fuse burnt out on 3000kw contactor running from extention

Hi,

I have run a spur up into my loft from a upstairs bedroom using 2.5mm cable, the plug socket i have attatched in the loft is a 3 gang 13a fused socket.
i have 6 x 600w cooltube lights running up the the setup is like this -

extention plugged into 1 socket in the 3 gang (because ballasts are to far away from plug) - contactor - extention (contactor only has 3 sockets) - ballasts.

My carbon extractor and oscillating fan are plugged in the other 2 sockets and my cooltube fans are connected to a seperate plug in the loft (running of upstairs lights).

Here is the problem, this setup has been running fine for around 4 months, i went to away for 3 days and when i returned the fuse on the power plug part of the contactor and burnt, burnt right through the plug that is going into the extention, i could see the fuse in the plug as the plastic had burnt.

Now i know this is extremley dangerous and i do have all my ballast and connections lying on concrete flag but this cannot happed again i may not be so lucky.

1.How has this happened? Could it of been because of the colder temps up there no its is winter and the sudden surge when all 6 lights come on?

2. Any ideas on how to make this a completley safe setup, i know the 2.5mm cable is good enough so what are the best/economical sockets/contactor setup i can use?

I though maybe get another contactor and plug 3 lights in 1 socket of the three gang and the other in the 2nd socket of the 3 gang, would this work safely?

your very lucky, with 3 600watters plus the rest of your gear you got to be pushing over 80% of your 13amp brecker its probly been ruuning hot the whole time.with that much draw you really need a dedicated circuit

Man 600watt hps ballast at the lowest amp usage is 5amps Galaxy ballast. so 15 amps on just the 3 600watters.

im having a little trouble understanding. i do apologize.

what do you mean when you say 2.5 mm cable?

if im understanding you right.

you have an extension cord (2.5mm cable??) running from your bedroom to your loft??

at the end you had a 13a 3 gang power strip??

in one socket you had another extension cord plugged in?? and that is the socket that recieved the most damage???

if that is the case, that particular extension cord most likely had prongs ( tabs, the metal post things) that were not making good contact, causing small electrical arc.
the arc wont throw the fuse, but does get worse, making more arcing, and more heat.

did i get close to the problem??

and where are you from?? you have very interesting diction. i would almost guess something Cyrillic, but your ordering of sentax hints at a strong germanic base??

also you cant run more than two of those lights on one cord/cable and then only with nothing else on the cord/cable

do you know if your local power grid is 120v or 220v ????
if your somewhere not in america im guessing 220v??

Im from uk. The 2.5mm is cable i have used to spur from a plug on the ring main. The damage was on the plug connected to the extenton, like this -

3gang socket - extention - damaged contactor plug

The ballasts are 3amp.

would using 2 different contactors from 2 different sockets on the 3gang work?

ok with help from the others.

you had all three lights plugged into a power strip (contactor???). plugged into an extension cord, plugged into another powerstrip, plugged into another extension cord??

yeah big no no. extension cords/cables dont do as well as they should,

remember

watts/volts = amps

you need to run another cord/cable.

from a plug on a different house fuse/breaker

ok, i need a solution then? how can i make it safe while still using the power from the spur?

it is your loft.

any exposed wiring you see??

something with some slack in the line preferably??

i dont understand you?

and its not 3 lights its 6 lights