Given the shocking weather of late I’ve resorted to putting a tumble drier in the shed (no room in the house).

Unsurprisingly, the crappy extension lead trips out all the time, presumably as the shed is damp.

So what’s the easiest fairly cheap way to get reliable power to the shed? A quick google suggests there are a number of heavy duty extension leads that might do the job?

As I only need power occasionally I don’t fancy burying an armoured cable.

Thanks

it probably wont be the extension lead being in a damp shed – more likely to be a cheap extension lead driving a high draw appliance.

Try a good quality one.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-heavy-duty-extension-lead-1g-240v-10m/44635

Or a damp tumble drier shorting out.

How / when / where is the ‘trip’ happening – in the consumer unit? at the plug / socket? on the lead itself? (some roll up cassette extensions have a thermal cutout on them) If damp was the problem you’d expect the power to trip out when the dryer is switched on but not in action (on standby or whatever). Other than damp perhaps the dryer has been damaged when you moved it to the shed. If the lead was overloaded it would only happen when the dryer is generating lots of heat.

If the extension itself isn’t thick enough I wouldn’t expect that to trip the breaker as the lead will be preventing to big a current draw and no power would be leaking for an earth leakage trip, but some extension leads have a cutout that operates when the lead is overloaded.

Just checking – you are fully unwinding it right ?

dryers at are the limit of what your sockets can handle. 2.4Kw is about the max.

Cheers for responses.

It is the thermal cut out on the Extension that is tripping and it is fully unwound.

Ill try a heavy duty extension and see how it goes, should I get one with an Rcd?

What about one of these and some 2.5mm twin and earth cable running from the tumble dryer to a convenient socket?

I’ve seen it done in a friends house, (he was in the same situation as you). The cable runs along the bottom of the fence and no one has died yet. I’m sure some horrified sort will be along to tell you that the world will end if you do this though.

the thermal cut out may not be holding its end of the bargain if it’s old or not such an expensive make.

should I get one with an Rcd?

The thickness of the cable will be the issue with overloading – thicker the better, shorter the better – get something that’ll only just reach

The RCD is the bit that will save a life if the cable gets damaged – you want one with and RCD at the plug end in the house not the socket end in the shed as the RCD is then protecting the cable trailed through the rain as well as the appliance. If you know your arse from your elbow buy some good 16amp arctic cable, and RCD and a trailing socket and make your own extension thats no longer than it needs to be. Arctic cable keeps its flexibility when cold and more visible than the black more commonly used in ready made extensions.

If you know your arse from your elbow

this thread probably proves I dont. 🙂

Thanks all

Heavy duty lead as recommended by Stoner seems to have solved it. Thanks all

ooo, jelly beans for me tonight!