30a ring main 32a oven - what to do?

[SiArmiger]

Hi,

Apologies for a total newbie question - I've had a look on the forum and can't find a match - which could just mean this is such a naive question no-one would ask it!

I'm having my kitchen refitted and have ordered a new single built-under oven. All the ovens we looked at (and my wife wanted!) were rated at 32 Amp. The problem is our flat is in a converted house and has an old fusebox type arrangement in the hall which looks quite ancient to me. The fuse box has a separate ring main for the oven but it appears to be rated at 30Amp.

So the newbie question is, does this mean we will have to get the electricity company to replace our fusebox with a newer unit that has a higher rated ring main, and does it mean we will have to have the oven ring main re-wired?

I'm thinking that wiring is the kind of thing our builder should have checked when he came to quote for the work, and he didn't mention it, but it wouldn't be the first time a builder's missed something...

Any help much appreciated!
Si

 

[Steve]

I highly doubt that you didnt find an oven rated under 30 amps.

MOST domestic ovens are rated below 20 amps (4.6kw),

MOST single ovens are rated under 13 amps (3kw) (ie. you can plug them in)


The electricity company has nothing to do with your fusebox, it is your / your landlord's property, and you must employ a spark to change or update it.

Please check the power rating of your oven, in KW or W. It may have a KWH number. Ignore this, we want the total maximum KW or W. It is highly likely to be under 3000w or 3kw.

And a 32 amp appliance will sit happily on a 30 amp circuit.

Your oven circuit is not a ring main, it is a radial.

Even if your oven was rated at 32 amps, it contains several elements and thermostats that means realisitically it would never actually draw 32 amps, and would probably sit happily on a 20 amp circuit.

But please check the rating of the oven, or provide us with a link to the one you have ordered.

What are you doing for a hob?

 

[SiArmiger]

Thanks for the quick reply Steve - the oven is from John Lewis (http://www.johnlewis.com/230473544/Product.aspx) and is John Lewis branded - it's model JLBIOS608 (I'm pretty sure it's a rebadged AEG). The information on the website says it requires a 32 Amp fusebox and cooker point and consumes 0.91kWh - there is no Wattage specification quoted.

I'm starting to think it's wrong information on the website though as, although I can't find the specific user manual on the web for this model, I've found some AEG manuals for ovens with similar spec. and they say a 20A supply is required.

I'll try to speak with John Lewis tomorrow and see if they can confirm exactly what it needs.

(We're having a gas hob put in, so don't have to consider it from a power consumption point of view.)

It's good to know we can get an electrician to change the fuse box / consumer unit if we need to - I was worried trying to get the electricity company to do it would take forever.

Cheers,
Si

 

[SiArmiger]

OK - just found the manual for the oven I've ordered on the serviceforce website (- proves it is an AEG/Electrolux under the covers) and it says it needs 20A power supply, so panic over.

Thanks for your help anyway!

Si

 

[Taylortwocities]

The John Lewis website just says "Requires 32amp fuse box and cooker point"

It sounds like you already have a 30amp fise and a cooker connection point (?) so you should be fine.

Its hard to know what the rating is and I always wonder wny makers are so secretive on this essential point. You need that info before you order it.

They tell you its got a catalytic converter, limited slip stainless steel surround and that its energy efficiency rating is 16 Precotts but few of them say "hey at full wack it pulls 18amps"

Best get the full monty from Johnny boy. Let us know the KW rating and we can help you more.

The "Requires 32amp fuse box and cooker point" may be a way of saying that you cannot just plug it into a 13A socket.

Edit: Curses, must type faster...

 

[Steve]

Well as long as you put a 20 amp fuse in the fusebox, you'll be fine. Just make sure the cooker switch in the kitchen doesn't have a socket.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Why does he need to change the fuse. I always thought that the (consumer unit) fuses are there to protect the fixed wiring?

If he's got a 30/32A fuse and 6mm cable then its fine as it is.

If the instructions say the circuit must be fused at 20A then fine but that's not what I read on here?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OK - just found the manual for the oven I've ordered on the serviceforce website (- proves it is an AEG/Electrolux under the covers) and it says it needs 20A power supply

In the UK, as that's a commonly available circuit rating.

I'd not be surprised to find that it's actually designed with a European 16A socket circuit in mind....

I'm having my kitchen refitted
.
.
.
I'm thinking that wiring is the kind of thing our builder should have checked when he came to quote for the work, and he didn't mention it, but it wouldn't be the first time a builder's missed something...

Please tell me that you, or the builder, has engaged a registered electrician to do the electrical work....