Overloaded wires

This is what happens if you dont use the specified fuse wire or circuit breaker in your house switch board.

This was a piece of 1.5mm Twin + Earth (rated for 16A) hooked up to a 50A circuit breaker. I used a welder as a current source set to a maximum of 120A (an expected full load current given the normal fault loop impedance)

Please Discuss

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Melt
• wires
• circuit
• breaker
• fuse
• overload

[goaliedude32]

I am more interested in What happens if you load 15a wire with ~ 20a. If you put a 50a breaker on 15A wire I don't care. The world will be better off after your house burns down with you in it.

[SuparooEA82T]

@goaliedude32

If you put 20A through a 15A wire, the end result will still mostly the same, but it wont happen anywhere near as quick. It could take 4 hours, it could take 4 weeks. Ambient temperature plays a big role in when the insulation melts enough for the wires to bare and touch.

But why the insult? The first part of your post was a valid question that I am happy answer, but why ruin it by insulting me. How old are you?... 12?

[goaliedude32]

@SuparooEA82T Oh i didnt mean it like that. =). I meant you shouldn't need to show someone a reason not to do that. If anyone thinks its a good idea to load 15a wires with 50a then let them have their Darwin award. They deserve it =)

[SuparooEA82T]

@goaliedude32

The decided to make this video after I worked on a house that had a piece of solid wire in place of fuse wire on a light circuit. That is why I chose to push 120 odd amps through the wire. A 50A breaker was the only one I had on hand. Note that it would take nearly a minute at 120A for a 50A breaker to switch off. A 50A breaker will only switch off instantaneously (less than 0.5 sec) at 7 times the rated current. i.e. 350A

[Diskettes83]

The hard part is getting the smoke back in.

[goaliedude32]

@sk8er4ever0101 I feel that it would actually be helpful video to show what happens to 14 gauge wire with 20 amps on it. I feel like that is a more helpful video to tag as "This is what happens if you dont use the specified fuse wire or circuit breaker in your house switch board." Which is why I commented in the firs place because I didn't feel it was as helpful as he thought it might have been. Meant not disrespect to the up-loader. Only to a fool that would do this in his house

[goaliedude32]

@sk8er4ever0101 I did not mean it as an attack. That's why I hate text. I simply meant that this is an impractical video to post because anyone who isn't an electrician and is doing their own electrical work already should know that they don't know much about it. I don't think anyone who does their own work would load 50a on a 15a circuit. I still stand by what i said though, if you do this in your house you deserve what comes next.

[sk8er4ever0101]

@goaliedude32 Interesting youtuber right here. First time i have seen a very valid question attached to a relevant video to only turn around and attack the up-loader for no reason.

[albduke1]

What you want to be a plumber or is that a terd farmer

[malchowj]

Do you have something against plumbers? Actually, your potable water supply has more of a direct effect on your health than your electrical system. Up until 2009 in Minnesota the plumbing trade was controlled by the Department of Public Health, while electricians were overseen by the Department of Labor and Industry. Now both are controlled by the Department of Labor and Industry. Be a plumber YOU'RE more likely to use proper grammar. *_*

[jn558]

@goaliedude32

if you for some reason put a 20amp breaker with 14 gauge wire the insulation will heat up and deteriorate over time causing a short and possibly a fire. if you connect 14 gauge wire to the main service lugs and ran a 10,000 watt heater you would see what happened in this video. also there is no such thing as 15A wire, copper or aluminum, solid or stranded, ambient temp, total conductors and length determine how many amps a wire can safely run. be a plumber your less of a liability

[GeigenDiapason4]

Lol, That must have been one HELL of a smell...