should be protected by the correct size of fuse in the plug. ........... If not they should worry.
In a situation where appliances are subject to PAT they should fail if they do not have the incorrect fuse fitted in the plug.
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Agreed but the same safety criteria "should" apply to boats as well although many don't. Usually, any overload at the boat end will trip the marina MCBs which are usually 16A but, if someone has installed several (say) 16A MCBs on their boat and are plugged in to a 32A shoreside power socket then there is the potential to warm up an inadequate shore power cable.

This is a typical consumer unit which many use on boats, with 2 x 32A + 1 x 6A MCB which clearly has the potential to overload undersized cables - http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-3-way...- Electrical&gclid=CLr0oeXW2cECFY_ItAodMV0AGA
 
GrahamM376 said:
And with 2 pin plugs with a 50/50 chance of reversed polarity.
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Just because it is done doesn't mean it is the best idea.

When I have stuck a meter on continental sockets it seemed to me that neutral was not taken to earth as it often is in the UK either at the substation or elsewhere. So therefore polarity would not be important. Not sure whether they use double pole breakers and switches more.

There may also be differences in the way that power is generated or distributed that mitigate risk.
 
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we have a variety of adaptors and plugs. 63Amps (Palma) 32A and 16A

So the main 32amp boat wires have a 16am plug on them (shoreside)and we have gone through an adaptor up to 63A before in Palma and we had no problems.

Usually I have 16am plugs on the ends of the 32amp wires for ease. I have step up adaptors for 32amp sockets but for AC I always have a wire with 32amp otherwise it shuts down the breaker.
 
sailorman said:
re read#12, what is supplied from the marina pillar has nothing to do with thew price of eggs
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?? I didn'realise I knew you, your memory is good. My father gave up the egg trade in 1973, I can still remember our packing station number which was printed on each egg under he lion. Sadly I lost interest in the price of eggs when I went to become a theatre electrician, after 40 years on the technical side the entertainment and event industry I had to look at an Aldi receipt to tell me the last ones I bought recently were 99P.

Viewing on a mobile phone does not give me post numbers , I can't be bothered to check that my comments, primarily addressed the OP were so totally irrelavent. If they were I apologise.
 
VicS said:
It should be protected by the correct size of fuse in the plug. ........... If not they should worry.
In a situation where appliances are subject to PAT they should fail if they do not have the incorrect fuse fitted in the plug.
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Yes, that's the case in UK but in most other parts of the world, the circuits are only protected at the distribution panel. Individual appliances do not have any fuses fitted in their plugs....
We have a selection of adapters on board to cope with the normal 16 and 32 amp sockets, along with ordinary two pin domestic sockets and the like. Amazing what you can find in the quieter back waters of Greece. We also carry a couple of two way adapters to cope with the fairly frequent all sockets taken situation. Yes, I know it's not ideal but it work for us, along with a polarity checker.
 
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Anyone remember those plugs you could get for plugging into bayonet lamp holders?

I like fuses, no 'moving'parts to seize. But you don't want to be fusing the neutral by mistake. So maybe a sealed box with a breaker in it is best?
I do have a 32 to 16A adapting lead.
It's 'safe enough' but I'm not sure I'd go around lending to people.....
 
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