In a kitchen we currently have a frigefreezer running off an unswitched socket, with one of those multi appliance grid switches on the other side of the room which turns the power to the socket on/off. We want to install a dishwasher next to the fridge, but it will need power, there are no other power outlets near except for the one being used for the fridge.
My thinking is that the grid switch is wired into the ring (or on a separate circuit straight back to the consumer unit), and each switch simply controls a spur going off to each appliance socket, is that right? On the basis that each appliance is fused in their plug anyway (so the spur itself doesn't need to be fused).
An easy solution for the dishwasher situation would be convert the fridge socket to a double socket and run both the fridge and the dishwasher from here. I can see two issues with this, I'll need to check the cable thickness to the socket from grid switch - if it's 2.5mm then I think the cable should be fine - if it's 1.5mm might the dishwasher and fridge overload the cable? Secondly, what's the regs take on running both appliances from one switch, I know each needs to be isolatable, but isolating them both together doesn't seem too whacky to me. Thoughts?
My thinking is that the grid switch is wired into the ring (or on a separate circuit straight back to the consumer unit), and each switch simply controls a spur going off to each appliance socket, is that right? On the basis that each appliance is fused in their plug anyway (so the spur itself doesn't need to be fused).
An easy solution for the dishwasher situation would be convert the fridge socket to a double socket and run both the fridge and the dishwasher from here. I can see two issues with this, I'll need to check the cable thickness to the socket from grid switch - if it's 2.5mm then I think the cable should be fine - if it's 1.5mm might the dishwasher and fridge overload the cable? Secondly, what's the regs take on running both appliances from one switch, I know each needs to be isolatable, but isolating them both together doesn't seem too whacky to me. Thoughts?