tumble dryer installation

[Warehousewomble]

Hello again.

I'm helping a friend re-fit his kitchen and today we replaced the tumble dryer. We pulled the old tumble dryer out from the wall to unplug it, but found it was wired directly into the wall without the use of a plug, or any apparant fuse.

If we were to remove the plug and fuse from the new tumble dryer and wire it in the same manner, would the dryer be damaged or possibly start a fire? I wanted to find out your opinions on the subject before we did anything drastic.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[nstreet]

Hello again.

I'm helping a friend re-fit his kitchen and today we replaced the tumble dryer. We pulled the old tumble dryer out from the wall to unplug it, but found it was wired directly into the wall without the use of a plug, or any apparant fuse.

What do you mean by directly into the wall? How about a picture?

 

[kai]

Is there a 13 amp fuse-connection unit above the worktop that feeds the tumble drier cord outlet plate?

 

[Warehousewomble]

Thank you Kai.

I checked again, and there is a fuse connection plate directly above he cord outlet plate. Stop me if I get this wrong, but is this so if the unit blows a fuse, the entire unit will not have to be pulled out and re-fused, and then replaced?

I wired the tumble dryer into place and it all seems to be working fine off of a 13 A fuse.

Thanks for the advice, and sorry I wasn't able to provide a photo nstreet, as I am sans camera at the mo.

cheers, Phil

 

[plugwash]

what you have done is fine from a safety point of view. (you have a 13A fuse in the conenction between the ring and the dryer thats the important thing).

there are several different ways of connecting up large white goods appliances to a ring all with thier advantages and disadvantages

socket in cuboard: this is the cheapest soloution but it wastes cupboard space and may make turning the appliance on and off awkward.

20A switch above worktop feeding 13A socket behind appliance: decent soloution but for some reason 20A switches are more expensive than fused connection units and you can run afoul of the stupid rule limiting the number of non-fused spurs from a ring. and you have a plug fuse behind the appliance where it is awkward to replace.

FCU above worktop feeding 13A socket behind appliance: decent soloution but and avoids the stupid rule limiting the number of non-fused spurs from a ring. but you still have a plug fuse behind the appliance where it is awkward to replace and its pretty much pot luck which of the two fuses blows.

FCU above worktop feeding flex outlet plate behind appliance (what you have): avoids having a plug fuse hidden behind the appliance. But makes removing the appliance awkward and apparently some companies forbid thier warranty service guys from working on appliances that are permanently wired in.

FCU above worktop feeding 15A round pin socket behind appliance: probablly the best soloution but also the priciest. avoids having a plug fuse behind the applicance and avoids permanently wiring the appliance in. If you do this you probablly want to also make up a short adaptor lead so the appliance can be run from other sockets for servicing etc.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Another solution is a variation of Plug's last one of 15A round-pin sockets, but instead of FCUs dotted around the walls, use a grid plate with switch & fuse modules (you can get switches with appliance names engraved).

This is probably only appropriate if all of the appliances are along the same wall, or 2 walls at right angles - not much use if they are dotted about the kitchen...

 

[Steve]

A big housebuilder uses a product like that. Cant remember which one, but it has 6 switches, no fuses. Fuses must be elsewhere. Where do they get these?

They have a switch for the fridge and freezer. Bit dodgy really if someone slips and doesnt realise theyve turned one off. And in these kitchens, the appliances are all over the place. Must be a nightmare for the sparks eh.

 

[plugwash]

that thing that bas posted is MK grid plus other makes do similar products.

grids screw to the backbox modules cip into the grids (you can mix and match whichever modules you want) and then the front plate is screwed to the grids.