Not sure if this is the correct place to ask, but my computer, heater, and microwave are all on the same socket. I have had times when if I run the microwave, the fuse blows. But just curious, if I have the heater off, but run the microwave, the computer makes the "dun-duuh" noise of a usb drive being unplugged. Is this because there is insufficient power? Something else weird? Would getting a UPS assist with these moments of power insufficiency? Other solutions (obviously running another fuse to spread the load is the long term solution).
Computer makes USB unplugged noise when I run the microwave/heater
circuit breakermicrowave-ovenpower
Related Solutions
The motor rating on the saw is the FLA (full load amperage). With the saw running without a load (cutting the material is the load) the saw will not be pulling the full load amperage. Many small motors are rated at peak draw (closed to locked rotor current) the motor never draws this amount until the motor is almost stalled. The "phony FLA" is used on air compressors, vacuum cleaners, table saws and many hand tools to get the buyer to pick that manufacturer If the actual current draw is measured you might find the saw is only drawing 1/2 the current listed on the name plate. A true 120v 1 HP motor FLA is listed as 16 amps This size motor would trip a 15 amp breaker (on start up even tripping a 20 amp breaker) because the starting current is usually 2-4 times the FLA for the time required to get to speed. I would doubt that your breaker is defective but the only way to tell with certainty is to measure the actual current on the branch circuit.
In general, NO. Replacing a fuse with a higher-amp fuse is a very bad idea and can lead to fires.
Fuses (and circuit breakers) are rated such that they blow or trip before any part of the circuit gets to a dangerous current. You rate the fuse or breaker based on the lowest current rating of all the devices and wires in the circuit .
In your case, the manufacturer of the connection unit determined (somehow) that the "weakest link" in that circuit can only draw 5A before it exceeds its limits. Putting in a 13A fuse would thus allow that weakest link to draw almost 3 times what it may be designed to, which leads to increased heat and then fires.
There is a reason your fuse is tripping and you need to figure out what that reason is. Perhaps there is a problem with your lamp post, the bulb, one of the sockets, or the van charger. Fix the underlying problem, and you won't have any more blown fuses.
Best Answer
A heater often uses almost all of the current capacity of a circuit. A microwave, unless it is some tiny little portable unit, will often use enough amperage on a circuit where it should be recommended to run the unit on its own dedicated circuit.
Considering the above it is playing a dangerous game to be running your computer on the same circuit as these other heavy load devices. Low power conditions going into the computer could wreak more havoc than simply making the USB device detection circuit get falsely triggered. You run direct risk of a glitched write to the hard drive / SSD causing the system to become unbootable. There is also a distinct possibility that power surges could cause the internal DRAM content to be compromised causing invalid data to be stored in files or causing running software to perform erratic actions or outright crash.