Boiler in kitchen.

[Agile]

A friend of mine has engaged a builder to renovate his kitchen.

As some sockets need to be added, the builder has brought in an electrician to do this work.

The boiler is currently plugged into the kitchen ring main. This electrician is telling my friend that the boiler MUST be fitted on a new dedicated spur.

My view is that this electrician, who is quite expensive anyway, is just trying to talk up the cost of the job and probably giving a backhander to the builder.

What do others think?

Tony

 

[Taylortwocities]

The boiler must be able to be isolated by a double pole switch with a minimum gap of 3mm.

A plug and socket complies with this and is listed in wiring regulations as a valid isolator.

A plug & socket is just fine..

 

[stem]

I know it's some years ago since I was at college But it was drummed into us that all fixed appliances had to be connected via a FCU and not a plug and socket.

 

[Taylortwocities]

They drum lots of stuff into you at college.
They probably told you that you MUST earth all back boxes too...there's a gap between best practise and what the requirements actually are.

It is nicer if it is connected by an FCU and most are. From a reg viewpoint, there's nothing wrong with a plug & socket.

 

[electronicsuk]

Surely adding an FCU for the boiler isn't going to add much to the cost? There's no need for it to be on a dedicated circuit, off the ring final (or radial, if that's what your kitchen sockets happen to have) is just fine, and would look far better than a plug and socket.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[gas4you]

If a boiler is connected via a plug and socket, the socket must be unswitched.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If a boiler is connected via a plug and socket, the socket must be unswitched.

Why???, even a double pole switched socket??

 

[gas4you]

Anything double pole is ok, but the majority of sockets in kitchens I come across are standard sockets.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How many do you remove and examine, or test?

 

[GaryMo]

The majority of sockets I come across (even in kitchens) are double pole....

 

[gas4you]

How many do you remove and examine, or test?

Only the ones I need to when checking to see if they are on a ring or spur before adding a switched fused spur, so obviously not as many as you lot.

The only tester I have got is the Megger multifunction 1563 thingy or whatever the latest number is. Unless this poked me in the eye to tell me it was DP socket I wouldn't know on sockets I have not removed

Never use sockets personally, unless an absolute last resort.

Tend not to get involved too much with outlets these days, had enough of it and leave it to sparks.

What a waste of money that was on the Megger

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Only the ones I need to when checking to see if they are on a ring or spur before adding a switched fused spur, so obviously not as many as you lot.

The only tester I have got is the Megger multifunction 1563 thingy or whatever the latest number is. Unless this poked me in the eye to tell me it was DP socket I wouldn't know on sockets I have not removed

But with the ones you do remove, do you actually look at any legends on them to see if it says they are DP, or disconnect them and check for continuity between the N terminal and the N aperture to determine if they are?

What a waste of money that was on the Megger

Stop doing anything electrical in your work then, and flog it off on eBay.

 

[ebee]

Those horrible MK Logic with the square corners were SP switching cheap junk thingys

 

[gas4you]

Stop doing anything electrical in your work then, and flog it off on eBay.

I have considered that as well