How to find out how many amps are in a 220V socket?

Few people come to the study of the question "and how many amperes in the socket" of idle curiosity. Usually this kind of problems arise during repair or if something has ceased to function. Nothing remains, how to remember how many amperes in a 220V socket.

What are machines?

The easiest way, as you can find out the necessary information, is to look at the machine on the sockets. How many amperes, it is indicated by large numbers directly on the front side.

In civil engineering, nominal values of 6 A, 10 A, 16 A, 25 A, 40 A and 63 A are most often used, although there are others.

Calculations

If a person knows the allocated power for a certain electrical line, then how many amperes in a 220 volt socket can be learned by applying a simple formula. Theoretically, everyone had to meet with her in the school course of physics.

As is known, power is the result of multiplying voltage by current. In the classical version it looks approximately like P = U * A. How much amp in the socket is calculated by dividing. A formula of the form A = P / U should be obtained.

For clarity of calculations, how many amperes in a 220V socket in Russia, we substitute numbers. Let us assume that the allocated power of the line is 1.32 kW. Accordingly, in order to find out how many amperes in a 1320 W socket we will divide by 220 volts. We get 6 A.

How to choose an outlet

Before you go for a purchase, you need to find out how much the amp socket can withstand. Knowing this is not just important, but necessary. If it is not taken into account, how many amperes in the socket can be used as much as possible, extremely unpleasant consequences are possible - cable fusion, damage to metal parts, and then - a short circuit.

Before buying, you need to read the technical documentation for the device that will be connected.

The most important thing that the consumer should be interested in is the power of the device.

According to the modern standard for home networks, an ordinary socket should correspond to a value of sixteen amperes.

Is this a lot or a little? Let us return to the formula. Sixteen amperes are multiplied by two hundred and twenty volts and we get three and a half kilowatts.

For the sake of interest, let's go through the power of the main household appliances. Depending on the model and characteristics, the indicators may vary, but in general for powerful consumers they look like this:

• Air conditioning - up to one and a half kW.
• Washing machine - one kW.
• Iron - two kW.
• Fan heater - two kW.
• Oil heater - two kW.
• The boiler is two kW.
• Microwave - one kW.
• Multivarka - one kW.
• Vacuum cleaner - up to kW.
• Electric boiler for heating - from 3 kW.
• Electric stove - from 3 kW.

Judging by the sample, for the overwhelming majority of powerful, not to mention the lamps, floor lamps, fans and similar insignificant appliances, the sixteen amp outlets are enough with a margin.

However, there are always exceptions. An electric stove, especially induction, can consume five and nine kW. And although you understand that the socket can withstand only 16 amperes (3.5 kW), but you really want to include it. What to do in such cases and how to avoid it?

Protection

It has already been mentioned above that a mismatch of the rated current that a socket can withstand, will lead to a short circuit.

For even the theoretical exclusion of such an action, which can lead to serious consequences, three systems of protection are used at once.

1. Sockets have a different shape, like the plug of the device. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it is not possible to connect the equipment to the household network because of the difference in standards.
2. Cable cross-section.
3. Automatic protection.

If everything is clear with the first point, then the second and third question should be considered in more detail.

General information about the cable

The attentive reader must have noticed that all the cables are different. The most important difference is the metal from which the vein consists. Long ago, at the dawn of electrification, steel was used. But from the fragile, unreliable metal with the big losses in due course have refused.

In Soviet construction, aluminum was used. Not the most flexible metal, which can also break down during repair, but, nevertheless, he performed his function fairly satisfactorily and was pleased with the low price. However, his time has passed.

Inside a modern residential building, according to the standard, only copper wiring can be used. And it's far from the prejudices of builders and inspectors. In the event of a short circuit, the yellow metal melts at temperatures above 1,000 degrees and aluminum melts slightly over 600. When is the fire more likely?

It is worth noting that such strict requirements only apply to civil construction. In all other cases, aluminum is used quite often.

Cable cross-section

Again, it is worth remembering the course of physics and to understand that the thicker the cable, the greater the current for a home socket it can withstand.

Calculate this value can be, but this is a long and boring occupation, so we will use the results of scientists who did this before us.

In the home socket, the holes for insertion are made ideally under a cross section of 2.5 square millimeters. Why is that?

We look at the copper table. At 2.5 square millimeters, a maximum of almost six kilowatts and a current of twenty-seven amperes can occur. For a value of one and a half, these figures are one and a half times less. Each connection must have a certain power margin for safety reasons. But too much cross section will contribute to absolutely unnecessary losses of electricity. We need an ideal balance, which was found.

So even if someone is lucky to include a very powerful device in a socket with a maximum power of sixteen amperes, nothing will happen to the cable, because it is laid with a margin. However, for the plastic and hardware itself, this connection can be fatal.

For this, the third protection is provided.

Circuit breaker

All of us, even secretly from ourselves, are trying to deceive someone. If there are not enough outlets in the room, and there are many devices, sooner or later they will need to be turned on at one time. Most often this happens in winter. Ports and adapters are not the best friends. The increased load, as we remember, will end badly both for the outlet and for the cable to which it is connected.

To protect against this deception, an automatic machine is created, it is also a package. Inside this simple mechanism is a membrane or spring, or other device that heats up.

If the current passing through the machine exceeds the nominal value of the machine, it turns off, thereby protecting the home from a fire. The operating value can be restored exclusively manually by clicking the toggle switch.

A standard machine for a cable is 2.5 square millimeters, from which, ideally, the sockets in the living room are powered - sixteen amperes, or 16 A * 220 V = 3.5 kW.

For one and a half squares, which are usually used for lighting, 10 A or 2.2 kW.

In principle, there is nothing to prevent the machine from putting a 2.5 square millimeter on the cable, say, six amperes. It will be switched off when the load exceeds 1.3 kW. But the standard is still used 16 A - in this case the use of electrical energy is the most balanced and safe.

Conclusion

Electricity is extremely interesting and tightens with the head. The main thing is to understand it. If, after reading the article, the principle of choosing a power outlet is not understood, it is better to contact a professional for advice and installation. The electrician, like the sapper, is mistaken once.