Moving cooker control switch and tidy others

[kevsterdiy]

Hi,

I'm refitting/updating my kitchen cupboards like for like but the cooker control switch is located within the cupboard! It was like this when I purchased the house and has been like it since circa 1985.

Please see the drawing/picture - cable is in red
View media item 66561
Question:

Although I don’t use this cooker circuit at the movement this is not ideal/correct/stupid i'd like to take the opportunity to move it to the lower location.

However I'm after the best solution an electrician would use to do this. I.e. where the existing switch is would it need joining with a 45amp terminal block/strip with a blanking plate (for accessibility), with a new/longer section of cable between existing and new location?

Or if this is a no no, would it need an entire length of cable from the CU? I can get to it under the landing and bathroom but it’s not easy!

As I said I don’t currently use this circuit because I don’t have an electric cooker, just gas. However it does have a mains 240v ignition. This is plugged in to a spur socket within the cupboard to the right (see blue cable In picture) which comes from a double socket above worktop level.

This isn’t the best Idea because you have to remove and rewire the plug – but it ‘works’
Many must be connected like this?

Thanks.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can do either.
*joint cable with suitably rated connectors, keep accessible and fit blank plate.
* Or install new length of cable.
What you must do is route cable in permitted safe zones if buried, and protect any newly install cable with 30mA RCD.
Unless cable is mechanically protected or buried greater than 50mm within walls but also be aware that there are regulations concerning the of depth of chase in solid walls.

 

[kevsterdiy]

You can do either.
*joint cable with suitably rated connectors, keep accessible and fit blank plate.
* Or install new length of cable.
What you must do is route cable in permitted safe zones if buried, and protect any newly install cable with 30mA RCD.
Unless cable is mechanically protected or buried greater than 50mm within walls but also be aware that there are regulations concerning the of depth of chase in solid walls.

Thanks, the route won't change, nor the depth

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Providing the route of the extension of circuit stays within the permitted zones allowed, that is okay.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:route


You may still require RCD protection though, if non-existing and cable not mechanically protected.
If the cooking appliance requires a socket outlet, that will require RCD protection regardless.

 

[kevsterdiy]

Providing the route of the extension of circuit stays within the permitted zones allowed, that is okay.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:route


You may still require RCD protection though, if non-existing and cable not mechanically protected.
If the cooking appliance requires a socket outlet, that will require RCD protection regardless.

Sorry should have stated the only non exisiting part of the cooker circuit is the 'new cooker switch location'
breaking in to existing cable, which will need a new section of cable bewteen new switch position and old to allow enough to terminate. Old switch position can be delt with as previous reply.

The inner cupboard spur that powers the cooker spark is not ideal, the socket it spurs from already has a spur to a fcu for an extractor. It would be nice to incorporate this better. Obviously its not over loaded but not correct.

You often see plugs cut off to get to socket in a cupboard or above worktop.

Still could be worse when I moved in I removed the extra spur from the spur socket which went right around the room behind the cooker to a washing machine. Yes it was a spur off a spura

The second link makes me laugh, slightly off topic but the builder's in the 1970's needed that rule for cables/pipes under floor, like most houses of the era it makes you cry how the threw them in!

 

[flameport]

Replace the cable to the CU, but route it downwards from the CU, through the wall, under the units and up to the switch position.
Far easier, less cable required.

 

[kevsterdiy]

Replace the cable to the CU, but route it downwards from the CU, through the wall, under the units and up to the switch position.
Far easier, less cable required.

An option indeed, new one whole length.

It would get rid of where the earth on this cooker cable was extended within the CU when the CU was changed (before my ownership cerca 2005), by crimping an extention of neutral colour cable then winding earth tape over it. Oh and i think there is another circuit with neutral with earth cable and blue tape, or the other way round but you get my drift!

 

[kevsterdiy]

In regard to tidying the cooker ignition and the extractor can I have your opinions of these two options or other options please?

(I can start a new thread if better?)

Option 1 is to spur off the ring socket (1) to a switched FCU (2) from this on the LOAD (max 13 amps onwards) it would give switched control of an unswitched 1 gang socket (3) for cooker spark and another (or flex outlet) (4) for extractor. Extractor has it's own integral switches.

This way would keep it neater, but one switch on item (1) for all isolation

View media item 66669
Option 2 is to spur of the ring socket (1) to a UNswitched FCU (2), from the LOAD (13 amps max onwards) wire in a switched FCU (3) to go to the 1 gang unswitched socket (4) for cooker spark (3 amp fuse max for this) , radially wire in (from 3’s SUPPLY) a switched FCU (5) to go to 1 gang unswitched socket (or flex outlet) for extractor (again 3 amps fuse max).

This option gives full isolation switching, but looks more messy and starts to get close to the gas cooker rings (approx 250 between item 5 and gas rings)

View media item 66670
Or of course a better idea, some of the above etc.

Thanks for helping.