Is this ok please - cooker and hob on same circuit - overload?

[hztm2008]

Hi, I wonder if I could ask those in the know for some advice please. My electric ceramic hob has just packed up and I am looking to replace this with a new induction hob. Both the old and new hob are rated at 32A. I have just checked my wiring (installed when the kitchen was fitted) and I currently have the hob (32A) and a built under cooker (rated at 6.5K) connected to the same wiring (two cables coming from wall connection down behind the cook). In my consumer unit there is a 32A switch. This has all be running fine for the past 12 years since the kitchen was fitted but I just wondered if this sounds correct - both cooker and hob on the same 32A supply. If the cooker is rated 6.5Kw does this not mean that this too would need around 27A?

As I said, it has always been like this and always worked fine - just wondering if it is ok for me to simply replace the existing hob with the new one.

UPDATE: I am aware that general wiring questions like this have been asked before and it appears to be ok to connect both hob and oven to the same circuit - my issue here is whether induction hobs are still ok or whether they maybe require more power? Thanks

Thanks for your help and advice.

 

[JohnW2]

UPDATE: I am aware that general wiring questions like this have been asked before and it appears to be ok to connect both hob and oven to the same circuit - my issue here is whether induction hobs are still ok or whether they maybe require more power?

We could really do with some more information about the power requirements of the induction hob. If it is, as you say, 32A maximum (does it say that, or merely that it 'requires a 32A supply'?), then, because of the concept of 'diversity' (which takes into account the fact that not all bits of ovens and hobs will be drawing power all of the time) that plus a 6.5 kW oven would be OK on a properly installed '32A supply'.

When you say " I currently have the hob (32A) and a built under cooker (rated at 6.5K) connected to the same wiring (two cables coming from wall connection down behind the cook). In my consumer unit there is a 32A switch.", are those 'two cables' the ones going to the oven and hob respectively? Does the switch in the CU control the oven+hob and nothing else (i.e. is it labelled 'Cooker' or something like that?)?

Kind Regards, John

 

[hztm2008]

UPDATE: I am aware that general wiring questions like this have been asked before and it appears to be ok to connect both hob and oven to the same circuit - my issue here is whether induction hobs are still ok or whether they maybe require more power?

We could really do with some more information about the power requirements of the induction hob. If it is, as you say, 32A maximum (does it say that, or merely that it 'requires a 32A supply'?), then, because of the concept of 'diversity' (which takes into account the fact that not all bits of ovens and hobs will be drawing power all of the time) that plus a 6.5 kW oven would be OK on a properly installed '32A supply'.

When you say " I currently have the hob (32A) and a built under cooker (rated at 6.5K) connected to the same wiring (two cables coming from wall connection down behind the cook). In my consumer unit there is a 32A switch.", are those 'two cables' the ones going to the oven and hob respectively? Does the switch in the CU control the oven+hob and nothing else (i.e. is it labelled 'Cooker' or something like that?)?

Kind Regards, John

Hi and thanks for coming back...the hob stated as 7.4Kw / 30A. Yes, the 2 cables are the ones going to the oven and hob. Yes the switch in the CU only controls the oven and hob and is labelled Cooker. Thanks

 

[JohnW2]

Hi and thanks for coming back...the hob stated as 7.4Kw / 30A. Yes, the 2 cables are the ones going to the oven and hob. Yes the switch in the CU only controls the oven and hob and is labelled Cooker. Thanks

You're welcome. In that case, provided only that the circuit was wired with cable which had size and route suitable for a 32A circuit, then the circuit would be fine for running the induction hob plus oven.

If the 7.4 kW (hob) and 6.5 kW (oven) both relate to 230V (which they probably don't - they are probably stated at 240V, which makes things even 'better'), that is considered, after allowance for 'diversity', to be a total load of only just over 25A, well below 32A.

Kind Regards, John

 

[hztm2008]

Thank you very much indeed - that has put our minds to rest. Thanks again.

 

[JohnW2]

Thank you very much indeed - that has put our minds to rest. Thanks again.

You're welcome - but remember that the one thing I cannot tell you is whether or not the cable with which the circuit has been wired (cable size and routing) is actually suitable for a 32A circuit.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

Induction hobs waist less power than any other hob. So in real terms they must use less power, although they have features like boost this can only be used for water anything else it is far too fast it would just burn food, so boost is rarely used and if it is used only for a very short time, it take time for wires to heat up so even if the sums say it's too big in real terms it will be fine. Worst case it would trip MCB. I think my induction cooker is rated around 60A but it has never tripped the 32A MCB and instructions say use a 32A MCB.

 

[hztm2008]

Many thanks for the info. I am happy that the wiring from the MCB is ok. We are a little unsure about the whole induction hob thing but our existing halogen hob failed a few days ago so I have just gone ahead and ordered the induction one. The existing hob used to get so hot that you could barely touch the touch sensitive controls. I am a little worried about how safe (radiation, health, etc.) the induction hob is but it appears that everybody is going over to them. On the site I just ordered from there were 48 induction hobs and only 12 normal hobs. We were not sure about the radiation when touching the saucepan lids or putting a metal spoon in the pan, etc. I guess we just paranoid - anyway have ordered it now - thanks again for all the help.