extensionleads and potential fire?

[Bio boy]

so i have a 4 way timer plugged in the wall 2 plugs,

to reach my room up its 10meters,
am i safe using 13amp 10m extension leads x4 singles into the timer to lead to the lights?

im using hlg350x3 and a bxex led 450,

each would have their own cable to the timer as it seems better even though rated the wire would handle it all on 1, there is 4 plugs and that reduces energy in each wire if i use all 4 or thats my logic,

ive no otherway to reach the plugs ?

 

[Onboard]

Just try and feel if the cables get hot to the touch?

EDIT: Four separate extension leads should be totally fine, because the load on each will be very moderate.

 

[Elmer Bud]

Never leave the leads in a coil while powered up .
Creates induction and heat .

 

[Ca++]

By the book, you could have a single 13a 4way up to your room, and have the timer in the room, with both it's plugs into the 4way. That single 10 meter 13a extension, would be running at half capacity.

Alternately you could run an extension up for each of the timers plugs. So that's timer in the room, and two leads through the house. Both running around 25% capacity.

Remember you will probably want more power in the room, than just lighting. So having two leads, each with over 2000w spare capacity, should be nice for that emergency aquavac session.

Running 4 lots of 13A is getting excessive. That is a 12000w cabling job, for 1500w.
If a wire is loose, it's going to burn. So at a certain point, we want to limit the number of connections we make. So moving from 2 leads, to 4 leads, might just double the chance of failure.

What you might want to do, is look for an extension that uses 2.5mm2 or at the very least 1.5mm2 as they might try to sell you 1.25mm2
The 2.5mm is special, but it's a lot more copper. In the event of a heating contact, it can save the day by keeping it cooler.

If the wall outlet aging, think about changing it. Especially if it's on a hall or landing, where people plug in hoovers then start tugging at them.
Most important, is to check for warmth. Perhaps after an hour, then a few hours, then a day, then weekly. Fix the cables so they are not pulling on plugs and sockets, and if you do snag one, then check up on it.
Periodically unplug and reinstate. Perhaps between grows. Few of us do this, but the wiping action is good for the contacts. If might also showing fracturing of wall sockets, hidden by the plug. That is very common where failures are found.

Edit: WTF is "If might also showing fracturing of wall sockets" lol

 

[Neferhotep]

you could run an extension up for each of the timers plugs. So that's timer in the room, and two leads through the house.

That is what I would do in this context.

 

[Ca++]

That is what I would do in this context.

Probably the best move.

My last burn out must be a whole two weeks ago. A 10 amp relay used at 0.3 amp, for over 10 years.
Full disclosure, It was running a 60w pump, not the 30w it was designed for. That is a 2400w relay though. As it melted, I reworked the board to carry a hell of a lot more. Just to get it running. I need to trash the whole thing and do it better. I can't even buy the soldered in relays as they are out of production. This isn't how I make things that need rapid repairs. Look at the fucking mess I made, rushing to get the thing back in service

That's some foul shit right there, but pebbles don't stay wet for long.

 

[Neferhotep]

Look at the fucking mess

You are a fucking genius!
If it works, it works. But I can't oversee what's behind the circuit board. You know what to do better than me.

 

[Bio boy]

By the book, you could have a single 13a 4way up to your room, and have the timer in the room, with both it's plugs into the 4way. That single 10 meter 13a extension, would be running at half capacity.

Alternately you could run an extension up for each of the timers plugs. So that's timer in the room, and two leads through the house. Both running around 25% capacity.

Remember you will probably want more power in the room, than just lighting. So having two leads, each with over 2000w spare capacity, should be nice for that emergency aquavac session.

Running 4 lots of 13A is getting excessive. That is a 12000w cabling job, for 1500w.
If a wire is loose, it's going to burn. So at a certain point, we want to limit the number of connections we make. So moving from 2 leads, to 4 leads, might just double the chance of failure.

What you might want to do, is look for an extension that uses 2.5mm2 or at the very least 1.5mm2 as they might try to sell you 1.25mm2
The 2.5mm is special, but it's a lot more copper. In the event of a heating contact, it can save the day by keeping it cooler.

