[helen-a-ravenclaw]

Hi!

I'm going into University Park accomodation and I was just wondering if we're allowed a kettle in our rooms?

I drink a lot of tea and don't want to be stumbling about in the morning or late at night to the 'pantry' just to make a cup of tea.

Would a travel kettle/one cup kettle be better just to be on the safe side?

Thanks!

[alex-hs]

(Original post by helen-a-ravenclaw)
Hi!

I'm going into University Park accomodation and I was just wondering if we're allowed a kettle in our rooms?

I drink a lot of tea and don't want to be stumbling about in the morning or late at night to the 'pantry' just to make a cup of tea.

Would a travel kettle/one cup kettle be better just to be on the safe side?

Thanks!

Most rooms have their own circuit breaker, so if you draw more current than it allows, you'll trip the switch and have no power (until you switch it back on...)

A travel kettle is likely to draw less current, so should be ok. I know people have had to use hairdryers etc in the corridor to get around this.

[Soph.Jade]

I wasn't allowed, but kept one anyways. Saved a lot of hassle

[rmhumphries]

(Original post by alex-hs)
Most rooms have their own circuit breaker, so if you draw more current than it allows, you'll trip the switch and have no power (until you switch it back on...)

A travel kettle is likely to draw less current, so should be ok. I know people have had to use hairdryers etc in the corridor to get around this.

In my friend's hall, to hoover her room, she has to plug in the hoover in the corridor. Quite annoying to say the least ><

[helen-a-ravenclaw]

(Original post by alex-hs)
Most rooms have their own circuit breaker, so if you draw more current than it allows, you'll trip the switch and have no power (until you switch it back on...)

A travel kettle is likely to draw less current, so should be ok. I know people have had to use hairdryers etc in the corridor to get around this.

Hairdryers can trip the switch? Oh dear. Do you know if there will be any way of me finding out what the limit is? I've got a pretty powerful hairdryer myself.

(Original post by rmhumphries)
In my friend's hall, to hoover her room, she has to plug in the hoover in the corridor. Quite annoying to say the least ><

Do you know what hall that was?

[rmhumphries]

(Original post by helen-a-ravenclaw)
Hairdryers can trip the switch? Oh dear. Do you know if there will be any way of me finding out what the limit is? I've got a pretty powerful hairdryer myself.



Do you know what hall that was?

The limit where there is one is usually either 6A or 8A total combined current. I'm afraid I can't remember which hall it was.

[alex-hs]

(Original post by helen-a-ravenclaw)
Hairdryers can trip the switch? Oh dear. Do you know if there will be any way of me finding out what the limit is? I've got a pretty powerful hairdryer myself.

It'll probably say on the switch, though in practice the best way is just to plug it in and see what happens. You can just reset the switch yourself if it trips, and it's only for your room.

In some of the older halls (or older parts of some) you can pretty much draw 13 amps from every socket with no consequence.

[helen-a-ravenclaw]

(Original post by rmhumphries)
The limit where there is one is usually either 6A or 8A total combined current. I'm afraid I can't remember which hall it was.

Okay, thanks for that! That's really helpful!

(Original post by alex-hs)
It'll probably say on the switch, though in practice the best way is just to plug it in and see what happens. You can just reset the switch yourself if it trips, and it's only for your room.

In some of the older halls (or older parts of some) you can pretty much draw 13 amps from every socket with no consequence.

It's good that it's just your room that goes then. Otherwise I'd got so worried about tripping out everyones rooms!

I'll just have to be careful about how much stuff I've got plugged in at once then.

Has it been a major problem for anyone? Like, can you have a tv and your laptop plugged in, or do you have to keep changing the plugs? Or is it just something that you get used to?

[rmhumphries]

(Original post by helen-a-ravenclaw)
Okay, thanks for that! That's really helpful!



It's good that it's just your room that goes then. Otherwise I'd got so worried about tripping out everyones rooms!

I'll just have to be careful about how much stuff I've got plugged in at once then.

Has it been a major problem for anyone? Like, can you have a tv and your laptop plugged in, or do you have to keep changing the plugs? Or is it just something that you get used to?

TV/Laptop should be fine.
Usually the only issue is when you plug in things that heat, as they use the most energy.

[Dec S 92]

literally nothing trips mine, I have TV, xbox, laptop, hairdryer, lamp and sometimes an iron on the same ganger, noone I know takes any notice of it what so ever.

[lonelykatana]

I know a guy with a half sized fridge in his room.
Like so:

So A kettle should be a doddle.

The question isn't weather your allowed or not. You're not allowed to smoke pot in your room, yet it doesn't stop people.
The question is can the circuit breaker handle it? Im sure most can. If I remember correctly my girlfriends circuit says it cant handle her hair drier - It can.

[lonelykatana]

(Original post by rmhumphries)
The limit where there is one is usually either 6A or 8A total combined current. I'm afraid I can't remember which hall it was.

6A? My desktop computer draws over half that alone
By 8A combined, do you mean on all sockets? If so, that might get pretty irritating.

I used two monitors, desktop, amp and a second speaker set all on the same socket.
(I use the same socket as i use an adapter which has a master socket and slave sockets. When the master socket turns off - In this case the computer - The screens and sound system automatically turn off. Very handy was of saving time and energy when you have lots of things to turn off!)
Thats getting close to 8 amps as it is, not to mention the possibility of having all that stuff wasting power, AND my laptop/phone charging!
I'd have to turn my computer off to dry my hair

Im starting to see what people mean with these first world problems!

[helen-a-ravenclaw]

Ah! It seems like it's different for each person.

I guess I'll just have to wait till September and work out what's best for me.

Definitely going to bring along a little travel kettle though, i'll have to try and get one that uses the least amount of power.

Thanks for the advice so far though! ;3

[rmhumphries]

(Original post by lonelykatana)
6A? My desktop computer draws over half that alone
By 8A combined, do you mean on all sockets? If so, that might get pretty irritating.

I used two monitors, desktop, amp and a second speaker set all on the same socket.
(I use the same socket as i use an adapter which has a master socket and slave sockets. When the master socket turns off - In this case the computer - The screens and sound system automatically turn off. Very handy was of saving time and energy when you have lots of things to turn off!)
Thats getting close to 8 amps as it is, not to mention the possibility of having all that stuff wasting power, AND my laptop/phone charging!
I'd have to turn my computer off to dry my hair

Im starting to see what people mean with these first world problems!

I mean all sockets combined yep (lights are on a separate ring). You may be able to ask for a higher rated one to be installed, but I would say you need to justify it well (and not with that you have a cool PC system.) I suppose if you know what you are doing, you could replace the circuit breaker with a higher rated one, but this would no doubt get you in a lot of trouble if you got caught.

Phone chargers use about 0.5W or something stupid, so I wouldn't worry about that. Laptop chargers are usually about 0.5A so could push you over the limit, hairdryer + PC is very likely to. Maybe just hope you don't get a halls with a circuit breaker