Electric cooker

[MrsGarner]

Hi all,

I currently have an electric oven (single) that has a plug on it.
The sparkie that wired my kitchen said it wasn't powerful enough to warrant it's own circuit! (Ok whatever). So it was fitted using 6mm cable and has an isolator as we requested it (stops kids keep turning oven on)

4 months down the line the oven is playing up and we have invested in an electric cooker. So double oven and hob. All electric

I believe this needs to be installed using 10mm cable which is fine I can run and hide a new cable. Behind skirting that hasn't been fixed on yet.

But my question is does this NEED to have its own switch (or not really).. I'll probably give it one just trying to work out best location.

And can I legally wire it into the consumer unit myself?

THanks

 

[ricicle]

You cannot run the cable behind the skirting.
Does the 6mm you talk about already go back to the consumer unit or are you wrong in the cable size as you said the original electrician did not wire the first oven on it's own circuit ? 6mm flex would be pointless if the oven is plugged in to a standard socket circuit (and impossible to terminate in a plug !)
Can you clarify please.

 

[MrsGarner]

Is there a reason why the cable can't be boxed in behind skirting? That was the plan with the current cabling? And the electrician that done it all signed it all off. We didn't channel and sink the cabling as we re planning on knocking the kitchen down (part of) and having an extension. So we have surface cables behind cabinets.

Perhaps it's 8mm cable then. All I know is that the same cable that runs trough out the whole house is the same as what's in the kitchen that feeds the plug that the oven is currently plugged into.

All of the sockets including the one the oven is plugged into in the kitchen are on the same circuit. (Not sure if that's correct terminology)

If I switch off the sockets on the cu the whole
Kitchen is out including the oven (currently)

 

[winston1]

Perhaps it's 8mm cable then. All I know is that the same cable that runs trough out the whole house is the same as what's in the kitchen that feeds the plug that the oven is currently plugged into.

All of the sockets including the one the oven is plugged into in the kitchen are on the same circuit. (Not sure if that's correct terminology)

If I switch off the sockets on the cu the whole
Kitchen is out including the oven (currently)

It is 2.5mm cable then. The size refers to the cross sectional area of the copper not the outside diameter of the whole cable.

You will need a new circuit run in 6 mm cable on a 40amp MCB. You will need a cooker control switch which may also incorporate a 13amp socket. Although you can legally wire it yourself it is notifiable work.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

A 15kW cooker can be installed on a 32A MCB, 4mm twin and earth can carry a maximum of 37A, providing there are no de-rating factors to calculate in to that. It is normal procedure in a domestic environment to install 6.0mm T&E though.
You cannot route cables horizontally behind the skirting, unless it is buried at least 50mm within wall (building regs part a compliant though, so your walls must not be structurally affected, so I would assume that this would be unacheivable) or the cable will require to be mechanically protected.
It is not good practise routing cables behind the skirting boards. There is nearly always a logic safe route that can be taken.
Installing yourself will require a knowledge of circuit design and compliance to the requirements of the wiring regulations and various other related building regulations, you will need to notify building controls prior to installation and pay a fee, they will inspect during installation and prior to commissioning.
Easy option is to employ a self certing electrician.

 

[MrsGarner]

Thank you all. I have a sparkie coming today to quote.

Appreciate all your feedback

 

[ericmark]

There is a big question does putting a cable in trunking mean the cable is considered as being buried less than 50mm in a wall? Dado and skirting trunking is often used. Where there is some item in trunking like a socket then it clearly goes to being in safe zones but I have fitted small trunking following the line of some other item to make it look neat be it a cupboard or skirting it did not follow safe zones and was no real danger as it could be seen to be trunking which would contain something be it central heating pipes or wires.

However often when decorating the paper or paint would go over the trunking and all that remains is a shape and to the letter of the regulations wrong however I am sure everyone would know what was behind that shape and so does not result in danger.

Even with standard skirting I have seen where it is proud from the wall with some wood between the skirting and wall clearly something is behind the skirting often central heating pipes.

So what I am saying there has to be some common sense applied and if with an inspection it is clear the skirting is forming trunking then in real terms it's OK but if you would not expect to find anything behind the skirting then clearly wrong.

What I am wary of is making a statement "X" is wrong without seeing the installation as we are tradesmen not yes men and we should be able to use our judgement other wise there would not be a section in the forms for listing where there are deviations from BS7671:2008