convenience or safety

[AJM]

i am having a new fridge freezer delivered tommorow, there was originally an intergrated unit fitted into this hole, we are now just having a stand alone unit.

the single socket you can see was a double switched socket, spurred off a single on the ring the other side of the wall (on the left), i have replaced the double for a single non switched, which i will be plugging the fridge into, and the single on the ring which feeds this i have changed to a 13a fused switch as so

this way i will be able to remove power from the fridge easy, as i won't be able to reach the plug when the fridge is pushed in.

Now the question, I have two other sockets in a similar situation, one for the dishwasher and one for the fan oven, both sockets are in the gap behind the oven and so cannot be reached easily, is the installation of the remote fused switch simply for convenience or are they a requirement of the current regs, can anyone see a problem with leaving them wired as they are, because adding switched spurs now would mean taking half the kitchen appart, not to mention the earache from the misses. thanks for any advice given.

 

[JohnD]

an accessible and visible switch means you can isolate them for maintenance, and also in an emergency.

Emergencies most often occur with heatinbg/cooking appliances when they catch fire, but it is also possible something untoward may happen with any other appliance.

BTW if you are using a fused plug, you do not need an FCU. A 20A DP switch is suitable.

I always like to see the switches in a kitchen above the worktop, to feed appliance outlets beneath, that way the switches can be installed on the ring, in the same row as the (many) kitchen sockets

 

[AJM]

thanks for the reply john, I can see the benefit with having the switches, and in the future any new installation i do, i will make sure to use them, but is there need to alter the wiring of the existing sockets, i don't think they are unsafe without the switches are they >, in an emergency it would be as quick for us to trip the main incomer or individual mcb as the fuse board is just off the kitchen, under the stairs.

BTW if you are using a fused plug, you do not need an FCU. A 20A DP switch is suitable.

ok, didn't think about that, is there anything wrong with using the fcu though, i did think about using a flex outlet plate and cutting the plug off the fridge, that's why i fitted the fcu, but then thought against it, as it is easier the unplug the appliance than unwire it in the future.

 

[JohnD]

I agree plug and socket is easier

you can use two fuses if you want to, but the ideal number of fuses per appliance is one

No-one is going to force an entry to your home and make you fit accessible switches, but if you have an inspection for any reason it should be noted as a defect.

BTW most electrical work in kitchens is notifiable under building regs.

 

[Adam_151]

Be careful about looping the ring final circuit through the supply terminals of a 20A DEP switch though, nothing wrong if the spur is 'spured' off at another point and the switch is only in the 2.5mm² that makes up the spur, but taking the ring to it can raise issues

worth looking at 433.1.5 in the red book, it mentions accessories to BS1363, but not DP switches

 

[RF Lighting]

worth looking at 433.1.5 in the red book, it mentions accessories to BS1363, but not DP switches

Well spotted.

4.0mm² radial supply to the kitchen grid switch from now on then. Better circuit design anyway IMO. It stops a huge load all being concentrated on one part of a ring circuit.

 

[Click-Sure]

I prefer an FCU anyways, not just because of the reason Adam_151 refered to but also because you:

Can be pretty sure they are available in any finish you desire (such as the black nickel? as shown in the photograph)

When using them for providing isolation for kitchen appliances where you cant reach the plug I would tend to replace the fuse on the devices plug with a 13A fuse and the correct rating of fuse for the appliance in the FCU as this prevents problems pulling the appliance out if the fuse blows.

* However, I would not reccomend doing this without labelling the FCU with a sticker indicating the correct fuse rating to use, and would suggest the AJM does the same, and in his case also a label showing "FRIDGE ISOLATOR" or similar.

 

[JohnD]

Be careful about looping the ring final circuit through the supply terminals of a 20A DEP switch though..

I didn't grasp that (haven't got a red book)

I was visualising taking the ring in and out through the supply terminals of the DP switch, and having a single 13A socket on the load side

Have I missed something what's the issue?

 

[Adam_151]

Have I missed something what's the issue?

The issue is that a ring final is a strange situation, its recognised that generally the current in each leg will not exceed 20A, but it might do occasionly, in light of this 433.1.5 allows a cable with a tabulated current rating of 20A as opposed to to 32A to be used, and also accesories to BS1363 to be connected (I expect BS1363 addresses the issue of connection directly to RFCs itself, and requires accesories to be suitable for use in this way)

Nothing else is given this 'leeway', if you use a junction box, the rated current needs to be 30A not 20A, without so so otherwise from the people who make them, the supply terminals in a 20A Dp switch can only be assumed to rated at 20A, and if you ask them, they'll um and err and not say anything usful! (I beleive BAS has tried)

EDIT: I don't think the red book has changed anything in this regard, however the wording seems somewhat clearer than I remember from the brown book, but could be mistaken!

 

[AJM]

good point about checking the appliance fuse size and fitting that in the fcu, not had it delivered yet but will check it out.

 

[mdbalson]

What about in the kitchen where the single socket is, change that for a MK 15A round pin socket, and put a MK 15A round pin plug on the fridge. Then in the FCU change the fuse for one with the correct rating for the fridge.

This means that you would only have one fuse for the fridge, and it would be easy to replace the fuse for the fridge, if it ever blows, without having to pull the fridge out to get to the plug.

 

[JohnD]

yes, you could do it that way

but if the fridge starts blowing fuses, it will need to be pulled out for servicing (or throwing away)

I find the average fuse in my home blows approximately never.

 

[Adam_151]

I find the average fuse in my home blows approximately never.

Indeed, I don't see the issue with having a fuse in the plug and then one in the FCU, if a fuse blows chances are you are going to have to pull the applicance forward anyway!

Only time that I've had a fuse go on one of our kitchen applicances was years ago when the power button on a dishwasher we had years back burnt out and shorted out