Portable AC cuts off power to other appliances

[Manhar]

Bought myself a portable Airforce BTU 12000 from B&Q.

Problem:
When the cooler stops and restarts (when the set temp has reached), it cuts off power to all other plugged in appliances such as my computer , table clock etc.
Whats wrong?

[slingblade]

Your supply is overloaded.

[Manhar]

The other appliances do not lose power for good because they recover immediately. eg: the PC restarts automatically.
Also, this does not happen when I manually stop and start the machine.
And the AC is the only appliance connected to the socket in the room. Is it the tripper switch in the mains that is responsible and what can I do ?

[Sir Josiah Sodd]

Try it on another socket in the house if it does the same, take it back and demand a refund.
Pocket the cash or buy a better machine.

If it still doesn't work properly and you can't get a refund, complain to the Trading Standards Office.
Your most likely form of complaint is breach of the EMC rules. i.e. it should not affect an adjacent appliance.

If there was a problem with your breaker it would go out and stay out.

[frank]

Take it back to B & Q pronto and give Mr Millenium a ring :D

[Manhar]

Try it on another socket in the house if it does the same, take it back and demand a refund.
Pocket the cash or buy a better machine.

If it still doesn't work properly and you can't get a refund, complain to the Trading Standards Office.
Your most likely form of complaint is breach of the EMC rules. i.e. it should not affect an adjacent appliance.

If there was a problem with your breaker it would go out and stay out.


Could you give me a link to the EMC rules please. Dont know anything about this.

[Sir Josiah Sodd]

Could you give me a link to the EMC rules please. Dont know anything about this.



http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/electr_equipment/emc/index.htm

ALL electrical equipment MUST comply by law.

[Peter_1]

Starting the compressor takes so much current that you have a voltage drop that triggers the power supply to the other voltage sensitive electronics.

[Sir Josiah Sodd]

Starting the compressor takes so much current that you have a voltage drop that triggers the power supply to the other voltage sensitive electronics.


Most probably, it comes under short term transience (flicker) in the EMC regulations.
There are limits that the emitting device must not reach and likewise the adjacent equipment must have certain immunity limits.

The owner previously said that it starts OK manually; the problems occur when the device restarts under its own control.

If it is an electronic control device, there may be transients floating about. If they are enough to disturb an adjacent device of any kind it’s wrong – (and illegal) I’d recommend taking the thing back.

.

[Paulajayne]

Also "Sale of goods act" says that it must be fit for purpose - which it blatantly is not.

Take it back to B&Q

Paula

[The MG Pony]

this guy is in the US don't forget.

[Sir Josiah Sodd]

....Is he?

Just thouhgt he got his flags mixed up....

what a shame, a long way to take it back!

[US Iceman]

Unless I'm mistaken the gentleman said he bought the unit from B&Q, which I'm assuming is in England somewhere as it seems to be a very popular topic.

I can't comment on why the flags are mixed up, but...



this guy is in the US don't forget.


It doesn't matter where the guy is from. He made a very reasonable request for help. I'm sure if he had all of your years of experience he would not have asked. :p

[nh3wizard]

Looking at his profile, he is a student in Jolly Ole England, and is a Yank.

So he probably purchased it in England, but it sounds like he is border line on the load for that circuit. Just not enough to trip it.

[frank]

I'm sure if he had all of your years of experience he would not have asked. :p

Check out MG's profile - apparently he's only 23 :rolleyes:

[The MG Pony]

No I was making the comment as to the laws, as the trade laws are all differant that was the only thing I was pointing out. If the flags are mixed up only he can answere that,

[The MG Pony]

and I don't have a ton of years experiance, I just have the benifit of learning well and some Tech friends :) one a civil engineer, and another an old fapliance repair guy.

Any case that is aside from the point I was trying to make, which is when answering we need to keep it relitive to the country they are in, so obviously if he is in england then england laws are what we aut to go by, thats what I was meaning by my post.

[Andy]

Bought myself a portable Airforce BTU 12000 from B&Q.

Problem:
When the cooler stops and restarts (when the set temp has reached), it cuts off power to all other plugged in appliances such as my computer , table clock etc.
Whats wrong?

1/Supply cable to the socket you are using is not big enough.
2/The socket is off a ring main and there is already a high load on it

Any fridge system of this nature will be easier started when cold (pressures are equilized) when running and start/restart it will take more current to start

Try a different supply (off a different fuse or breaker on your consumer unit).

Hope this helps:)

Kind Regards Andy:)

[slingblade]

Check out MG's profile - apparently he's only 23 :rolleyes:

My profile says i am 36 or something and my name is slingblade, neither if which is true.:rolleyes:

[slingblade]

Your supply is overloaded.

in addition to this i add, never buy anything from B&Q ever. i bought some wood for a door frame once only to find when i removed the plastic wrapping and banding it sprung into the shape of a banana. i do not know what b & q stand for but i think it should be basta**s and quality-issues.