Ignorant newbie requires advice on Fridge Freezer relocation

[The Riviera Kid]

Hi folks,

First of all I must apologise for not really having a clue, I'm trying to do as much research as possible, but due to being really busy with other stuff - I'm not taking a lot of it in.

Our 20 year old house has always had an absolutely terrible layout, the kitchen being a prime example of this - cupboards and appliances are scattered randomly and unnattractively all over the place - it's neither pleasing on the eye or particularly functional...

...because of this I'd like to move things around and create this "working triangle" I've heard of between the appliances. Most of this simply involves removing and relocating/replacing cupboards - something I can do fairly easily myself.

The only thing I'm stuck with is relocating the fridge freezer. Theres a spare wall socket where I'd like to locate it to, but the socket is not the same as the one it's currently plugged into (which I believe is called an RCD - but I stand to be corrected) the current one has a lower socket and fused plate with switch higher up on the wall.

If I'm correct (As ever I stand to be corrected) then the reason for this special kind of socket is to protect the occupants by breaking the circuit in the event of the fridge freezer becoming faulty?

As I'm not planning any other building or electrical work other than a simple swap around of cabinets, bit of re-tiling etc - I'm wondering whether I can get away with using a standard socket for the fridge freezer if I used a plug in rcd circuit breaker between the standard wall socket and the fridge freezers plug.

Hope this all makes, sense, thank you for taking the time to read.

 

[Adam_151]

Can you take a picture of what the freezer is plugged into please?

Sounds a little strange, what is sometimes done is to provide RCD protection to all the sockets except the freezer on in order to ensure the freezer remains powered incase the RCD trips while you are away on holiday. Though I suppose it should be a variation on this, where the installer felt that someone might unplug the freezer to use garden equipment, and so provided a separate RCD for just that socket.

But yes, pics please, also one of the consumer unit please

 

[The Riviera Kid]

Hi Adam, thanks for your reply!

Unfortunately I have no access to a digital camera right now BUT I've dug up a picture of a similar thing which might give you an idea what I'm talking about.

I might be confusing issues by referring to RCD's - maybe I'm using the wrong bit of lingo! lol (I am truly hopeless)

Anyway, the fridge freezer has a low level standard electrical wall socket located about a foot above floor level. On the wall located to the right and just above worktop level is a similar switch to this one:-

Both the Fridge Freezer and Washing machine both have these type of switches where the lower outlet will not work without the switch above being turned to the ON position. Hence why I'm concerned that by plugging the fridge freezer into a standard socket I might be doing something unsafe.

Electric is well and truly not my bag, and even with something which is probably very simple, I'd rather not chance anything!

 

[Adam_151]

Thats just an FCU (fused connection unit) used to provide accessable isolation to socket outlets installed for under countertop appliances

An RCD can generally be identified by it having a test button... this is a FCU with built in RCD for example: http://www.screwfix.com/prods/83049/Electrical/RCDs/Volex-13A-RCD-FCU

No idea how your house is wired, the freezer socket outlet might not be on the main RCD, whereas a general purpose socket outlet should be, its probably a minor issue but if the freezer is on the RCD if it 'nuisense trips' while you are away on holiday then the food spoils

The other thing is if the socket outlet you used for the fridge before is not RCD protected, then this could lead to increased risk if someone should use it for mowing the lawn over one thus protected. (its possible the installer might have been counting on there being a fridge in the way to prevent this from happening).

Though, chances are, its just FCU'd off the kitchen sockets circuit

It would be prudent to check whats RCD protected and whats not, if you have a look at your consumer unit, chances are it'll be a split load and be in two halves, where an RCD will be protecting a bank of circuit breakers for things like downstairs sockets, and there will be a another bank of circuit breakers not on the RCD for things like light and intruder alarm circuits, if you listed whats on each side, it might be usful

 

[The Riviera Kid]

lol, sounds like I'm getting my FCU's and RCD's mixed up!

The consumer unit is surprisingly simple, only having the following:-

Ground Floor Lights
1st Floor Lights
Ground Floor Ring
1st Floor Ring
Cooker
Shower

So if I read you correctly, there's no safety concern from the point of the fridge freezer itself, and in the event of an electrical fault with that item, the whole electric supply itself should trip regardless of whether it's plugged into a standard wall socked or FCU'd wall socket?

Again, many thanks for taking time to entertain my ramblings Adam.