Grid Switch For Appliances

[JayM]

I've just moved into a house and I'm trying to have some improvements made to the kitchen without having to do major work. I intend to get an electrician in to do the work but want to check if what I'm suggesting is viable without having to change much else in the kitchen.

The kitchen has the usual appliances washing machine, fridge freezer, cooker hood and dishwasher which are all plugged into individual single sockets. Each single socket is then conected by a single cable to the grid switch eg, the washing machine socket is connected by a single cable to the washing machine switch on the grid switch. The grid switch is then connected direct to the consumer unit. When you switch the kitchen appliance switch of at the consumer unit all of the appliances are switched of.

What I want to do is to add a wall light into the kitchen next to the units. The kitchen is tiled and I don't really want to have to disturb it. My thinking is that one of the grid switches is for the cooker hood which is then connected by a single cable to the cooker hood socket. Is it possible to add an fcu to the cooker hood socket and then take the light of this? I don't know much about electrics (hence why getting an electician) and I don't know whether this is a ring or radial (but am thinking radial?) r if you can anything to sockets that come of a grid switch when the grid switch is connected separately to 4 sockets. Any thoughts would be helpful???

 

[skenk]

Without knowin how it is wired it's hard to say, but assuming the grid switches are part of a ring circuit one possible method which would comply with regs would be to replace 'hood socket with a FCU which in turn would feed a socket for the 'hood and another fcu feeding the light. It is likely that your (good) electrician will be able to advise better as they will be able to see the current setup.

 

[JayM]

Any advice on how I can check whether the appliance circuit is a ring or radial. Its definately a separate circuit and has its own connection to the consumer unit.

If it is ring and I do as suggested swaping the cooker socket for an fcu and then from this taking a single socket. Where would the fcu for the lighting be connected? To the single socket or the first fcu?

 

[riveralt]

You don't say if the grid switch link back to the consumer unit is on a ring final circuit - are their two brown/red cables in the MCB at the Consumer unit and what is the MCB's rating. You also don't say whether or not the cooker hood is connected directly to the grid switch or is there an FCU next to it (the cooker hood that is).

If it is a ring and the grid switch is part of the ring then the rules regarding spurs apply - you can only have one spur directly of the ring. Since the cooker hood is the spur you cannot spur from it.

Now if you have space on the grid you could fit an FCU there - then you would be able to run a second socket etc from it. But note the fcu must come before the cooker hood in the cable - not after.

If the circuit is a radial then you can run as many sockets as you like from the cooker hood

 

[riveralt]

If it is ring and I do as suggested swaping the COOKER socket for an fcu and then from this taking a single socket. Where would the fcu for the lighting be connected? To the single socket or the first fcu?

Hang on where has the cooker socket come from!! I thought we were talking about the cooker hood - they are totally - totally different things.

 

[skenk]

Any advice on how I can check whether the appliance circuit is a ring or radial. Its definately a separate circuit and has its own connection to the consumer unit.

If it is ring and I do as suggested swaping the cooker socket for an fcu and then from this taking a single socket. Where would the fcu for the lighting be connected? To the single socket or the first fcu?

Your electrician will know, or do you really intend to do this yourself?

 

[skenk]

If it is a ring and the grid switch is part of the ring then the rules regarding spurs apply - you can only have one spur directly of the ring. Since the cooker hood is the spur you cannot spur from it.

Unless the 'hood socket is replaced with a FCU and then both 'hood and light are fed from there (as I said above)

 

[JayM]

No I don't plan on doing the work myself but like to know the situation with things incase anything further is needed. Its definately the cooker hood option I'm talking about. The cooker hood is not connected to an fcu. The plug of the cooker hood goes into a single socket and it is the single socket that is connected to the grid switch with one set of cables. This is also the case with washing machine, the washing machine plug goes into a single socket and the single socket is then connected to the grid switch with one set of cables. The grid switch then goes to the consumer unit, but I don't know if its a ring or radial.

Also if it is ring and the hood soket is replaced with an fcu would the socket for the hood and fcu for the lights both be wired direct to the first fcu. Or would the cooker socket be wired to the replaced fcu and the lights fcu into the socket (like a chain)?

 

[skenk]

Just chain it up and don't forget the padlock!

But seriously I suggest you read the wiki.

You need to decide where the light switch (sfcu) position will be and the electrician will need to run a cable from here If you the existing hood socket position. If you want to use an architrave switch or a switch that comes with the light you will need to put a fcu somewhere in between.

 

[riveralt]

If it is a ring and the grid switch is part of the ring then the rules regarding spurs apply - you can only have one spur directly of the ring. Since the cooker hood is the spur you cannot spur from it.

Unless the 'hood socket is replaced with a FCU and then both 'hood and light are fed from there (as I said above)

Tut Tut - you shouldn't feel slighted - and you shouldn't really quote out of context or be selective to make a point... My response was simply trying to explain to the OP all the possibilities available to him (sorry his electrician) taking into account whether the grid switch was on a ring final circuit or a radial circuit.