If the wall outlet aging, think about changing it. Especially if it's on a hall or landing, where people plug in hoovers then start tugging at them.
Most important, is to check for warmth. Perhaps after an hour, then a few hours, then a day, then weekly. Fix the cables so they are not pulling on plugs and sockets, and if you do snag one, then check up on it.
Periodically unplug and reinstate. Perhaps between grows. Few of us do this, but the wiping action is good for the contacts. If might also showing fracturing of wall sockets, hidden by the plug. That is very common where failures are found.

Edit: WTF is "If might also showing fracturing of wall sockets" lol

nothing is ever warm,
thanksyou buddy, yeah i use heavy duty extension leads 2.5mm i already have them there been up there 3 years al my other electrics are on a different circuit , this is just for the lights,

so atm timers in teh bedroom wall, and 4 extension leads run up into loft and i plug in the leds to the lead.. i was told doing this i am risking a fire, but having what you said if anything like i though i am OVER engineered ifanything protected more right ? as i though like said each lead has minimal power 350watt on it only, i saw no harm at all but was told 4 extension leads off a timer is bad by a ''pal'' i said i can understand them daisy chained being bad but there not.

i didnt dare fire up the 4th light, so your saying i am safe and go for it right

 

[Elmer Bud]

nothing is ever warm,
thanksyou buddy, yeah i use heavy duty extension leads 2.5mm i already have them there been up there 3 years al my other electrics are on a different circuit , this is just for the lights,

so atm timers in teh bedroom wall, and 4 extension leads run up into loft and i plug in the leds to the lead.. i was told doing this i am risking a fire, but having what you said if anything like i though i am OVER engineered ifanything protected more right ? as i though like said each lead has minimal power 350watt on it only, i saw no harm at all but was told 4 extension leads off a timer is bad by a ''pal'' i said i can understand them daisy chained being bad but there not.

i didnt dare fire up the 4th light, so your saying i am safe and go for it right

Residual Current Device is a must .
Dunno if they are mandatory where you are . But water and electricity are not a good mix . Shut`s the power down faster than you can blink an eye if there is a leakage .
Do you own a fire extinguisher ?

 

[Wolverine97]

Never leave the leads in a coil while powered up .
Creates induction and heat .

ask me how I learned this

 

[Ca++]

There are no guarantees in this world. From a technical viewpoint, a single 4way 2.5mm extension up to the room, could have the timer up there, with both it's plugs into that single 4way.
Then you could stick another 4 lights on that single 4way extension, and it would still be fine. One lead, 8 lights.

What you are doing, is in no way overloading. You are doing nothing wrong, that can be held against you. Except introducing a lot of unnecessary connections. Which is perfectly legal, but I wouldn't advise it. The problem is, that burnt board I just showed. A connection running at a 30th of it's intended load, got dirty and baked. Every connection is a possible failure point, so using 4 leads where one is enough, isn't making it much better. If you continue, then swap the 13a fuses in the 4 extensions, for 3a. The plug fuse is a thermal device, so by swapping in a 3a, you are swapping in a protective device (fuse) that will blow with less heat input. This 3a fuse gives you near 750w (it wont actually blow at 1000) and you have used about half it's capacity with one light. This means, it's a lot closer to blowing if things get warm, than a 13a fuse is. A 13a has too much over capacity. It's not illegal, but when you really want to engineer the fuck out of it, it's worth £2.20 for a 10 pack in screwfix.

I must give a due nod of thoughtful respect to the 2.5mm extensions.

As a side note, you probably could plug all 4 together, in a 40m long daisychain. Then still plug all your lights in the end. Twice. Though I would have to prove it for flex, it's a standard circuit in fixed installations. I just couldn't take that many plugs and sockets seriously. Legal or not. Which is the basis of the Christmas adverts that have your mate worried.

 

[Elmer Bud]

ask me how I learned this

If you must tidy up a power cord .
Use a figure 8 pattern . It breaks up the coil action . I once did a gig with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers .
One of my jobs was to run out the power cables for the concert lighting rig . The cable was a thick as my thigh . The boss instructed me to coil the left over cable in a figure 8 . I asked why ? He explained coils cause induction .