Multiple appliances in to a FCU

[JimBoaIII]

I’m fitting a new kitchen and want to wire in the following appliances to a FCU:

Extractor
Gas Hob (for ignition)
Gas Oven (Ignition & Light)

Can I wire all appliances in to the same FCU?
Don’t want to have to run separate sockets for each

Thanks

 

[Chri5]

No

 

[JimBoaIII]

Thanks for the response Chris

What would you suggest to do in this instance then?

Have 3 separate FCU?

Can they all come from the same spur?

 

[Chri5]

You'd be looking at 3 x f/spur units with 3 amp or less fuses in each. A spur should be limited to 13 amp max.

Spurs off spurs are generally disliked, so a spur of a spur of a spur isn't the best thing to do. Could you intergrate them all in to the ring circuit- then if ever the use is changed, each could handle up to 13 amp.

The danger of a spur of a spur of a spur is simply that you could fuse at 13 amp and if appliances worked to that load 39 amp v 13 amp spur load would be a big issue.

 

[JohnW2]

You'd be looking at 3 x f/spur units with 3 amp or less fuses in each. A spur should be limited to 13 amp max.
Spurs off spurs are generally disliked, so a spur of a spur of a spur isn't the best thing to do. Could you intergrate them all in to the ring circuit- then if ever the use is changed, each could handle up to 13 amp.
The danger of a spur of a spur of a spur is simply that you could fuse at 13 amp and if appliances worked to that load 39 amp v 13 amp spur load would be a big issue.

Given that it's perfectly acceptable to have an unlimited number of sockets fed from a 13A fused spur, I would not have thought that there would be anything wrong with having three FCUs (with whatever fuses, but particularly if 3A or less) fed ('radial fashion') from a single 13A fused spur, would there?

Kind Regards, John

 

[electronicsuk]

You'd be looking at 3 x f/spur units with 3 amp or less fuses in each. A spur should be limited to 13 amp max.
Spurs off spurs are generally disliked, so a spur of a spur of a spur isn't the best thing to do. Could you intergrate them all in to the ring circuit- then if ever the use is changed, each could handle up to 13 amp.
The danger of a spur of a spur of a spur is simply that you could fuse at 13 amp and if appliances worked to that load 39 amp v 13 amp spur load would be a big issue.

Given that it's perfectly acceptable to have an unlimited number of sockets fed from a 13A fused spur, I would not have thought that there would be anything wrong with having three FCUs (with whatever fuses, but particularly if 3A or less) fed ('radial fashion') from a single 13A fused spur, would there?

Kind Regards, John

I'm with John on this one - all the loads you mention are small, so you could quite happily stick a 3A fuse in the FCU and feed all three loads from it. I prefer individual isolation points for each item of equipment as it's better for servicing, but that's your choice.

Perhaps you could also consider a 4 way grid fitted with 3x 20A DP switches and a fuse carrier.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No

Why not?

 

[Alarm]

Would have thought all 3 would not surpass 3 amps in total.
How often would all 3 be in operation?

 

[JimBoaIII]

Thank you ALL for all your responses.

So my plan was to wire all three appliances in to the same 13A fused socket.

I don;t see the draw being above 3A for each appliance, although without looking at the manuals I can't say for sure.

To confirm what I think is being suggested here:

I can take a spur from the ring main to a 13A FCU.
From there I can directly cable my 3 appliances in to that FCU.

Do I have the gist of it?

 

[riveralt]

While I agree it is feasible and not illegal to do what you suggest, I would have two concerns.

Firstly, the manufacturers instructions should be followed - so if they say a 3 Amp fuse must be used - then its your guarantee.

Secondly, the purpose of the fuse is to protect the cable - the manufacturers 'may' have set their cable sizes assuming 3Amp and not a 13Amp fuse.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Thank you ALL for all your responses.

So my plan was to wire all three appliances in to the same 13A fused socket.

I don;t see the draw being above 3A for each appliance, although without looking at the manuals I can't say for sure.

To confirm what I think is being suggested here:

I can take a spur from the ring main to a 13A FCU.
From there I can directly cable my 3 appliances in to that FCU.

Do I have the gist of it?

Yes, provided your FCU load terminals will take three cables.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Could daisy-chain to 3 flex outlets.

 

[Chri5]

Could daisy-chain to 3 flex outlets.

Which means 3 x back boxes, so how's that a 'saving' over 3 x f/ spurs which will at least have the ability to seperately isolate the devices wired in.

As for you

why not ?

surely MI's will suggest seperate fuse and isolation

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Which means 3 x back boxes, so how's that a 'saving' over 3 x f/ spurs which will at least have the ability to seperately isolate the devices wired in.

Depends what he's trying to save.

If it's visible accessories then it is a definite saving.

As for you

why not ?

surely MI's will suggest seperate fuse and isolation

As long as the fuse is what the maker specifies that's OK. There is no way that having 2 other appliances on the same fuse or switch can affect it.

 

[JohnW2]

As for you

why not ?

surely MI's will suggest seperate fuse and isolation

I suspect that many MI's would actually fail to include that word 'separate' - so that the loophole-seekers might try to wriggle through that one!

I personally would certainly like to have separate means of disconnection (or, ideally, true isolation), for each of the three loads. The loads we are talking about are so low that one might even contemplate in-line switches in each of the cables, I suppose - but I would regard that as a very messy solution. Perhaps of more concern is the connection of three flexible cables in one FCU. Whilst terminating the conductors would probably be OK, I'm not so convinced that the cable clamp could cope satisfactorily. I would therefore almost certainly go for 3 FCUs, or a 6-gang grid plate with 3 switches and 3 fuse carriers.

Kind Regards, John.