Installing a new cooker - various questions

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

I've got a new cooker coming next week and was considering wiring it in myself. It will be replacing our existing similar(ish) cooker and is going in the same spot as the old one. But it turns out I might have to get in an electrician to do some checks (see my other post today!) and so I might pay the extra to have them install it for me. In case I don't though, and because I'm a curious sod, I wondered if anyone could answer the things I was unsure about....

1. What cable will I need? I'm thinking 6mm but wanted to double check. The cooker is a Belling FS50EDOPC. The specs are as follows:
- Top Oven. Top heating element 500w... Bottom heating element 600w.... Grill heating element 1400w.
- Main Oven. Top element 1000w.... Bottom element 1000w.... And the circular element 2000w.
- Ceramic hobs.... 145mm Radian 1200W.... 180mm Radiant 1700W

2. The manual says that "‘Twin and Earth 6242Y’ type cable should be used. Is that standard cokoer type cable?

3. Should there be a fuse at isolator switch (there isn't) or just at the consumer unit (there is - 32A). I'm pretty sure that's right but just wanted to check.

4. Do I need to know what wiring there is going from the consumer unit to the isolator, and from the isolator to the cooker connection unit? All of that cable is in the walls. The only externally visible cable is from the CCU to the cooker.

5. The manual says I have to use the anti-tilt part that comes with it. Out existing cooker doesn't have one and is rock solid. Do you use the anti-tilts when you install cookers and do you think they are essential.

Cheers!

Max

 

[winston1]

1. Probably re use the existing cable. 4mm is enough, 6mm is often used.
2. Twin and earth to the isolator. Flexible from it to the cooker, see no. 1.
3. Not required.
4. See 1 and 2.
5. Advisable. Old cookers are heavy and difficult to tilt. New ones are lighter and easily tilt, especially if the oven door is open and the xmas turkey is on it.

 

[DIYNotIan]

1. The old cable looks a bit old and tired, so I think a replacement at this stage would be a good idea tbh.
2. Please could you explain to a novice what 6242Y actually specifies? I'm presuming it isn't size. Here you can get 6242Y in all different sizes:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/d190/Cable/sd2730/Twin+&+Earth+Cable+(6242Y)+Grey/p45731
Is 6242Y flexible?
3 Good, that's what I thought.
4. How can you tell? Would it be a case of looking carefully at the wall units where the cable is going in/out (cos the rest is in the plaster)? Or do electricians have some kind of equipment to find this out?
5. Fair point. Would an electrician fitting the oven install this part as well, or would that be down to me?

Many thanks for the help.

 

[flameport]

The cable required is 6mm T&E. Very likely the exact same type that the old cooker is connected with.
Although not technically a flex, it doesn't matter since the cooker will only be moved again when it requires repair or replacement. No one in the universe has ever pulled the cooker out to clean under it.
The existing 32A circuit will be fine, unless you have reason to believe it was originally installed completely incorrectly.

The 'anti tilt device' is usually a screw eye and a short bit of chain. Fitting is drilling one hole in the wall, shoving a plastic plug in and screwing the eye in. You then clip the chain to the eye and to the back of the cooker.
Some fancy overpriced models have an L shaped bracket which screws to the wall near the floor, the protruding part slots into a hole in the back of the cooker.

The old cable looks a bit old and tired

Unless it's physically damaged or falling apart, a bit of Cillit Bang and a wet cloth will have it looking as good as new in 10 seconds.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Thanks flameport.

I certainly don't make a habit of cleaning under the cooker. But I've got two dogs who moult like crazy. Plus we're in the sticks and the kitchen is the buffer zone for the rest of the house. So aside form the hair it sees a good amount of mud and stuff too. Not to mention the food from cooking of course...

I'm not sure mine is a fancy or overpriced model, but it does indeed come with an L shaped bracket (according to the manual).

Here's a pic of the cable. I'll leave you to decide which bit concerned me

 

[DIYNotIan]

Any further thoughts or advice before I call around for an electrician tomorrow?

Also, RE the wiring in the walls (CU -> Isolator -> CCU), how can I tell what spec the wiring is when it is in the walls? How does an electrician do it? With some kind of equipment or just by eye-balling the ends at the socket, etc?

Thanks for all the help

 

[endecotp]

eye-balling the ends at the socket, etc?

Yes.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Thanks endecotp.

Well, as luck would have it I do have some photos of the internals of the isolator and the cooker connector unit. So would anyone mind taking an eyeball and seeing if they are clear enough to see what's there? Or at least to judge whether it is the same going in as coming out (which it seems to be to my untrained eye). Pics below.

 

[winston1]

Where is the green/yellow sleeving in the bottom picture?

 

[Taylortwocities]

would anyone mind taking an eyeball and seeing if they are clear enough to see what's there?

Quite hard to tell from a photo. It's possibly 6mm². There is a table of the dimensions of typical T&E cable sizes in the much ignored WIKI.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:flatpvccables
Get you measure out and see what it might be.
Do turn the power off before waving a steel tape at it though...

 

[securespark]

No one in the universe has ever pulled the cooker out to clean under it.

My Mother....

 

[stillp]

Why did your mother pull flameport's cooker out?