How to use 15 amp cooker with 10 amp power point?

[ms4807]

Hi there,

I have a cooker which is 15 amp, just wondering how I can use it safely at home with 10amp plug?

Is there any adapter, convertor or RCD that would let me safely do it?

Cheers,

Morty

[Noyade]

Thanks @ms4807 

Just curious - is there a specification plate on it - what wattage/current it draws?

Cheers and good luck.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Noyade,

Long term, a dedicated 15A powerpoint should be installed, but as a backup, this adaptor will offer a short-term solution, which seems like a worthwhile option considering Mort's (@ms4807) circumstances. 

If the cooker draws over 2400 watts and overloads the circuit, the breaker will cut the circuit, so the current is contained. If the appliance doesn't overload the circuit, then the breaker won't react.

Ultimately, it is not a long-term solution, but it offers a safer short-term solution until a dedicated power point can be installed.

Jacob

[Noyade]

Cheers Jacob.

"steam cooker that I want to use in a food truck"

I didn't realise the situation was in a van.

Good talk.

Thanks.

[Spud_Mc_Fuddy]

It's not where I live. Ours are mostly 10 amp except my garage and stove. They are 15 amp as I wanted to be able to use a welder. Since then though, advances in welders means mine only draws 10 amps anyway. The maximum most home appliances draw is 2400 watts. Divide that by 240 (volts) and that gives 10 amps. I was thinking for the OP that perhaps a generator could be a good option where 15 amps is required and only 10 amps is available. Now that's literally "cooking with gas". 😁

[Spud_Mc_Fuddy]

I got confused too. I would think about two leads. One for 10 amp plugs and one for 15 amps as they may have different plugs. You could also consider a generator which would mean you could also go to sites without power. At 10 amps you would have to be mindful of the circuit breaker tripping, especially when a building could be locked or nobody knew where the switch board was. Also, maybe even public liability if you were trying to run something that required 15 amps on a 10 amp circuit in case of damage or fire.

If you did plan to use 10 amps still, perhaps a stress test at home would be in order. You could run all of the things that you would normally run in the food truck and see what effect it had on the circuit breakers. Could be perhaps that when the oven is working, it is only used on a particular setting or you set up a battery bank and inverter or generator to power lights and other items and only run the oven off the grid. There are ways of testing load, for example a smart power adaptor, they sell them at Bunnings and you could check what loads particular settings had on power consumption.

Arlec Energy Cost Electrical Meter - Bunnings New Zealand

You can also get power converters which means you can plug a 15 amp plug into a 10 amp socket. Not to be used for caravans and they don't supply any extra current, just allow you to plug a 15 amp plug into a 10 amp socket. You would still pop the circuit breaker at 10 amps.

HPM 15A Single Outlet Power Convertor With RCBO Protection - Bunnings Australia 

[Spud_Mc_Fuddy]

Totally correct, you can't squeeze 15 amps of power out of a 10 amp circuit. Not without the possibility of fire or circuit breakers popping.