[Home Decoration Series2]

Installation Guide: Choosing the Right Sockets and Extension Strips

A well-organised socket outlet plan and calculation of power consumption can help to save money and for greater safety! 

How many electrical sockets do I need?

Begin by dividing your home into different areas. Then plan a set of outlets to go diagonal on each side of every distinct zone. It's advisable to list out the number and type of appliances, their power consumption, and where they are located in each area.

Planning Sockets in Kitchen Renovation 

Often a kitchen doesn’t have enough sockets. To prevent this from happening, tally all the appliances that you need to connect, such as washing machines, induction cooker and range hood, then add on 2 to 3 spare sockets for other appliances.

Proper Use of Wall Plugs

Be mindful of what appliances you are plugging in. The proper markings of input power should be specified on your appliances or in the manuals.

Users should calculate the total input power of the electric appliances when in use. For example, in the illustration below, the total input power of the three electric appliances is 4180W, which exceeds the maximum capacity of a 13A wall plug or extension strip (rated at only 13A x 220V = 2860W). Overloading such circuits may cause fuses to blow and pose a fire risk due to overheating. This is why typically large appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, and induction cookers require their own dedicated sockets and outlets.