B&Q Man says My CCU Not Allowed?

[Grunt]

Hello,

Just had a B&Q kitchen designer / consultant around to measure up and give me a quote for a new kitchen. He seemed a pleasent enough guy but he did talk fast and I couldn't take in everything he was saying / pointing out (and I'm a bit of a doofus anyway). I'm sure he said that my existing CCU was no longer 'allowed' and it would need to be something different. It's fed from a 40A mcb in my DB. There's a cooker connection point (blanked off) behind the fridge. I plan to have a new oven / hob where the fridge presently resides.

Did I mishear / misunderstand him or is my CCU no longer legit?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Is the new hob only going to be the same width (approx) as the fridge?
(but that means a hob right next to the back door )
The only thing that springs to mind is if the cooker was to be sited directly beneath the switch - that wouldn't be good practice.

 

[Chri5]

I assume your having a kitchen refit and new tiling ?

In which case there won't be any issue moving the CCU cable from the consumer unit to a more servicable location.

The CCU shouldn't be in range of heat, fat spits, steamy water, and needs to be close to the cooker- but not too close 300mm or so.

CCU's with sockets aren't liked much and even if the CCU stays near to where it is, the socket couldn't really be used for anything due to the proximity of the hob.

Could I suggest that alongside the new kitchen you consider getting the cooker and the kitchen ring sockets sorted.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

Ask for their proposals and reasons in writing so that you can digest it properly.

 

[bongos]

And if you do need electrical work doing - get a spark to do it not a kitchen fitter...

 

[TicklyT]

Another area of concern with the 13 Amp socket occurs if the cooker circuit is not RCD proteted, as it looks a very convenient place to run an extension lead outside....

 

[securespark]

The best bet is to ring up and ask to speak to this geezer.

Get him to detail the reasons why he is unhappy with the installation (ask for regulation numbers) and his suggestions how to correct the problems.

Before he spouts off guff, he really ought to be able to recognise a substandard installation and how to rectify it and the relevant regs.

If I walked into a customers house and said "that's wrong", the least I can do is have the confidence to point out why it is wrong, refer it to the regs and advise what needs to be done to sort it out.

It sounds like your geezer has not done this. Did he leave any paperwork detailing the deficiencies?

Did he mention certifying, inspection and test, RCD protection, PEB's?

Don't want to put you off a DIY store's kitchen, but I went to one customer a while back (can't find the link, sorry) where the RCD they had put in had failed. Upon inspection, the RCD protected the existing house sockets, not the ones they had installed new...There was also deficiencies with the PEB's.

A real co*k up of a job. And the spark I spoke to claimed to be fully qualified. Yeah, right!!!

Go ahead by all means, but make sure they account for what they're doing every step of the way.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If the lay out of the kitchen is going to be the same ie the cooker installed between the two units near the door.
As it stands nothing wrong with the CCU the guidelines do ask for it to be at least 300mm to the side of a hob, but that is a guideline not a requirement.
Common senses say directly above the hob is a no no.
But as mentioned in previous posts, I'd be concerned with the location of the socket being easily used for outdoor equipment if not RCD protected.

 

[Stoday]

Get a quote from another shed. Not B&Q alone.

Seems a shame to go to the expense of a new kitchen without updating the electrics and tiles.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Any updating to the electricals in the kitchen will need to comply to part p of building regs, this will in turn then comply to 17th editions.

 

[flameport]

The only 'wrong' item in the picture is that 3 way cube adaptor. While not illegal, and you can still buy them, they really shouldn't be used.

Most of them are not fused, making it easy to overload the socket.
The extra weight and the fact they stick out from the socket by several inches means they can easily be pulled loose, become damaged, or damage the socket itself.

 

[Grunt]

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies.

I have to go see the designer at B&Q soon (when they ring back to make an appointment) so I can ask about the CCU then. There is a guy from Magnet here at the moment (he's measuring up whilst I write this) so it will be interesting to see if he says anything.

Only doing up the kitchen because I intend to move out next year and the current kitchen is a mess. My electrics are not really 'up to date'. The kitchen is all on the downstairs ring, and a couple of outlets are spurs. Only had new upstairs carpets in recently so don't like the idea of having to 'rip 'em up' to run new wiring.

The Magnet guy's finished. Nothing said about the CCU other than it was 'old style'. He said he would quote for fitting an rcd in my fuseboard as that would be neccessary. Told him I could do that before fitters come to install (I did 16th edition a few years ago and have Course C, also Design, Erection and Verification), although I'm not a domestic electrician. He said they could do a 'dry' fit; connect the plumbing up but leave the electrical appliances and I could do that once they've left site.

With the benefit of hindsight I think that the B&Q guy was probably meaning that the CCU was no good because of the socket outlet and no rcd.

Damm, **** poor planning on my part. Knew I should have 'done' the kitchen electrics all that time ago, but fed up with DIY. Guess I might just have to bite the bullet, put a new ring in and get someone to lift / refit my new carpets.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If you intend to upgrade the kitchen electrics yourself, you must be made aware that domestic installation must comply to part p and any work done in this location, notified to building controls, so it can be signed off.
The certificate will be required when you sell your house next year.
www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law