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How to use a Brennenstuhl extension lead without overload

Updated: 22 October 2026

Empty sockets on a Brennenstuhl strip are not spare amps. Start with the amp figure printed for that model, then with the rule that you do not feed a second lead from the first. Models and prices are on the [Brennenstuhl extension lead comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/brennenstuhl-extension-lead). Plug and current conflicts are on the [buying guide](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/brennenstuhl-extension-lead/sub/brennenstuhl-extension-lead-buying-guide). Peter F. checked these listings on 22 October 2026. This is not a lab test. If the plastic smells hot, unplug. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

Empty sockets on a Brennenstuhl strip are not spare amps. Start with the amp figure printed for that model, then with the rule that you do not feed a second lead from the first.

Our top picks

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line 10-way (black)

Best overall

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line 10-way (black)
9.1/10about £18.06
View offer
Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Premium-Line 6-way (black)

Alternative

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Premium-Line 6-way (black)
4.8/10about £20.15
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Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Super-Solid 8-way with fuse button

Alternative

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Super-Solid 8-way with fuse button
8.6/10about £22.16
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On this page
  1. 1.Use the printed amp rating for everything at once
  2. 2.Do not daisy-chain
  3. 3.Keep kettles and heaters off a shared strip
  4. 4.Check the lead, then stop if it is damaged

Use the printed amp rating for everything at once

Add up what is plugged in at once and stay under the figure on that lead. Most listings print 13 A. Brennenstuhl's UK pages print 3,120 W for those models, for the whole bar. The 12-way at £48.11 still lists 13 A. The 6-way prints 10 A. Electrical Safety First notes that some leads are 10 A, so do not borrow 13 A from the 10-way. The Ecolor prints 10 A and 22 A. Do not use 22 A. The Premium-Line 8-way prints 16 A and 13 A. Follow the lower figure on the label. A charger and a lamp sit inside 13 A. A fan heater does not share that bar with a kettle.

Do not daisy-chain

Electrical Safety First says one extension device per wall socket, and no lead plugged into another. Which?, quoting a fire officer from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue, puts a rule of thumb at more than 3,000 W on one socket. That is their rule of thumb, next to Brennenstuhl's 3,120 W for a 13 A model. If a 2 m lead does not reach, use one longer lead from the wall: the Super-Solid at 2.5 m, or the Alu-Line, Ecolor, or 12-way at 3 m. Do not coil a loaded flex under a rug. A surge lamp, on the surge protection page, does not make daisy-chaining acceptable.
Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line 10-way (black)

Testsieger

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line 10-way (black)
9.1/10about £18.06
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Keep kettles and heaters off a shared strip

London Fire Brigade says kettles, toasters, and microwaves should not share one extension lead. A kettle can use most of a 13 A allowance by itself, and a 3 kW kettle is already at the fire service's rule of thumb of about 3,000 W. The intended job is the low-power row: a television, a router, a lamp, a laptop charger, a monitor. The USB 4-way's two ports at 2,100 mA total are for phone charging. The 10-way's two switches let you cut one group of five when you leave the room. Heaters, irons, and tumble dryers belong in a wall socket of their own.

Check the lead, then stop if it is damaged

Look at the plug, the flex, and the shell before you load the strip. Electrical Safety First says stop for hot plastic, sparks, scorch marks, a frayed cable, or melted plastic. Replace a fuse with the same BS 1362 rating. Resetting a fuse button is not a repair for melted plastic. At home there is no universal duty to PAT-test every lead once a year. HSE's guidance is a user check. If you employ people, INDG236 applies. Call a registered electrician if the wall socket is warm or scorched. Fixing the bar is on the desk mount page.

Common questions

How many amps can I put on a Brennenstuhl lead?
Use the figure printed for that model, for everything plugged in at once. Most listings in this capture say 13 A, and Brennenstuhl's UK pages for those models print 3,120 W. The 6-way's fields say 10 A. The Ecolor prints 10 A and 22 A, so do not use 22 A as the working limit. Extra sockets do not add amps.
Can I plug one Brennenstuhl strip into another?
No. Electrical Safety First says one extension device per wall socket and no daisy-chain. Which? reports the same rejection from a fire officer. If the cable is too short, use a longer single lead from the wall, or have a socket fitted. A second strip in the end socket does not create a new 13 A allowance.
Can a kettle go on it?
A kettle can take most of a 13 A lead on its own. London Fire Brigade says kettles, toasters, and microwaves should not share one extension. Put the kettle in a wall socket. Use the Brennenstuhl bar for the television, chargers, and lamps that sit well under the printed rating.
What if the 6-way says 10 A?
Follow 10 A for that Premium-Line 6-way. Both current fields in the capture say 10 A at 240 V. The 4.7 from 862 star line on that page matches the 8-way review file, so do not treat those reviews as proof that the 6-way is a 13 A bar. The lower printed current is the limit you use.
What are the danger signs?
Stop if you smell hot plastic, see sparks or scorch marks, find a frayed cable or melted plastic, or blow fuses with no obvious overload. Unplug at the wall. Do not open the casing and do not keep using the lead under a desk where you cannot see it. Replace it.
When do I stop and call an electrician?
Call a registered electrician if the wall socket is warm or blackened, if you need a new fixed socket because the lead will not reach, or if the circuit trips on an ordinary load. A resettable fuse button on the strip does not fix a fault in the wall. Do not keep resetting and reloading.

Related pages

Which Brennenstuhl extension lead to buy

Brennenstuhl extension lead

Brennenstuhl extension lead buying guide for a UK plug

Brennenstuhl extension lead wall mount under a desk

Brennenstuhl extension lead surge protection explained

Sources

Public sources are listed below. Prices, stars and review counts come from amazon.co.uk listings. This page did not run a lab test.

  1. Electrical Safety First — Extension leads (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Electrical Safety First — Plugs and fuses (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. BEAMA — Extension lead safety checklist (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. HSE — INDG236 Maintaining portable electrical equipment (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. HSE — PAT FAQ (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Brennenstuhl — Eco-Line 5-way surge (GB) (retrieved 22.10.2026)