Hidden kitchen electrics

[gardeningman]

My niece and her partner have moved into a their first house. It's about twenty years old, and has a lovely fitted kitchen. Trouble is - the electric plug and socket for the fridge freezer are nowhere to be found. Those particular electrics seem to be hidden (as is their stop tap ie it's not under the sink). They want to defrost the freezer, but can't switch it off.
You open the door and at the top of the unit there's a bracket about 4" in length with two phillips screws in it: I suggested they unscrew those and carefully try and pull the whole fridge freezer unit out.
Any ideas out there?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yeah - write a strongly worded letter of complaint to the maker and ask them WTF they don't put an on/off switch on their products.

Won't solve the problem, but it should be cathartic...

 

[gardeningman]

Hi Ban-All-Sheds

Nice one!

 

[theshogun]

Is there a switch with a fuse beside it above the worktop?

Any sockets in the cupboards adjacent freezer?

Some times the appliance has it's plug removed and is wired straight into the switch fuse.( not recommended as generally would invalidate any guarantee),
Switch fuse would normally control low level socket behind appliance.
Normal to have socket in adjacent cupboards.

 

[mapj1]

If you really can't find it, and want to postpone pulling the house apart until later in the year, consider pulling fuses at the consumer unit, until finding the one that makes the fridge light go out, then leave it off for a bit. Perhaps arrange to go out for the evening, or eat by candle light...
just a thought.
M.

 

[masona]

Yeah - write a strongly worded letter of complaint to the maker and ask them WTF they don't put an on/off switch on their products.

Not a bad idea!

Does the socket have to be accessible as with junction box?

 

[mapj1]

Actually I don't want a switch on my fridge, or at least not one that can be operated by mistake.

Yes the socket should be visible, or at least a 'means of isolation' should be visible, otherwise its a non-compliant installation, but that isn't much help if its already been done. It will become clearer when the kitchen is re-decorated no doubt, but in the mean time its just a nuiscence. Another awful idea, is it possible the cable passes out of the kitchen through the wall and plugs in in the adjoining room? In this brave new world, this would be one way to add a socket and avoid part P (though a $&&&**y silly one.)
regards M.

 

[felix]

No problem. Open cupboard doors until you find the one without any cupboard behind it. Rummage amongst the old newspapers, worn out tools and rotting apple core to find the mains extension lead into which is plugged your fridge/freezer!

No kidding, I've seen it done this way. The problem of how to get power to fitted appliances is one that plagues kitchen fitters and DIYers alike. Third rate fitters on a fixed price contract will always be tempted to say "b****x to this" and take the easy way out. You might even find a dish washer, washing machine and tumbler plugged in there too.

 

[mapj1]

And of course if the part P legislation is actually followed then it will encourage more of this, as extension leads and adapters are allowed for free, but properly fitted sockets have to be inspected and tested and will cost too much more. This is why there are more accidents in countries that ban DIY fixed wiring, not less accidents as one might at first expect.

PS the apple cores are extra!, it could be worse. I have in the past found a badly decayed half eaten bag of fish and chips under and upstairs floor long after the boiler man had done his stuff and fitted a new room thermostat at a friend's house..
" oh yes it did seem to smell of chips for quite a bit after he'd been" said my friend..
And its not just electricals who do this sort of thing, my water tank was until recently supported on two blocks of wood, one thicker than the other, so to level it up, the thin one was supplemented by a rolled up magazine that I can only describe as being of downright dubious content, that had clearly been there since about 1970. So I suppose it works, but I don't have to like it, some times the Great British working man is just depressing to watch in action.
regards M.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

What a waste of a good magazine, a couple of (used) beermats would do the job

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The problem of how to get power to fitted appliances is one that plagues kitchen fitters and DIYers alike.

Simple.

Unfused, unswitched 15A sockets below the worktop, supplied either through individual FCUs above the worktop, or from a gridplate of DP switches and fuse modules.

Make yourself up a little extension lead with a 13A plug and a 15A socket for use if a repairman wants to test it when it's pulled out.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What a waste of a good magazine, a couple of (used) beermats would do the job

How do you know the magazine hadn't been used?

But we really don't want to go there...