Wow, things have been busy in this thread! [Linked Image]

I think quite a few countries have tariffs which base the standing charge on the maximum capacity of the supply. This is certainly the case with EDF in France, and some installations there even have contactors which will cut out a separate heating panel when demand on other circuits increases.

I still see some 40A services (240V single-phase) in a few houses in this area, although 60 to 100A are now the most common.

Last year I even found a house which still had an old 30A service. It was quite a large old Victorian place too, with about 5 bedrooms, in each of which had been added a 1kW heater when the place had been used as a guesthouse. Add the 3kW immersion heater and an electric cooker, and I bet the PoCo made a few trips to replace the fuse.

I pulled out all the heaters and the stove was converted to gas (one of the few towns in the area with gas available), but the owner then wanted to add a 9.6kW electric shower. Sorry.......



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 10-13-2002).]