How are your appliances connected

[dj-gabriele]

Uhh... the energy engeneer in me likes this thread!

I like to see all these different habits in connecting the appliances! That makes a very interesting read! I just learnt that at least in Amsterdam the situation is similar to what we have in Italy!

Now I start with some photos of mine...

This photo shows a standard Italian double socket that holds both 10A and 16A plugs, the holes are shaped like "8" to fit the small (like a Europlug with grounding) and big (shown) plugs. These sokets are the norm around here and are used for the 80% of white appliances and 100% of brown appliances. Sadly lately the trend is to fit washing machines, dryers, microwaves, toasters... with the Shucko plug and often adapters are needed.

My washing machine is currently connected via a 16A plug and on top of it there is a safety switch that cuts both wires so even if plugged in the machine is completely disengaged from the electric system

 

[dj-gabriele]

Second picture shows a hybrid socket that accepts both Italian standard plugs and also Shucko plugs like the one on my microwave oven (shown).
On the right there is the double switch for the dishwasher that is hardwired. It's a completely built-in model (I'm not showing it since there's no bob-load inside)

 

[dj-gabriele]

The hobs (electronic ignition) and the oven (electric) are hard wired too but istead of a switch there is a wall-encased fusebox. They're on a dedicated 16A circuit (yup, the oven draws only 2500W and the ignition system is of negligible power)...
Oh no! I noticed a spot on my cooktop!!! Shame, shame!

 

[dj-gabriele]

Now there is the main (in house) switch/GFI switch (called SALVAVITA in Italian, literally meaning "life-saver") and gas meter.
The secondary power switches and meter are in the basement, grouped together for all the flats and near to a power box that feeds the whole condo.

You should know that the maximum power I can draw is 3300W contiuous with a peak of 4000W for 3 minutes or 3600W for 10 minutes (thanks to a horrible electronic meter that is very strict...) so if I'm running the dishwasher I can't use the oven and if the washing-machine is running I must take care that the proper water temperature has been reached, otherwise it's quite a long way to get down to the meter to reactivate it...

And yes, as I told in the other thread to feed the hobs only we paid 50,62 euros for the methane in february... quite sad, isn't it?

 

[dj-gabriele]

And now, the part I like more. We don't have a water heater since we get already heated water at 48°C (118°F) from the water company and it is supposed to be heated via low enviroment impact fuels like burning of garbage or cogeneration plants.
A shame that the dish-washer is connected to the cold water line and not to the hot water one. It would save me 0,5KWh of electricity per load!
(excuse the mess but that's the cabinet under my sink...)

 

[dj-gabriele]

Ohh btw, Steve... what happened to those copper pipes and wood board? It looks burned! Was it put there before the welding took place?

 

[dj-gabriele]

And Theo, I would be quite upset in living in a house without a proper grounding! I have a great fear of electric-shocks! Did those water-pipe grounding ever give you troubles? It is out-lawed here in Italy since the 70s I think, now all the electric systems must be checked by a qualified electrician and they give you a declaration as the wiring is safe and conform to the electric standards if CEI (comitato elettrotecnico Italiano, Italian commitee for electrical engeneering) so grounding and GFI are an absolute must in every house. Also old ones must be retrofitted if they don't have.

 

[MrX]

mielabor

I don't mean to be rude or anything but that is a really dangerous installation and couldn't possibly comply with modern Dutch requirements.

1) The socket's totally overloaded
2) It's not grounded, yet you are connecting appliances that require grounding. I can only hope that you have an RCD on that circuit!

You should really consider getting that upgraded!!

Also
3) Is this 1930s wiring ?! that socket outlet looks very very old.

 

[MrX]

Also - glowing fuses?!!?

Fuses, if correctly rated do not glow red in the dark. They should blow immediately on overloading.

If they're glowing there is something very seriously wrong and someone has bypassed the fuse to prevent it blowing.

There is a serious risk of fire in a situation like that.

 

[MrX]

Waterpipe Grounding

In Ireland and the UK you will always see green and yellow earth/ground wires strapped to metal pipework. This is not using the metal pipe work as a ground rather it is connecting the pipes to the grounding system in the house and the power company's grounding system.

The idea is that they create an 'equipotential zone' i.e. all exposed metal is kept at the same potential this prevents electric shock.

It's a legal requirement here.

So, for example under the sink you will often see the hot pipe connected to the cold pipe with a very thick ground cable.

 

[MrX]

Here's how a bathroom would be done!

See below:

The wire running to the various fittings is an Earth/Ground

 

[MrX]

Here's the main bonds

The main incoming water and gas pipes (if metal) must be done as follows!

 

[MrX]

That in turn is connected as follows to the supply

Here ya go:

 

[foraloysius]

Four conductors? I can top that!

Here's a picture of an old 380V (nowadays 400V) plug, it has five conductors. This was on the old Miele dishwasher I had for a while.

Theo,

You're living a dangerous life. Electricity wise and hot water wise. How is your gas connection?

 

[mielabor]

Well so many reactions, let's pickup where I left last night...

Toggleswitch:
Your "air hammer eliminators" (in Dutch we would say "water hammer") are wonderful, all copper and simplicity itself. Do they work well?. I think I can make one myself with a dead-end length of copper tubing. What are the diameters of the tubes in the US. Here standard diameters for copper tubing in domestic set ups are 12, 15 and 22 mm. Oddly enough when threaded connectors are used we still have inch sizes: 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" etc.
And your washer: you have combined the hot and cold water inlet so I suppose that the washer uses the same temperature water both for washing and rinsing?

At your request I have taken some pictures of our plumbing. Here's the first one, down the pit where it all begins:

 

[mielabor]

Other side:

 

[mielabor]

The main fuse box. There are three fuses inside, one for each apartment. Only to be opened by employees of the electricity company:

 

[mielabor]

Our staircase illumination installation. Installed in 1992. Before that time there was no light and you had to climb the stairs in complete darkness during the night:

 

[mielabor]

The staircase illumination fuse box. Being relatively recent, it has survived the change from the two hot wires 220V system to the hot wire plus neutral 230V system. All other fuse boxes dated from the 1930s and were replaced. You can still see the second fuse hole. In the two hot wires 220V system two fuses per circuit were needed:

 

[mielabor]

Now I'll show you my neighbours' set ups. They have their washers in the attic rooms. Passing our drying facilities: