Help please Single Oven and 13 amp electric hob

[cd100]

Hi,
Ive been reading through these forums lots lately, and the general concensus seems to be that you cannot plug an electric hob into a 13 amp 3pin socket.
However, I have been assured by Whirlpool (who make the ignis ceramic hob that I want) that I can do this. I do not know the rating of the hob, as I have not bought it yet, but I have spoken to three different people in their technical department. Can anyone clarify for me please?
I also have another question if you dont mind.

I have no gas, so thats out of the question.
On the wall, there is a double faceplate which has 45amp cooker switch/3 pin plug socket. It is wired up in 6mm. Can I convert this to a normal double socket? I have a single oven, which is fitted with a 3 pin plug (13amp fuse) that I would like to plug into it, but also need to plug the hob in (dont scream at me!), and figured they would be best together on this cicuit seeing as there is no other load on it (if you get my drift)
Thanks in advance

 

[Diyisfun]

It is only being said you cannot plug a hob in, because of the hob rating. If you are buying a 2 plate hob, with low wattage elements, there is not a problem.
You used to be able to buy a cooker that had:
2 hobs
1 grill
1 oven
All working from a 13amp supply. This was what it was designed for, you could only use any 2 from 4.

 

[cd100]

Hi
Thanks for your reply.
This is a ceramic 4 ring hob. I am currently holding on the phone for Whirlpools technical department to get the exact rating of this hob.
Can anybody offer any advice re the 45amp socket/switch?
Ta

 

[cd100]

o.k - Fed up of waiting for Whirlpool.
Have found another 2 ceramic hobs that I like. They are both 30 amp.
Could one of these be hardwired into the 45amp cooker outlet, and the oven (single oven, with 3pin plug and 13 amp fuse already fitted) be plugged into the socket (which is on the same faceplate)?
Also, is it possible to fit a new flex on the hob which would make it 18inches longer?
Thanks

 

[jjrenolds]

Hi, ok i have looked at whirlpool's site and their hobs all seem to be around the 30 amp range, so there is no way you can plug it in.

There is no real reason why you can't replace the flex on the hob to make it slightly longer, other than you might invalidate your waranty, might just be worth asking who ever you purchase it from if that is the case.

The next problem is the cable size. 6mm cable has a current carrying capacity of 32 amps. Although the switch might be rated at 45 amps you must protect the circuit with a maximum of a 32 amp fuse/breaker. Nowadays if i was fitting a 45 amp supply i'd be using 10mm cable. That said, as long as you protect the circuit with 32 amp or less you will be fine.

If you plug in your cooker using the socket for the cooker then you have to protect it back at the fuse board with a 13 amp fuse/breaker. Which means you can't use it for the hob as well. Although protected at the plug by a 13 amp fuse, it would be unwise to rely solely on that as protection.

Its a bit hard without seeing the style and layout of your sockets etc, but my best guess would be to wire the hob into the existing cooker socket. What face plate you wish to fit is your choice as long as it is correctly rated, but you can have one with a switch, one without, one with a local fuse etc. Then plug the cooker into the most convinent socket making sure the fuse in the plug is correctly rated, just because it comes with a 13 amp fuse does not always mean it is a 13 amp product.

 

[cd100]

Hi
Thanks so much for that.
The socket that I am talking about is the only one on that circuit. It has a 32 Amp fuse at the circuit board.
So if I connect the hob to that, and nothing else, and leave the wiring as it is (6mm) that will be ok will it?
And then I can plug the single oven into a 'normal' socket (i.e. a socket from the ring main), after checking which fuse it should have. Have I got it right?
Ta

 

[jjrenolds]

Ok so to confirm....

You have only the cooker socket on the one circuit.... thats good
Its protected by a 32 amp fuse... thats good
Connect the hob to that circuit and then thats all ok.
Plug the cooker into a standard kitchen socket and you are all done.

I am working on the assumption that you are trying to do this without ripping your kitchen to bits and chasing out the walls for new cables.

Although perfectly adequate to plug your cooker in the kitchen socket, in an ideal world it would be better if you separated a socket off the ring by means of a fused spur. But that would mean extra cables, new holes and some chiseling which i think you are trying to avoid.

So all in all this is your best bet, its still protected, electrically safe and requires the least amount of work.

 

[cd100]

Thanks so so much for your help and patience.