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electricity supply 3.3kw can I increase it?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:45pm
8 replies260 views5 members subscribed
jim99bob2

Posts: 17

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Location: Lo Pagan

Joined: 6 Jul 2022

Hi,

Just bought a house in Lo Pagan, it has a 3.3kw supply according to the bill.

I intend to change the gas/electric hob for an induction hob. Alos replace the gas water heater for an electric one.

I can program the hob to limit its consumption.

My question is -  do I need to worry? is it impossible to draw more than 3.3kw anyway? would it just trip?

If I ask for (say 5kw) would that entail a visit from Iberdrola

Mags44

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:35pm

Mags44

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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:35pm

jim99bob2 wrote on Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:45pm:

Hi,

Just bought a house in Lo Pagan, it has a 3.3kw supply according to the bill.

I intend to change the gas/electric hob for an induction hob. Alos replace the gas water heater for an electric one.

I can program the hob to limit its consumption.

My question is -  do I need to worry? is it impossible to draw more than 3.3kw anyway? would it just trip?

If I ask for (say 5kw) would that entail a visit from Iberdrola

It might be more than a visit to Iberdrola. Depending on the age of the property and when the original boletín was issued for the connection to the electric grid, your cabling might not be up to the required current standard for an upgrade. I would recommend that you get your current installation reviewed by a qualified electrician who is also qualified to review, upgrade and issue a new boletín, should this be necessary. In an older property with a boletín older than 10 years, you may need to upgrade your cabling before upgrading your electrical potential.

Roland

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:39pm

Roland

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Joined: 23 Feb 2018

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:39pm

If you have a 3.3 kw supply, the supply will trip out if you try to use much more.

If you replace the gas water heater with an electric one you would need to be careful & only buy a water heater of around 1.5 kw.

Or put the water heater on a time clock so that it does not come on when you are using a lot of electric when  cooking etc.

If you have air con & use it frequently you are going to struggle on a 3.3 kw supply if you make the changes you are considering.

Your standing charge for the electric supply will double if you go for a 5kw supply.

Not a good idea if it is a holiday home with limited usage.

If you go for a 5 kw supply you will need a new main fuse & may have to have the property wiring checked out as it may not be able to cope with the higher capacity.

I would presume this would all have to be done by Iberdrola but not sure on this.

I have managed on a 3.3 kw supply for about 20 years.

jim99bob2

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 4:30pm

jim99bob2

Original Poster

Posts: 17

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Location: Lo Pagan

Joined: 6 Jul 2022

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 4:30pm

Roland wrote on Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:39pm:

If you have a 3.3 kw supply, the supply will trip out if you try to use much more.

If you replace the gas water heater with an electric one you would need to be careful & only buy a water heater of around 1.5 kw.

Or put the water heater on a time clock so that it does not come on when you are using a lot of electric when  cooking etc.

If you have air con & use it frequently you are going to struggle on a 3.3 kw supply if you make the changes you are considering.

Your standing charge for the electric supply will double if you go for a 5kw supply.

Not a good idea if it is a holiday home with limited usage.

If you go for a 5 kw supply you will need a new main fuse & may have to have the property wiring checked out as it may not be able to cope with the higher capacity.

I would presume this would all have to be done by Iberdrola but not sure on this.

I have managed on a 3.3 kw supply for about 20 years.

Hi Roland,

Thanks for that, I was rather hoping to get away with 3.3kw, yes, it wil be for holiday lets as well, hopefully they will eat out !

The induction hobs have a current limiting setting  so even if you turned every ring on it can be limited to 2.5kw. Also they are very quick to heat up food, there is a microwave as well. I shall have to put some post it notes up!!

Regards

Jim

Roland

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:01pm

Roland

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Posts: 3519

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Location: Camposol

Joined: 23 Feb 2018

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:01pm

We have an induction hob as well.

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briangmoore

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:10pm

briangmoore

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Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:10pm

Yes. You need to get a qualified electrician to come to the house to do a 'boletin' for Iberdrola. The boletin will say whether the wiring is okay and the cost varies from 75€ to 150€ to get the boletin. Then, Iberdrola charge you a fee to send someone out to change the main fuse to a higher rating. Finally, you get charged more per KW used for the higher rating. All bad news, I'm sorry to say!

jorge1306

Posted: Sun Jan 1, 2023 11:48am

jorge1306

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Joined: 11 Mar 2017

Posted: Sun Jan 1, 2023 11:48am

Stay away from electric if you can..expensive...ceiling fans use much less electric than air con..its good in a way if things trip off especially with renters as rest assured they won't care about leaving air con on ad infinitum ...the gadgets all cost a fortune now with electric ..gas bottles good value..state fixed price ...the more perfect electric supply you get the bigger the usage and bills I am afraid..just like everyone in the western world there is no escape from rising energy prices and the need to manage your usage ..

PeterC

Posted: Sun Jan 1, 2023 12:52pm

PeterC

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Location: Los Alcázares

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Posted: Sun Jan 1, 2023 12:52pm

3.3kw will just about cope with a couple of fridges and one ring on the hob - and don't touch the kettle! I would think that the inspector for the lettings licence would not be too happy either?

We have a 5.75kw supply, and our last bill - 23/11 to 25/12 - is €111, €77,65 for the energy used, the rest standing charges and IVA etc. 

This is with everything electric, using aircon to heat (much needed but only one room at a time so efficient compared to central heating) and ceramic hob and oven.

It never trips.

Compared to one granddaughter in the UK whose last bill for power was £400 for a month this is cheap!

You may be prepared to live a third world usage and keep resetting your trips but rental clients on holiday certainly would not be happy. Bite the bullet, pay for the upgrade and relax!

Roberto30710

Posted: Wed Jan 4, 2023 10:46am

Roberto30710

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Posts: 411

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Location: Los Alcázares

Joined: 28 Nov 2018

Posted: Wed Jan 4, 2023 10:46am

jorge1306 wrote on Sun Jan 1, 2023 11:48am:

Stay away from electric if you can..expensive...ceiling fans use much less electric than air con..its good in a way if things trip off especially with renters as rest assured they won't care about leaving air con on ad infinitum ...the gadgets all cost a fortune now with electric ..gas bottles go...

...od value..state fixed price ...the more perfect electric supply you get the bigger the usage and bills I am afraid..just like everyone in the western world there is no escape from rising energy prices and the need to manage your usage ..

Yes Ceiling fans make good sense. But sooner rather than later, gas heating and gas cooking and pellet burning will have to stop, as the world battles global warming.  Hydrocarbon burning is the direct cause, its not something we can keep kicking down the road.

Predictions are if we continue as we are, La Manga will be amongst the areas suffering most in Spain from sea level rises..

So we should applaud people moving to electricity, not warn them off.

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