Appliance Sockets???

[Digs]

Hi everyone... I'm a apprentice trained Maintenance electrician and at present I'm working on the railway doing the signalling.. So I know electrical safety etc..
But?? I know very little about the whole domestic/house electrics.
So.. Maybe somebody can give me some advice..

I'm re-fitting my kitchen and nearly all the socket positions require changing, so I need to know..

Firstly:
If the sockets for the appliances are going to be hidden behind the cabinits.
Do I need to fit FCU's on view above the work tops???

Also. If I do, how do I get around the fact that the sockets (2 off) are both doubles and I need at least 3 outlets???

Cheers.. Digs..

 

[pdcelec]

Since this is Part P notifiable , you need to contact a competent person (possibly someone who has just done a 6 week course) or notify the buliding control office at your local council.
I could not possibly help as I am deemed incompetent having only 20 years expeience with loads of qualifications and working for the largest council in the country inspecting public buildings. hope you solve the problem

 

[Pensdown]

Firstly:
If the sockets for the appliances are going to be hidden behind the cabinits.
Do I need to fit FCU's on view above the work tops???

You can use FCU's but if you use 20amp DP grid switches they come pre labeled, i.e dishwasher, fridge, freezer etc. You can also fit one grid switch to cover most of your appliances, i.e 1, 2, or 3 gang grid switch

Also. If I do, how do I get around the fact that the sockets (2 off) are both doubles and I need at least 3 outlets???

Could you elaborate on the second part?

 

[dingbat]

I could not possibly help as I am deemed incompetent having only 20 years expeience with loads of qualifications and working for the largest council in the country inspecting public buildings. hope you solve the problem

Bitter? Don't kick off this fallacy again. No, you're not deemed incompetent. You do, however, have to use the route for compliance open to everybody else in the country for any notifiable building work, should you wish to stay within the law.

Were you to decide to trade in your own right then you may well wish to consider the alternative, cheaper, far better regulated option of having your abilities actually assessed annually and being able to bypass the system that applies to everybody else in the country for any notifiable work.

 

[Digs]

Firstly:
If the sockets for the appliances are going to be hidden behind the cabinits.
Do I need to fit FCU's on view above the work tops???

You can use FCU's but if you use 20amp DP grid switches they come pre labeled, i.e dishwasher, fridge, freezer etc. You can also fit one grid switch to cover most of your appliances, i.e 1, 2, or 3 gang grid switch

Also. If I do, how do I get around the fact that the sockets (2 off) are both doubles and I need at least 3 outlets???

Could you elaborate on the second part?

I have two sockets below the worktop that are both doubles, do I need to change these for singles with maybe grid swtches/Fcu above the worktop??

Also I like the idea of the grid switches which take out the need for 3 ugly FCU's...
But??? Can all 3 switches be wired into one point on the ring main???
Sorry for my ignorance, but I have never dealt with these grid swtches before..

I will also be contacting the building control office to check everything that I have done before the cover up....

Cheers.. Digs..

 

[Pensdown]

I have two sockets below the worktop that are both doubles, do I need to change these for singles with maybe grid swtches/Fcu above the worktop??

You don't have to change them for singles if you don't think the other side could be used for another appliance at some time in the future but I personally prefer single un-switched sockets.

Also I like the idea of the grid switches which take out the need for 3 ugly FCU's...
But??? Can all 3 switches be wired into one point on the ring main???
Sorry for my ignorance, but I have never dealt with these grid swtches before..

The conventional way is to mount the grid switch above the worktop and take the leg of the ring circuit into the first switch (supply side) and loop it across to the next switch (supply side) and then out of the last switch (supply side) Your under worktop sockets are then wired as a radial, connected to the load side of each switch. I'm not sure how your existing cables run so you may need to make some alterations to wire it conventionally. If you can post a sketch of your existing cable runs there may be other wiring options.

I will also be contacting the building control office to check everything that I have done before the cover up....

Cheers.. Digs..

please refer to the Wiki section with regards to Building Regs & Notification

 

[Digs]

I have two sockets below the worktop that are both doubles, do I need to change these for singles with maybe grid swtches/Fcu above the worktop??

You don't have to change them for singles if you don't think the other side could be used for another appliance at some time in the future but I personally prefer single un-switched sockets.

Also I like the idea of the grid switches which take out the need for 3 ugly FCU's...
But??? Can all 3 switches be wired into one point on the ring main???
Sorry for my ignorance, but I have never dealt with these grid swtches before..

The conventional way is to mount the grid switch above the worktop and take the leg of the ring circuit into the first switch (supply side) and loop it across to the next switch (supply side) and then out of the last switch (supply side) Your under worktop sockets are then wired as a radial, connected to the load side of each switch. I'm not sure how your existing cables run so you may need to make some alterations to wire it conventionally. If you can post a sketch of your existing cable runs there may be other wiring options.

I will also be contacting the building control office to check everything that I have done before the cover up....

Cheers.. Digs..

please refer to the Wiki section with regards to Building Regs & Notification

Cheers Pensdown... That's a great help...
As for a picture... I think it would be a bit pointless...
Basically I have 2 drops on the ring main both with double sockets attached.
The drops are either side of the sink.
One of the drops is a spur which comes off of a upstairs socket..
(There is only 1 ring main, not separate upstairs downstairs)

So now I'm thinking, I'll come of the ring main socket, fit the grid switches as you stated.. Remove the double socket and fit 3 separate singles..

Cannot find the Building Regs & Notification section in Wiki...

Cheers again.. Digs..

 

[Pensdown]

It sounds like your existing cable routes are perfect.

Here is the link you need to read

//wiki.diynot.com/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law