Controlling a socket from an accessible location

[Jupiter01]

I’m still helping a mate who has been left in the lurch by his electrician.

The Kitchen ring main has sockets that will be behind the fridge, washing machine and dishwasher too. Everything is first fix at this stage. This won’t be very convenient if they ever need to switch them off as the appliances will need to come out to access the plug.

I could relocate the sockets or alternatively, can I add some sort of switch in an accessible location that will switch these socket on/off?

 

[sparkymarka]

 

[securespark]

The cheapest, simplest solution would be to re-site the sockets to an adjacent base unit.

 

[Jupiter01]

View attachment 266878

How does this control the individual sockets?

 

[ericmark]

How does this control the individual sockets?

In the main we use conductors in parallel rather than a true ring final for a kitchen for dedicated equipment supplies, the only reason for two x 2.5 mm is can't get two x 4 mm into the switch, so although theory all switches feed with 4 mm is OK in practical terms we feed with two x 2.5 mm to the grid switch bank and then from central grid switch to each socket, and would use unswitched sockets.

However this is at design stage, not really after the first fix, in the days before washing machines auto turned off if not balanced it was considered prudent to have a switch remote from washing machine to turn it off, and with fridges and freezers some way to turn off for de-frost. Today the fridge/freezer normally has built in on/off switch.

Do the need for remote switching has reduced, so some miss out the standard grid switch. I know you can get sockets like this

Energenie MIHO007 which can be remotely controlled, but default state is off, so any power cut even for 5 seconds could mean power stays off, not a good idea for fridge or freezer.

So in real terms now too late, the position of grid switch would be decided at planning stage, not after first fix.

 

[diynoob]

You can get smart plugs that are controlled by an app or can be scheduled to turn off and on. They also have voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Home and can monitor energy usage.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B097YBXHTW/

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If the job truly is at first fix (bare walls) then you do have options- either the grid switch distribution as above or FCUs (make sure they're double pole switched) above worktop height (or accessible behind an adjacent unit). Either way you'll be redoing a fair amount of work and you need to keep an eye on safe zones for the cabling.
The dragging the appliance out to unplug sketch only gets super tedious if you start getting nuisance tripping on an RCD or similar.
One other thing to watch- make sure there's enough depth behind the appliances at the height of the sockets for the appliance to fit flush in the run of units (a standard plug sits proud by 20+ mm, if the worktop is 600 deep you may struggle with some devices.

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks for all the responses.
By first fix, I was referring to cables being placed and the plaster being completed. The circuits are not live yet.

The more I think about this, I think the right solution is to place all sockets in adjacent (and accessible) units. There may be a situation where a plug fuse needs to be checked/replaced. This will be a right faff!

These sockets will all be behind (probably within) kitchen units so I am not too concerned about disturbing some of the plaster. I just need to be careful about the cable zones.

 

[Jupiter01]

so although theory all switches feed with 4 mm is OK in practical terms we feed with two x 2.5 mm to the grid switch bank and then from central grid switch to each socket, and would use unswitched sockets.

Tying to get my head around this as I find it interesting.
Are these working a bit like FCU's where there is power supply coming into the FCU and then out to the next point and the "load" cable is effectively powering the individual unswitched socket?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Tying to get my head around this as I find it interesting.
Are these working a bit like FCU's where there is power supply coming into the FCU and then out to the next point and the "load" cable is effectively powering the individual unswitched socket?

Yes that's the plan.

 

[Jupiter01]

In my own kitchen, around 5 years ago, I opted to situate all sockets inside an adjacent unit. The cables enter the backboard of the unit and the socket is then wired and screwed to the backboard of the unit. Each plug is then entering from the base of the unit and plugged into the corresponding socket. I found this much neater and accessible. I do recall some criticism (on this forum) at the time and it also means that the sockets would need to be removed in the event of replacing the kitchen but that wont happened for some time (I hope!) and infrequently in any case.

I could adopt the same approach here but I noticed that there isn't much length on the existing cables. Would it be right to use wagos to extend these cables which I can then bring through the kitchen units and fix sockets in the way I have described above? Would these wagos need to be enclosed or handled in a certain way?

 

[bernardgreen]

The argument about having to pull appliances out to disconnect them is flawed as well. The only time you want to disconnect them is if there is a fault when you are going to have to pull the out anyway.

in my opinion the ability to rapidly isolate a defective appliance is essential when the faulty appliance has tripped an RCD and/or MCB and as a result other appliances are without power until the defective appliance can be isolated and the RCD and/or MCB can be reset.

 

[Jupiter01]

In my own kitchen, around 5 years ago, I opted to situate all sockets inside an adjacent unit. The cables enter the backboard of the unit and the socket is then wired and screwed to the backboard of the unit. Each plug is then entering from the base of the unit and plugged into the corresponding socket. I found this much neater and accessible. I do recall some criticism (on this forum) at the time and it also means that the sockets would need to be removed in the event of replacing the kitchen but that wont happened for some time (I hope!) and infrequently in any case.

I could adopt the same approach here but I noticed that there isn't much length on the existing cables. Would it be right to use wagos to extend these cables which I can then bring through the kitchen units and fix sockets in the way I have described above? Would these wagos need to be enclosed or handled in a certain way?

Can I get your thoughts on this please and specifically whether I can just use wagos or if the wagos need to be placed inside a box? Thanks again.

 

[Jupiter01]

Wagos are best not used on flexible cables and should be enclosed anyway.

Aren't they self enclosed if I have been diligent in ensuring that no copper is sticking out of the connector?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Yes you could extend the RFC cables to sockets in the back of the units. You'd need some odd faceplates (for strain relief for the flexes going into the original socket backbox), you can use terminal block in that location (provided they're enclosed) since it is accessible, use Wagos if you like but again enclosed.