45A Cooker switch and 13A plug

[a_d_jones]

Is it possible to use a 45A cooker switch for a 'normal' switch to a normal appliance and what implications does this have?

I really want a double width plate with a 3 pin plug on one side and a switch on the other (like a cooker unit) but can't find one.

 

[dingbat]

Yeah, it's possible. The 45A rating is the load it is designed to switch, but you can get lower rated ones. 20A double pole switches are very common, but I've never seen anything except a cooker plate with both an isolator and a socket. What do you want it for?

The problem with using a cooker plate though, is that it will look like there is a proper cooker radial circuit there, with the risk that somebody later connects a ful electric cooker to it. What circuit is it on?

 

[plugwash]

once someone takes a screwdriver to it its not your problem anymore

 

[a_d_jones]

It's in the garage. I want to connect one cable to the switch and the other to the plug.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I really want a double width plate with a 3 pin plug on one side and a switch on the other (like a cooker unit) but can't find one.

Why? What do you want to control/isolate with the switch?

 

[dingbat]

It's in the garage. I want to connect one cable to the switch and the other to the plug.

No you don't. You don't want to have two different circuits in one accessory.

 

[a_d_jones]

It's not 2 circuits (at least not to my understanding)

I could have a double socket and plug both wires into this, but one of the cables is very thick and as it will not need to be removed I'd prefer it to be perminently connected and controlled via a switch.

As for the other, I want to plug a transformer into it and they tend to come with a plug so I don;t see the point in cutting that off when I could simply plug it into a socket.

 

[dingbat]

It's late and I'm away to my bed, but can you have a good look at what you've got there and describe it.

Are you trying to convert an existing double socket?
Is it on a dedicated garage circuit?
Do you know whether it is a radial or ring circuit and how it is protected?
What, exactly, are you trying to connect up? What power rating? How thick is this very thick cable?

In other words, you have to give us some more clues for us to be able to help.

 

[plugwash]

just what does this very thick wire supply?
and what about overcurrent protection for it?

 

[a_d_jones]

It's a ring mains

The very thick cable is armoured cable and will eventually power a water feature. The other end of the armoured cable has a waterproof socket on the end of it.

The other cable which will be low voltage will power low voltage lights.


The existing socket is connected to an rcd and it's my intension to take a spur to the new outlet.

Perhaps I'm going about it in the wrong way?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well - let's not say "wrong" - let's settle on "maybe not the best".

Stepping back - I assume that this armoured cable already exists?

Do you know what size it is (i.e. what is the cross-sectional area of the conductors?).

Is it 2- or 3-core?

How long is it?

What is the electrical load that will be powered via it?

You say that you want to connect it to a ring main that currently supplies the garage - is this a dedicated ring, or an extension of a house ring?

What RCD protection does it have?

Where will the SWA run outside? i.e. buried/clipped to a wall?

 

[a_d_jones]

To answer your questions:

The armour cable does already exist. It's buried 2ft in the ground, its about 10 metres long, 3 core, 2.5mm2 (http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=29813&id=19322)

I don't know the load that it will power as I haven't got the water feature (but will purchase one that is suitable to the installation).

The garage is integral and the supply to the garage is part of the ring (not an extension).

The house is new and has an RDC for each ring within the consumer box.

The design of the cable is based on the B&Q 'You can do it' book (page 290), except that the double socket extension is inside the garage rather than outside. An of course I want a socket/switch combination (cooker socket) rather than the double socket.

 

[securespark]

If a CCU is not ideal, there's nothing stopping you from choosing two, one gang accessories that are more suited and siting them side by side (or indeed apart, if that is more convenient), feeding both from the existing ring cables.

 

[a_d_jones]

I thought I could only have one spur from the existing socket?

 

[securespark]

Thought the proposed supply for the switch/socket arrangement was a ring?

If not, you can still run more than one outlet from a spur off a ring, but you would have to limit the total current drawn off that spur to 13A.

But from what you said about pond pumps and SELV lighting, the load won't be a problem.