Omnipolar switch with 3mm opening!

[Milleniumaire]

Our oven extractor has failed, it would appear the motor has burnt out!

I have purchased an exact identical model to replace it (Prima 60cm PRCH020), however I note the installation instructions state ".... a suitably dimensioned omnipolar switch with 3mm minimum opening between contacts must be fitted between the appliance and the electricity supply...".

I have no idea who installed the failed extractor as it came with the house, but it was simply connected to the 32A "sockets" circuit using a junction box housed within the "chimney" of the extractor.

The extractor doesn't have an earth wire in the cable, just live and neutral.

I was considering replacing the junction box with a fused switch socket, but they are described as double pole, not omnipolar. However, if there's no earth wire, is double pole the same as omnipolar?

I assume an omnipolar switch (similar to one used for bathroom extractors) doesn't include a fuse, so wouldn't a fused switch socket actually be better?

What I thought would be a straight forward replacement seems to have turned into something a little more complicated.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Taylortwocities]

wouldn't a fused switch socket actually be better?

Never seen one of those, but perhaps you mean a fused connection unit?
That's the usual way of connecting a fan to a ring final. A 3amp fuse being the order of the day.

is double pole the same as omnipolar

Omni is from the Greek and means ALL. So, in this case omnipolar = double pole.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I was considering replacing the junction box with a fused switch socket, but they are described as double pole, not omnipolar. However, if there's no earth wire, is double pole the same as omnipolar?

A 13amp socket and a plug fused at 3amp would work equally well, located in an accessible position.

 

[Milleniumaire]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Using an FCU or a socket/plug has to be better than the previous installation.

TBH, I'm not sure why they don't include a plug with the extractor hood.

 

[securespark]

Is the junction box that the hood is connected to attached directly to the socket circuit without a double pole fused connection unit, or could there be a switch somewhere for it?

A picture of the wires at the junction box would help.

 

[Milleniumaire]

Is the junction box that the hood is connected to attached directly to the socket circuit without a double pole fused connection unit, or could there be a switch somewhere for it?

I've checked everywhere and there isn't an FCU for the extractor. The junction box is fed by a 2.5 cable, which I can only isolate at the consumer unit. The earth cable was cut back and not wired to anything and only live and neutral were connected to the extractor.

I've now installed a surface mounted switched socket and used a 3amp fused plug on the extractor cable.