Hob wiring question

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Hi,

We're starting to strip our mums kitchen in prep for fitting a new one. When I removed the induction hob I noticed that it was fed directly from the rear of the plug socket that was designated for her cooker. The socket is fed with 6mm cable direct to a cooker switch above the worktop.

I'm just wondering if this is the correct way to do things i.e. is it safe to have a 7KW~ load fed from the back of a normal plug socket (admittedly the socket being fed from a 40a mcb w/ 6mm cable seems good, but are the terminals of a plug socket designed to have the hob wired in too?).

While I'm here I have another question you may be able to answer! Our mum is having integrated appliances and I've read that you can either have a socket behind the appliance controlled via a DP switch above the worktop, OR you can have sockets that remain accessible for example you can 'hide' the sockets at the back of a cupboard where you're still able to get to them. For aesthetic reasons I'd prefer the latter option and so I was thinking you could run a 2.5mm radial from the 'ring main' socket (above the worktop) to behind one of the new cupboards and put a double socket there. Obviously we'd leave the a large hole in the back of the cupboard for access to the socket/appliance plugs.

They say a picture paints a thousand words...


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Any help is appreciated! :)
 
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Should have a 40 amp cooker switch in a accessible place like above the counter. you don't really want to be emptying cupboards whilst the chip pan takes out the house.

Really should have appliance switches above the counter, I generally have a fused spur (above) and a hard wire point by the machine as these save vital centimeters sometimes.

I would also make sure that is a 6mm back to the board!
 
Cheers. The cooker switch is above the worktop and the wire is definitely 6mm back to the CU.

Do you have any more information on spurs etc? I really did like the idea of a socket at the back of a cupboard, but you think this is the wrong way to do things then?
 
You have all you need there.

Fit a cooker outlet for the hob to the present socket back box.

If necessary fit a socket next to it for the oven if it comes with a plug or connect it to the cooker outlet with 6mm² flex if it doesn't.

There is no point having a socket behind a cupboard.



Editted to 6mm² because of 40A MCB.
 
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sorry did not have pic before posting, get rid of socket and get a 40 / 45 amp cable connector (hard wire) for the cooker.

And for the appliances have you looked a fused panel switching, you can get quite stylish ones.

If the property already has switches in the cupboards, then as far as I'm aware you can continue doing so, where your crossing the line is changeing the whole kitchen and I don't know weather that would be classed as a refurbishment, then I belive you have to comply to latest building regs.
 
Regarding cooker and hob you need to change the socket for a 45A outlet plate, you can purchase dual outlets that make it easier to connect the two appliances. Rule of thumb will allow for a total of up to 15kW output on a 32A radial circuit for the cooking appliances. 6mm twin and earth, can carry a maximum of 47A, so I don't see an issue with the 40A MCB, unless there are de-rating factors along the route of this circuit, such as contained in trunking, conduit, thermal insulation etc..

If you are revamping kitchen I would go for above worktop isolation rather than directly in socket outlets hidden away. The regulation concerning accessibility and not there purely for functional reasons, they are so the accessory and it's terminations, can be accessed for maintenance, inspection and testing. So if this is a preferred option, then be making provisions for that.
Plenty of info here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics

Other things to consider routing cables within permitted safe zones and additional protection of 30mA RCD, if new cables are to be buried within wall less than 50mm and not mechanically protected (capping is not considered as mech protection), also the same protection for any additional socket outlets.
You should also have the new work inspected and tested in compliance to the procedures indicated in BS7671.
 
Cooker question answered so saying nothing about that but sockets in cupboards is not a good idea using 13A plugs.

In our 13A plug we have a fuse and these produce heat which needs free air around the plug to cool so fitting a 13A socket in a cupboard not a good idea. Using 15A plugs and sockets so ovens, immersion heaters can be removed easy for maintenance is OK as no fuse in the plug but there will need to be some protection elsewhere to ensure over current will result in automatic disconnection. (fuse blowing)

The Fuse Connection Unit (FCU) is embedded into the wall so can better dissipate the heat which is why we tend to use a FCU for immersion heaters which in general run longer than most other stuff we use so can overheat a 13A plug where as a kettle although same current only runs for a short time.

Using a 5A fuse in a plug under a sink feeding a waste disposal unit is very different to one with 13A fuse feeding an oven so it does need some common sense.
 
Thanks for the help guys. The appliances are going to run to FCU's above the work surface.

With regards to the cooker,we need a plug socket as the flex for the oven is hard wired in so we cannot use 6mm t&e. With this in mind,do I replace the socket with a cooker connector unit ( http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-45a-cooker-connection-unit-white/16686 ) , have 6mm coming out to the hob and run 2.5mm to a 13A socket next to the CCU?
Or would the 2.5mm not be allowed due to the 40A MCB? If so, 6mm to the socket also?

Thanks in advance :)
 
Should have a 40 amp cooker switch in a accessible place like above the counter. you don't really want to be emptying cupboards whilst the chip pan takes out the house.
Once a chip pan has caught fire, turning off the hob won't extinguish it.

And if it is on fire, the priority is to deal with that, or GTH out, not start turning off appliances.
 
Hi people,

What we've done is wired in a CCU for the 6mm cable/hob and linked it to a newly added backbox via 2.5mm t&e. The new backbox is for a single 13A socket that will supply the cooker.

Please let us know if this is OK.

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Once a chip pan has caught fire, turning off the hob won't extinguish it.

And if it is on fire, the priority is to deal with that, or GTH out, not start turning off appliances.

The fire brigade advise:

If it's safe to do so - turn off the heat, but never lean over the pan to reach the controls.
 
A gentle bump to see if anyone can answer my question a couple of posts up? :cool:
 

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