Help with wiring in electric hob tonight

[attractivebrunette]

I'm wiring in my new electric hob. I've connected the flex to the hob and just now need to wire the other end of the flex into the mains.

There is a mains flex coming out of the wall. However, it's currently being used for the electric cooker. The appliance flex joins to the main flex using a round junction box in the picture (PICTURE BELOW)

My question is, can I somehow also wire my electric hob into the same supply, by using a 2 - way junction box instead of the one I already have in the picture? Is there such a thing as a 2-way junction box?

In other words, I want the mains flex to go into the junction box and there will be two 'outs' to wire appliances in, one for the cooker and one for the hob.

I'm assuming if such a junction box doesnt exist, I could instead terminate the mains into a plug socket, then plug in a two way adaptor, then use plugs on the cooker and the hob? Or am I talking crap?

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• attractivebrunette
• 28 Feb 2009
• 1

 

[flameport]

Electric hobs cannot be plugged in. A plug will be rated at 13A. An electric hob will require at least twice that.

That junction box is a mess. The cable entering is far too large for the box, and the flex should be connected via a fused connection unit or a plug.
You cannot connect the hob or the oven in this way.

Do you have a switch or control unit on the wall for the oven?
What make and model of oven and hob have you got?
Can you post a picture of your fusebox/consumer unit, and the general area in the kictchen where the oven/hob will be located?

Note:
Oven = heated box where cakes and pies can be cooked.
Hob = flat item where several pans can be heated.
Cooker = all in one deal with hob on top and oven underneath.

 

[attractivebrunette]

Hi Flameport. You're right I'm trying to wire in a new electric hob, over an existing oven.

The oven does have a wall switch that you can see in the picture (the red one) and the flex for this switch comes out of the wall below.

I'm confused when you say electric hobs cant be plugged in, yet you say that the flex for the oven should be connected "via a fused connection unit or a plug". I'm not very bright so I'm not sure what you mean. What does a fused connection unit look like and can I use one to power both the hob and the oven?

The hob is an AEG and so is the oven.

My consumer unit is one of the very old types and I'll get round to changing that one day.

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• attractivebrunette
• 28 Feb 2009
• 1

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• attractivebrunette
• 28 Feb 2009
• 1

 

[Steve]

I'm wiring in my new electric hob. I've connected the flex to the hob

First mistake - you chose this flex? What size is it? What is the rating of the hob?

and just now need to wire the other end of the flex into the mains.

There is a mains flex coming out of the wall.

Thats a cable. Not a flex.

However, it's currently being used for the electric cooker.

Electric cooker - is this an appliance you intend on keeping? What is ITS rating?

The appliance flex joins to the main flex using a round junction box in the picture (PICTURE BELOW)

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• attractivebrunette
• 28 Feb 2009
• 1

Oh dear. 1. No earth sleeve, 2. Sheath cut too far back, 3. JB too small, 4. Two cable sizes, 5. No strain relief, 6. Full of fire hazard - sawdust.

My question is, can I somehow also wire my electric hob into the same supply, by using a 2 - way junction box instead of the one I already have in the picture? Is there such a thing as a 2-way junction box?

That junction box can safely accomodate four cables of the correct size. However as we have told you, it is not fit for these cables.

I'm assuming if such a junction box doesnt exist, I could instead terminate the mains into a plug socket, then plug in a two way adaptor, then use plugs on the cooker and the hob? Or am I talking rubbish?

These appliances are high-consumption devices. An electric hob will typcally have a rating more than DOUBLE that of a 13 amp socket and plug. A single oven, however will normally be rated around 10 or 13 amps, so can be plugged in, but this should ALWAYS be verified.

If anything I just said confuses you, CALL AN ELECTRICIAN

And by the way, under the building regulations (which are a legal requirement), this work must be notified to the local building control if you do it yourself. My council charges £103. If an electrician does it, he will notify and this will be cheaper for him.

 

[Steve]

Oops your in scotland - forget the building regs bit. You dont need to notify, the rules are different.

And your fuse box is a bit . . . dated. You have no RCD protection. An RCD could save your life. A fuse wont.

A "fused connection unit" is a switch with a fuse on it. It can be used to connect an appliance rated up to 13 amps.

Please find out the rating in WATTS, KILOWATTS, W OR KW of your appliances and we can advise further.

 

[swidders]

Pardon me for butting in here, but isn't that 2G socket a bit too close to the intended hob?

 

[Steve]

Pardon me for butting in here, but isn't that 2G socket a bit too close to the intended hob?

What 2G socket?

 

[swidders]

Er, I meant the 1G socket with the isolating switch?

 

[attractivebrunette]

Wow, lots of advice here.

1. I haven't a clue what the rating of the hob is. Any idea where I can find it? This is the sticker on the back

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• attractivebrunette
• 1 Mar 2009
• 1

2. This is the flex I've used to connect to the hob

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• attractivebrunette
• 1 Mar 2009
• 1

3. I do intend keeping the cooker. Again, I'm afraid I've no idea what the rating is...sorry! I'm hopeless.

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• attractivebrunette
• 1 Mar 2009
• 1

Thanks for telling me the junction box is a fire hazard. It did look odd. It was wired by the person who lived here before me.

So, you say that it's possible to connect four cables of the correct size to that junction box. Should the cable simply be wired into the same 'out' holes in that box as the existing oven? Is that all I need to do?

 

[Steve]

OMG

PLEASE TAKE THAT 0.5MM FLEX OUT OF THE HOB IMMEDIATELY

MORE TO FOLLOW

caps intentional

 

[Steve]

The rating of the hob may be on a rating plate on it, or in the instructions.

The rating of the oven is often on a sticker on the frame inside the door of the oven.

When you've been and bought some 6mm² Twin and Earth, compare it to the flex you were intending to use and realise how BLOODY DANGEROUS it would have been.

They say a little knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge. This thread is certainly proving this theory.

 

[jockspark]

hi please dont take this the wrong way stop what you are doing
and get someone in to connect it for you . this is meant as good friendly
advise please take it in the spirit it is given

 

[attractivebrunette]

Sure, no offence taken. But I know it's possible to do this job with the right advice from experts on here. That's the point of the forums.

Why do I need a 6mm squared twin and earth? How is it different to the flex? Does it have 2 x live? I did see the sticker on the hob and realise it had 2 x live connections.

And what will the rating be in? What's the unit of measurement? And no-one has told me what I need to do with the rating? I'm just getting more confused because everyone is telling me what I've done wrong and what I shouldn't do, instead of telling me what I should do

 

[attractivebrunette]

Ok, the hob says 6.4kw is that the rating?

 

[Steve]

Tell us the rating! Then we can advise.

Look for a number, followed by W, KW, WATTS, OR KILOWATTS. It may be near the serial and model numbers.

Look at the roll of 0.5mm you have, its rating is 3 amps. This is the amount of electricity it can carry.

You hob, at full pelt, will draw approximately 30 amps along the cable. This will melt your flex, and whats more, the circuit will not cut out. Your house will burn down and your insurance wont pay out because you didnt have a certificate for this work.

6mm cable can carry 47 amps optimally. This is plenty for your hob.

Out of curiosity, how did you connect the flex in the hob? photo?