New built-in cooker - removing moulded 13amp plug

[chrisw99]

I've just bought a new built-in electric cooker to replace our existing one. It is an Indesit model that can be plugged into a standard socket.

Removing the old cooker is no problem - remove the plug and pull out the cable.

The problem is the cable has to run through a couple of drill holes to get to the nearest power socket and the new cooker has a moulded plug on it.

The cooker instructions right at the start under the electrical connection section says:

1. Disposal of the plug
Ensure before disposing of the plug you make the pins unusable so it cannot accidently be inserted
2. Connecting to an alternative plug
[standard instructions for fitting a plug follow]

This sort of implies to me that they are telling you upfront to cut off the old plug and install your own.

Are there any kind of warranty issues to doing this?

 

[oharaf]

They could argue that by cutting the plug off you will have invalidated the warranty.

Where the plug needs to reach is this all 'out of sight'? If so then just make a hole big enough to pass the plug through.

If it is going to be 'on show' then there is not much of an alternative but to cut it off, you could phone the manufacturer and check!!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Or you could disconnect the plugged flex entering the cooker, undoing the termination, then feed the flex in through the hole the opposite way and reconnect. This would mean the plug has not been removed/cut off and warranty still valid.
Providing you are confident in doing that and there's enough slack on the flex to do this.

 

[chrisw99]

Thanks for the tips.

It is all out of sight, I may just go down the route of making existing holes bigger.

Surely though as the instructions on page 1 give you advice for disposal of the old plug and installation of an alternative one, then they are giving you the freedom to remove the plug yourself.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Sounds like it, but for warranty sake I'd keep it on, hole bigger then.

 

[electronicsuk]

Sounds like it, but for warranty sake I'd keep it on, hole bigger then.

I don't know where this notion comes from, but I have never read any manufacturers instructions stating that their warranty will be void if you cut off the plug. Just get on with it and lop it off.

 

[londonboy]

Just get on with it and lop it off

You got the atitude of a b****y plumber you have!!

 

[electronicsuk]

Just get on with it and lop it off

You got the atitude of a b****y plumber you have!!

I have been known to dabble in DIY plumbing from time to time

 

[StephenW]

Have a look at the instruction book. Normally at the front there's a section about the plug and also some "useful " safety advise.
Often it says something like, if the plug is the wrong sort then cut it off and fit a correct one and describes the cable colours. This implies to me that it's quite alright to remove the plug and fit another. You also mentioned it said about disposing of the old plug, which implies the same. Just bend the pins so it won't fit into a socket.

 

[skenk]

If the MI's mention replacing the plug I can't see it being an issue with the warranty, assuming the new plug is correctly installed.

Another alternative is to make up a single-gang extension lead through the holes and plug it into that, although it means another possible point of failure and another fuse.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I agree, chop the plug off and save yourself the hassle.

I must say that the following advice would definately invalidate the warranty. I do not remember the connections to the flex at the oven end to be "user accessible"

Or you could disconnect the plugged flex entering the cooker, undoing the termination, then feed the flex in through the hole the opposite way and reconnect............

 

[DCC]

They could argue that by cutting the plug off you will have invalidated the warranty.

Actually under law they would have to prove that your action had caused the the fault, IANAL but as I understand it plenty of test cases in the motor industry have established that manufacturers cannot get out of a warranty by using an unrelated modification.