Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to use a 6 way extension lead without overloading

Updated: 22 October 2026

You have a 6 way extension lead and a wall socket behind the furniture. The bar has room for six plugs and one 13 A fuse. How you use it is about what you switch on together, and about not adding a second lead. This page is the setup, not a ranking. Joules are on the [surge protection](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/6-way-extension-lead/sub/6-way-extension-lead-surge-protection) page, and the rows are on the [6 way extension lead comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/6-way-extension-lead). Kent Fire and Rescue Service says not to exceed 13 A or 3,000 W in total, and not to daisy-chain.

You have a 6 way extension lead and a wall socket behind the furniture. The bar has room for six plugs and one 13 A fuse. How you use it is about what you switch on together, and about not adding a second lead.

Our top picks

Pro Elec Pro Elec PELB1755

Best overall

Pro Elec Pro Elec PELB1755
8.4/10about £9.99
View offer
Masterplug Masterplug SWSRG6210N

Rank 2

Masterplug Masterplug SWSRG6210N
9.0/10about £12.49
View offer
Status Status S6W2MS12

Best value

Status Status S6W2MS12
7.7/10about £6.97
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Check the lead before it goes behind the furniture
  2. 2.One socket, one lead
  3. 3.What can share the six sockets
  4. 4.When you stop

Check the lead before it goes behind the furniture

Look at the plug before the bar goes behind the furniture. It should contain, or come with, a 13 A BS 1362 fuse. Open a plug only if it is actually rewireable. Several reviews describe a moulded plug even when the photographs showed screws. If the plug is sealed, leave it sealed. One Pro Elec buyer reported a unit that arrived bent. That is a return. The Pro Elec table says indoor and not water resistant. Do not leave a 5 m lead in a tight ball under a rug. If the run is longer than the cable, fetch a longer lead. Lengths are on the 6 way extension lead buying guide.

One socket, one lead

Plug the extension into a wall socket, not into another extension. Electrical Safety First says one extension per socket, and no daisy-chaining. Masterplug's connected-equipment wording also excludes a daisy-chained lead. If the room needs more than one 13 A lead can feed, the fix is another wall socket, planned by a qualified electrician. Keep the plug fully home. Switches on the Masterplug SWSRG, the Toomke and the switched SE UKASE do not raise the amp rating. One Masterplug reviewer measured the wall holes at 270 mm, so measure the unit you received before you drill. Do not bury the lead inside a stud wall.
Pro Elec Pro Elec PELB1755

Testsieger

Pro Elec Pro Elec PELB1755
8.4/10about £9.99
View offer

What can share the six sockets

Add up what will run together, not what could be plugged in one at a time. A computer, a monitor, a router and a phone charger sit far inside 2,990 W. A television, a soundbar and a console are the same kind of group. Empty sockets can stay empty. London Fire Brigade says a kettle, a toaster and a microwave should not share one extension. A typical kettle is around 3,000 W. Use the wall socket for the kettle. If the fuse blows, replace it with the same BS 1362 rating. Do not fit a nail, foil, or a higher rating.

When you stop

Hot plastic, a burning smell, scorch marks, a buzz, or a fuse that blows again after you remove the heavy appliance are reasons to unplug and leave the lead out of service. Do not tape a split flex. Stiff switches on a new Dewenwils-style bar can ease with use. A buzz from inside the plug, as one Pro Elec buyer described, is not stiffness. Do not cut a moulded plug off to thread the cable through a drawer. Call a qualified person if the fuse blows again on light loads, if cores are bare, if you want a bathroom or outdoor supply, or if the flex must be cut and made off.

Common questions

How many watts can I put on a 6 way lead?
Keep what runs at once inside the marked current. For 13 A that is about 3,000 W in the Kent guidance, and 13 times 230 V is 2,990 W. A title that says 3,120 W or 3,250 W is the same 13 A at 240 V or 250 V. Six sockets do not multiply the figure by six.
Can a kettle or a heater go on it?
One kettle is often already around the full allowance, so do not add a toaster, a microwave or a heater on the same bar. London Fire Brigade says those appliances should not share an extension. Use a wall socket for the kettle, and keep the 6 way lead for the television, the router and the lamps.
Can I plug one extension into another?
No. Electrical Safety First says one extension per socket and no daisy-chaining. The first fuse still limits everything downstream, and you add plugs that can overheat. A surge warranty that excludes daisy-chaining, such as Masterplug's, would not cover that chain either.
What fuse do I fit if it blows?
Fit the same BS 1362 rating the lead is marked for. On these leads that is 13 A. If the new fuse blows as soon as you switch the same light loads on, stop and speak to the retailer, the maker or a qualified repairer. Do not fit a higher rating to make the blowing stop.
What are the danger signs?
Unplug the lead if the plastic smells hot, if you see scorch marks, if it buzzes, or if a fuse blows again after the heavy appliance is gone. A cracked housing or open live parts mean you stop before you plug in. Do not tape the damage. Stiff new sockets are a different complaint from a buzz inside the plug.
When do I stop and call someone?
Call a qualified person if the fault continues on small loads, if cores are bare, if you need a bathroom or outdoor supply, or if the flex has to be cut and reterminated. Extra permanent sockets are a wiring job. A portable 6 way lead is the wrong tool for those rooms.

Related pages

Best 6 way extension lead

6 way extension lead

6 way extension lead buying guide: plug, fuse and load

6 way extension lead with surge protection explained

6 way extension lead with USB for phones, not laptops

Sources

Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored on 19 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test.

  1. Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  2. Electrical Safety First — extension leads (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  3. Electrical Safety First — plugs and fuses (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  4. BEAMA — extension lead safety check-list (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  5. OPSS — ETSC 6 way USB lead (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  6. Kent Fire and Rescue Service — electricity safety (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  7. London Fire Brigade — cables, fuses and leads (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  8. Masterplug — surge warranty (retrieved 19.10.2026)