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does your electricity cut out


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You are obviously on a low power rating (kVA) coming into your house. Check your electricity bill to see what you are on. If it's not on that, EDF will tell you on the phone. Check out their website at edf.fr - it tells you about the different tariffs.

We've had to upgrade in several houses. We find 9 kVA suits, we don't heat with electric but have 2 electric hot water tanks. You pay more yearly charges the higher the rating you go. You could look at the options for off peak too (heures creuses).

I don't think triphase has anything to do with it, we are on triphase as we are in a zone agricole.

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You sound like not enough power coming in for your needs. As MMM says 9 Kva is the norm for a family home here lived in daily as you run washing machine,kettles,electric ovens,freezers and all the other items at the same time. EDF will upgrade you free is you contact them but your bills will also increase.
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Sorry to disagree again, but we are on three phase and had problems with it cutting out. The problem was imbalance on the phases, i.e. an overload on one phase. We had plenty of power.

We solved it by rebalancing (moving some appliances nto a different phase).

So it could be 3 phase, OR lack of power.

Check your EDF bill to see your power rating, and/or 3 phase.
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Everyone is amazed that we do not trip the system as we have so many electrical appliances on 6kw. It is simple, don't use an electric kettle. We noticed fairly early that the power went off when the kettle went on in friends houses and left our kettles in their boxes. UK kettles seem to use an inordinate amount of power when they start up, have not tried a French electric kettle as I am really happy with our kettle which also goes on the log-burner so saves money as well.
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What do you do in the summer Di - use kettle on gas hob?

We have electric kettle and no problems, but EDF upgraded us to 6 Kw a couple of years ago as it kept tripping out on three. We do not have electric water heating tanks, electric heating or an electric oven though but do have all other mod cons!

regards......helen

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We have a 12kW supply - monophase - and when we first moved in had a few problems with supply cutting out.

The strange thing is the house seems to be divided up into 3 different 4kw circuits with different combinations on each circuit - e.g Washing machine, second bedroom, mezzanine and garage lighting on one circuit, -  fridge, sal de sejour, main bedroom on another etc.

Problem seems to be  if we exceed 4kW on any one circuit then it throws the whole 12kW supply - so have learnt to be a little careful of combinations.

can anyone explain why that would be ?

We also found that UK electrical goods were more likely to cause a problem - particularly hair dryers !. A friend told me that French electrical goods have greater inbuild protection against surge voltages when switched on - don't know if that is true for all goods but putting a french hair dryer in every room and suggesting to guests that they use them rather than the one they brought with them has certainly made a difference.

Hagar

 

 

 

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Scooby Do - another thing to check. Is your oven running off a 20 or 32amp fuse? That I believe is the norm for an electric oven. However, until recently we were renting and had no option but to plug the electric stove into a 16amp circuit (even tho' we had 9 kVA supply). Then we had problems if we were using the electric hobs at the same time, or other appliances that were linked to the same circuit.

It might be worth checking that your house is earthed too - we owned a house for 18 months before an electrician discovered the earth had disappeared!

Anyway, welcome to the wonderful world of French electricity!! Think I'll go post some of my plumbing problems now!

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Hi

We used to have 9kw triphase supply and regularly tripped out - EXTREMELY annoying for us adults (resetting all timers. clocks etc) and scary for kids (plunged into pitch black with Mum and Dad shouting 'Don't move, don't move')! eventually called EDF to visit -  who decided best for us for the moment with the electrical goods we had and they way the rooms of the house were wired was to go 6Kw monophase (went onto creuse at the same time).

Not tripped since!

Call EDF and they will visit - review your situation, have a brief chat and advise accordingly and then change your situation if necessary all FREE!

Helen

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