Looking for a backup heating source

[Pengyou]

I am moving into an old apartment that has a weak electrical system.  It has a radiator system but i would like to find a supementary source of heat that does not use electricity. Is kerosene or propane an option?

[DavyJonesLocker]

What do you mean by weak electrical system. If you can boil a kettle you can power a heater. If the power drawn is too much the fuse on the circuit board will trip. A fuse is there to protect the wiring, not the device plugged into it.

 

 

[Pengyou]

Thanks. There is only one circuit in the house and its not labeled to know the capacity. Right now it is likely in this situation I would not be able to cook or take a shower while using an electric heater.

[DavyJonesLocker]

There is only one ring/radial circuit for the entire house? That's very odd.

Did you check the fuse board to see?

 

Is your shower electric? If so that will definitely have its own separate circuit. 

 

What I mean is if you can cook and boil a kettle at the same time then the capacity of the wiring / fuse is fine.

 

You can just plug in a heater any see. The fuse will trip if the load is to much.

 

This is to assume that they haven't done a dangerous electrical wiring installation.

[Pengyou]

Yes, the fuse box is on the dining room for all to see. I will do an experiment. 

[DavyJonesLocker]

And you only see one fuse?

 

[Pengyou]

One circuit breaker.  I live in a less developed part of Feng Tai District, in a house that is 40 years old.

[DavyJonesLocker]

And your sure that's not just the main supply  breaker.? 

For example a lighting circuit has smaller wires so has to have a lower fuse to protect those wires from buring out. 

 

Even old screw in glass fuses from 70 years ago have separate circuit but it's China so who knows! I'm very familiar with electrical domestic circuits for uk houses but god knows what they are doing in China. The safety is never on par with Europe. 

[889]

I have plugged in a small electric heater and had the socket box start to melt before the circuit breaker flipped.

 

Take care!

[DavyJonesLocker]

7 hours ago, 889 said:

I have plugged in a small electric heater and had the socket box start to melt before the circuit breaker flipped.

 

Take care!

 

Oh wow! 

Indeed take care op. Don't leave it unattended. Or use it with everything else turned off. 

 

Off topic if I may , but i asked my new landlord and maintenance chap for a carbon monoxide alarm. They looked at me as if I asked them could I rotate the house 180 degrees. 

The never heard of the thing! 

I showed them on JingDong but they still told me there was no need. Just bought one myself. 

 

Safety standards leave a lot to be desired!