Why does my rice cooker's power cable have 2 different amp ratings?
August 21, 2014 12:29 AM   Subscribe

I need to replace the power cable for my rice cooker. The kitchen area of my apt is pretty small, and the cable was stupidly close to the stove and I burned a hole through the insulation. On the end of the cable that connects to the mains, it says 16a 250v while the end that plugs into the cooker says 10a 250v. The appliance itself is labeled as 10a 250v.

I ordered a replacement online that was just a 10a 250v cable like this. I didn't realize it was different until after it arrived. Can I assume this is safe to use? I really don't know anything about electrical engineering and searching online didn't help.

If it matters, I live in Korea with a 220v mains.
posted by pugg to Technology (9 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
DO NOT USE.

Appliance fires (as far as I know) are the leading cause of household fires. Why risk it?

I'm pretty sure the first number relates to the socket type, the second number matches the appliance.

THESE TWO NUMBERS MUST MATCH.

I know you should also be wary of cords with fake numbering you find online. Buy from a reputable source.

As a professional chef and owner of a kitchen in my home, this is 1,000% something I would not try to jimmy rig or go cheap on. Because I've seen these kinds of fires. *shudders*
posted by jbenben at 12:46 AM on August 21, 2014


Response by poster: It's not the replacement cord that has 2 different amps listed, it's the one that was shipped with the appliance from the factory.

The replacement cord I bought has 10a marked on both ends.
posted by pugg at 12:50 AM on August 21, 2014


Best answer: Why does my rice cooker's power cable have 2 different amp ratings?

On the end of the cable that connects to the mains, it says 16a 250v while the end that plugs into the cooker says 10a 250v.


My guess is that the original cable was made using a plug that could also be matched with heavier wires and used for a 16A appliance, i.e. the plug end of the cable is rated for more current than the rest of the parts they used to build the cable.

I'd go ahead and use the replacement cable, assuming it fits properly. If the cooker is rated at 10A and the cable is rated for 10A, that's just fine.
posted by jon1270 at 1:08 AM on August 21, 2014 [5 favorites]


Now you're forcing me to look up whether amps or volts are the danger measurement... Hold ....

"

Science Concept: Volts, Watts, and Amps


Electricity is measured in terms of amperage, voltage, and wattage. Amperage (amps for short) is a measure of the AMOUNT of electricity used. Voltage (volts) measures the pressure, or FORCE, of electricity. The amps multiplied by the volts gives you the wattage (watts), a measure of the WORK that electricity does per second.

Think of it this way: Electricity flowing through a wire is like water flowing through a garden hose. The amount of water that can fit through the hose depends on the diameter of the hose (amps). The pressure of the water depends on how far open the faucet is (volts). The amount of work that can be done (watts) depends on both the amount and the pressure of the water (volts x amps = watts)."

---

OK. So it's exceeding your wattage on an appliance cord that causes fires! Got it!!

------

In theory, your internet bought cord will not exceed the wattage of your cord or appliance.
posted by jbenben at 1:12 AM on August 21, 2014


Best answer: The unit itself saying 10 amp on it means you're in the clear. 100% golden.

That said, i'm seconding that they're using a generic 16amp plug on a 10 amp cable.

This is pretty normal on things that have removable plugs. They might not even stock or have such a thing as a 10amp removable plug at the rice cooker factory or whatever supplier that company orders the cables from.(or may have been out that week, or...)

If the new cord is the same gauge as the old one(as in, thickness) then i would just use it. And i'm a person who had a house i used to live at burn down from an electrical fire.

Also, a lot of those IEC power cables like the ones you linked are hilarious cheap as fuck and shady. It wouldn't surprise me if the old one, even if it didn't have a removable plug, was just a 10amp and they attached the wrong plug at the factory(or re used a higher rated one, as i said above.
posted by emptythought at 1:18 AM on August 21, 2014


It's simply this:
  • 220V/16A appliance cord is common (10A is rare these days & getting rarer; the next step down below 16A is usually 7.5A).
  • The German "Schuko" wall sockets & plugs used in Korea are rated at 16A.
  • The standard C13 plug on the other end is rated at 10A (C19 is the 16A variant).
So everything's normal and as expected.
posted by Pinback at 1:30 AM on August 21, 2014 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: Thanks! This clears up a lot.
posted by pugg at 1:37 AM on August 21, 2014


DO NOT USE.

Appliance fires (as far as I know) are the leading cause of household fires. Why risk it?

I'm pretty sure the first number relates to the socket type, the second number matches the appliance.

THESE TWO NUMBERS MUST MATCH.


People with zero electrical knowledge should really refrain from trying to give 'advice' on the topic.

Current ratings on cords/plugs etc should be read with an implied 'usable for up to' before the current rating.
There is no requirement for the numbers to match.
As long as the maximum load [as indicated on the appliance] is less than or equal to the lowest rating indicated on the cord/plug, there's nothing to worry about at all.
posted by HiroProtagonist at 7:06 PM on August 21, 2014 [1 favorite]


Ignore anyone that says "I'm pretty sure" okay?

Your appliance is 10a 250v

The new cable is 10a 250v

The cable MATCHES the requirements of the appliance. That is perfect!

Now, use the cord with your rice cooker to make a batch of rice. When the rice is done touch the cord with your finger all along the cable's length including the ends. Is the cord too hot to touch? Barely warm is fine. Hot is not.

If the cord is hot it is defective. If it NOT HOT it is fine. Relax and enjoy your rice.

FYI: The "a" number is amperes or amps. The "v" number is volts. If your appliance was rated 16a 250v you would require a cord that said 16a 250v or higher such as 20a 250v. In other words, the "a" (amp) rating of your power cord can be higher than the amp rating of your appliance but NEVER lower.

I hope this helps.
posted by old_man_in_the_cave at 11:22 PM on August 21, 2014


« Older Clothes for jungle hiking for a plus-size woman?   |   Looking for a Dianetics therapist Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.