Connecting built-in appliances

[morqthana]

What's generally regarded as best/favourite way?

A "point" (be it socket or FCU) behind the appliance, i.e. no access to it without pulling the appliance out? (But why would you need access?)

A point in/behind an adjacent (non appliance) cabinet?

For either option, the point fixed to the wall with an access hole cut in the cabinet back, or fixed to the inside of the cabinet?

 

[JohnW2]

What's generally regarded as best/favourite way?
A "point" (be it socket or FCU) behind the appliance, i.e. no access to it without pulling the appliance out? (But why would you need access?)
OR
A point in/behind an adjacent (non appliance) cabinet?

For what it's worth, I have, and have done, both, but my favourite approach of all (if there is an adjacent 'kitchen unit') is to position it behind the drawer of an adjacent unit (and removing any 'back' of that unit which is behind the drawer). In that way, removal of the drawer (which is usually very easy) gives good access to 'the point'.

For either option, the point fixed to the wall with an access hole cut in the cabinet back, or fixed to the inside of the cabinet?

Again, I've done both. I tend to feel that the former looks a bit naff (not that many people ever see it).

 

[morqthana]

For what it's worth, I have, and have done, both, but my favourite approach of all (if there is an adjacent 'kitchen unit') is to position it behind the drawer of an adjacent unit (and removing any 'back' of that unit which is behind the drawer). In that way, removal of the drawer (which is usually very easy) gives good access to 'the point'.

If the cabinet has a drawer.

Some of my planned ones will be accessible via a lift out panel at the back of the worktop where the hob is - it needs ventilation so I was going to put in a strip of perforated stainless steel (e.g. cable tray, french drain...), which might as well just sit there, unfixed. Annoyingly I will still have to have an accessible isolator for the induction hob as it has a fan which runs all the time it's connected to a supply.

Again, I've done both. I tend to feel that the former looks a bit naff (not that many people ever see it).

Internet find - not my kitchen:

 

[JohnW2]

If the cabinet has a drawer.

Yes, of course. I was obviously thinking about the traditional kitchen units which, unless they house an appliance, usually have at least one drawer at the top, if not several.

Some of my planned ones will be accessible via a lift out panel at the back of the worktop where the hob is - it needs ventilation so I was going to put in a strip of perforated stainless steel (e.g. cable tray, french drain...), which might as well just sit there, unfixed. Annoyingly I will still have to have an accessible isolator for the induction hob as it has a fan which runs all the time it's connected to a supply.

That would be fine. The 'continuously on' fan sounds bizarre!

Internet find - not my kitchen:

As I wrote, "naff" Even though few people would ever see it, my 'conscience' would probably not be very comfortable!

 

[morqthana]

Yes, I wasn't expecting the fan. It's a "commercial" hob.

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, I wasn't expecting the fan. It's a "commercial" hob.

Hmmm. I suppose it would probably 'invalidate the warranty', but if you wanted to 'do something about this' I feel sure that it would not be beyond your ingenuity!

 

[Mottie]

I have a tower with a combination oven and a conventional oven. They can’t be powered from a conventional plug so I have two separate 20A double pole switches, one for each oven. Next to the ovens I have a built in fridge freezer. That is powered by a 13A plug. I have fitted the two flush fitting DP switches and a single socket, up high on the back board of the pan drawer underneath the cookers. Easily accessible by removing the drawer.

For my induction hob, I have fitted a cooker switch at the top rear of the adjacent base unit, again, easily accessible by removing the drawer - no tools needed to remove the drawers, they just pull out and lift up. For the built in dishwasher, the waste, power socket and water connections are in the corner void of the kitchen base units and that will require a cupboard door to be removed to access some screws to remove an infill panel. That will be a bit of aggro but it’s not like you remove a dishwasher every week! I couldn’t think of an easier way to do it though.

 

[Vicario]

A friend down the road had a tripped RCD on the kitchen circuit. I went down to try to do the usual thing of unplugging everything etc. before resetting the RCD and then re-plugging one by one to see if I could find the culprit. Except that we couldn't get to the dishwasher plug as it was fitted and would need major dismantling of the units. Luckily the kettle was the first thing I tried and that tripped, so the dishwasher lives until the day that it really does trip the circuit!

 

[pete01]

A point in/behind an adjacent (non appliance) cabinet?

This is the way I do it, drill a 50mm hole to bring the plug through and fit a cover that are normally used for desks.

 

[morqthana]

Hmmm. I suppose it would probably 'invalidate the warranty', but if you wanted to 'do something about this' I feel sure that it would not be beyond your ingenuity!

At £893 plus, I'd rather not.

And it would either have to be a complicated modification to trigger the fan from either of the physical control knobs and then run on for a period after turning off, or it would involve cutting a hole in the hob housing to install a switch.

 

[ebee]

Well it is a horsey coursey type of situation and many permutations.
Personally, some will differ - call me old fashioned - with kitchen appliances etc I prefer there to be an easiy recogniseable eassy means of safe disconnection for fire/flood/famine or whatever with reduced likelihood of accidentally disconnecting something else (especially lighting) as my first consideration.
Once you have achierved that aim then I am not totally against a bit of moving existing drawers etc to get to a plug to disconnect and return for repair etc rather than unwiring a plugtop.
Not keen on the likelihood of pots and pans banging about and snagging flexes etc.
The old - DP switch above the worktop and socket below the worktop does have some merits although some people do not like to see an array of the.
I think safety then convenience then asthetics can often be accomodated sensibly in that order

 

[trojanhawrs]

Access panels like these are a tidy solution

 

[JohnW2]

At £893 plus, I'd rather not.

Fair enough.

And it would either have to be a complicated modification to trigger the fan from either of the physical control knobs and then run on for a period after turning off, or it would involve cutting a hole in the hob housing to install a switch.

I was thinking more of the 'complicated modification'. which I'm sure you could achieve if you wanted (or 'dared'!) to.

Does the induction hob have one of those wretched 'clocks' that has to be reset each time it is powered up? If not, presumably an isolator allowing you to switch the whole thing off when not being used would solve the fan issue?

 

[morqthana]

Does the induction hob have one of those wretched 'clocks' that has to be reset each time it is powered up?

Nope.

If not, presumably an isolator allowing you to switch the whole thing off when not being used would solve the fan issue?

I will still have to have an accessible isolator for the induction hob