ELECTRIC SUPPLY FOR OVEN & SEPARATE HOB

[largerjt]

Hi, after a bit of advice. My mums flat has an electric oven socket in the kitchen with the wire running down to another box where you wire the oven to. There is only 1 connector so i'm assuming that the old occupants had an all in one cooker and hob. My mum is having a separate oven and hob and i need to know if these can both be wired to the same connector or does we have to have a new wire run from the fuse box?

hope this makes sense to someone.

rob

 

[electronicsuk]

Yes and no.

Yes, but only if the cable is of a suitable size and current rating to handle both appliances (taking diversity into account) and if the protective device (MCB or fuse in the consumer unit) will offer adequate protection to both the hob and oven. That is assuming the connection plate has a cable grip and terminals adequate to acommodate two outgoing flexes.

No, if the hob is gas with electric ignition. Sharing the same MCB/fuse as the electric oven offers very little in the way of overload protection. Electric ignition systems require <1A and ideally this would be connected via an FCU fused at 3A, but that isn't to say the FCU can't be installed onto the oven circuit adjacent to the cooker connection plate.

If the oven and hob are both gas and only require an electricity supply for the ignition then I'd consider fitting a seperate FCU for each of them to offer a decent level of protection, or replace the protective device for that circuit with something of a lower rating, a 6A breaker for example. The only problem here is that you would have to replace the cooker socket/switch with a DP switch only, otherwise someone will go plug a kettle into the 13A outlet and take out the breaker instantly.

Finally, you are of course aware that if you keep the socket outlet then it MUST be protected by an RCD if you're on the lower floor and/or it could potentially be used to power garden tools and the like.

 

[largerjt]

Thanks for your detailed reply. A Friend of mine has suggested that i use 6mm wire for this? how do i know what to use?
thanks
Rob

 

[electronicsuk]

This depends on the type of oven/hob and the installation method of the cable. If you can tell us the power ratings of the two appliances and exactly where the cable will run (in the wall behind plaster? Through a ceiling void filled with insulation? In conduit?) then we will be in a better position to help you out.

If both appliances are fully electric then I would consider running a 10mmsq cable, not to mention it gives more capacity for any future changes.

 

[largerjt]

Ok so i've run 10ml from the switch to the box and then 6ml from the box to the oven and hob. Every seems to be working fine.

does this sound ok?