fitting a plug to a kitchen extractor fan

[ric_uk]

Hi,

I recently moved into my first house and as I can't afford a new kitchen I just refurb'd what was there for now.

One thing the kitchen didn't have was an extractor fan. So I bought a cheap one that'll do for now and I'll look at a better (ie more attractive one) in the future when I redo the whole kitchen.

The manual stats that the extractor is designed to be permanantly connected to the electrical supply through a double-pole switch fused spur. It also says that if a plug should be fitted for any reason than a BS1363/A 13amp fuse fitted with a 3amp fuse should be used.

I always thought that extractors HAD to be permanantly connected. However, fitting a plug would be alot easier for me as I could put the plug on myself - so no electrician to pay - and it'll make things easier for me when I rip the whole kitchen out futher down the line....

So, even though the manual says I can fit an ordinary plug onto the extractor is there any major reason I shouldn't?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Chri5]

There's no reason, so some 3 core flex and a plug with 3a fuse will be fine.

From an astetic point of view, no one here likes surface hanging / fixed cable, add in that the socket you plug in to will (mostly) now be permanently used for the fan and that's throws up a wee' consideration, you now have one more device plugged in.

I would suggest you support the flex with some round clips for neatness and for general safety.

 

[ric_uk]

the cable wont be visible as there is a unit that the extractor will fit under (it's not a chimney hood type but one of those under unit types).

there is already about 2.5' of cable running out of the extractor so I'll just feed this up the hole I cut in the bottom of the unit to feed the extractor fan ducting through.

I was then thinking of plugging the extractor into a 2 plug extension that will sit on top of the units out of sight. I will be using this extension for some small pc speakers hidden away on top of the units that I can plug my ipod into. They tend to hum if left on without any music playing so I want to be able to switch them off at the mains anyway... Obviously it wont matter if they hum when the extractors on as that will drown out the noise.