Electric log splitters

[Dan Maynard]

I used to have a lot of trouble with 3kW compressors , but I think a lot of that was bad wiring in to the property so voltage low. To get round it I installed a couple of blue 16A sockets on individual 16A breakers, which is what I now also run the log splitter from. If I recall my splitter says not to use a normal 13A socket anyway.

[peds]

Interesting. 

I was splitting for a client earlier, and they seemed to start having problems with their electric showers... but I don't see how that could have anything to do with an extra 3kw from me. It's just like a kettle or an oven, hungry enough but nothing silly. 

No switches tripped or fuses blown... can't have been me, could it?

[GarethM]

1 minute ago, peds said:

Interesting. 

I was splitting for a client earlier, and they seemed to start having problems with their electric showers... but I don't see how that could have anything to do with an extra 3kw from me. It's just like a kettle or an oven, hungry enough but nothing silly. 

No switches tripped or fuses blown... can't have been me, could it?

You'd be surprised, whilst 3kw is only 13A it will draw considerably more at times under load.

 

Start a hoover and it'll pull 15-20a or more when the motor is turned on 

[peds]

Yeah absolutely, hungry enough. But not the sort of thing that can mess around with an entirely different circuit, which the power showers are on, having gone through two different switches on the fuse board? Could it cause some kind of surge that could damage them?

I'm no sparky, granted, but I didn't think houses were wired that way... 

[GarethM]

If they were using the showers they could be getting close to the max supply for the house.

 

Depends on the shower but say 10Kw Plus the splitter could be well over 55A.

 

Best get a big boy extension lead 2.5mm, electric motors can be a bit noisy electrically speaking.

[openspaceman]

44 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

I used to have a lot of trouble with 3kW compressors , but I think a lot of that was bad wiring in to the property so voltage low. To get round it I installed a couple of blue 16A sockets on individual 16A breakers, which is what I now also run the log splitter from. If I recall my splitter says not to use a normal 13A socket anyway.

Same experience here and unless you have the old fashioned solid brass pins on the plug you will find it gets very hot above 10A.

[roys]

I once bought a new Chinese log splitter from eBay, I did you use it with a big boy extension(2.5mm) but I noticed it would pop the fuse only on the extension. I opened up the plug that was supplied with splitter and the Chinese had solved the problem of pesky 13A fuses blowing by wrapping a bit of wire round the fuse several times.

i ended up putting a 16A plug on it and running it from its own circuit.

[Steven P]

It is possible but I forget the exact state needed to do it - we had fluorescent tubes in the garage, wired separate to the main fuse box in the house - We've got the main electricity company fuse, split in 2, 1 supply to house circuit breakers, the other to the garage (traditional) fuse box. Every so often the garage lights would trip the house.

 

I think it was to do with the capacitance in the garage - fluorescents capacitors - that did it. Motors have inductance which is kind of anti-capacitance so maybe something similar happening here when the motor is running?

 

 

... but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. I know the bloke who told me, interesting man, but he retired about 4 years ago

[peds]

I was chatting to the client just now, his plumber thinks it's a tank and ballcock issue, so looks like I'm in the clear. I called an electrician friend of mine last night too to outline the problem, he also thinks it would only really be me and the splitter if the house wiring was dodgy as. 

 

Thanks for the chatter everyone, I had assumed I was blameless but I thought I'd get some fresh opinions on it.

[Saptie]

Has anyone ever used this? 

Hyundai HYLS8000VE 8 Tonne Vertical Electric Log Splitter | Toolden

WWW.TOOLDEN.CO.UK

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Shop for Hyundai HYLS8000VE 8 Tonne Vertical Electric Log Splitter online at Toolden. Free delivery is available for mainland UK orders over £50. 0% interest finance available.

 I am a bit concerned that I can't find a single review for it anywhere...