Is it legal

[bhm1712]

Why do people wire washing machines to spur units? Last time I came across this I just replaced the spur unit with a 13A socket.

Two reasons:
1. Fuse discrimination. It is a basic principle of electrical design not to have two fuses of the same value in the same circuit chain. The largest fuse is always nearer the supply and sized so that the smaller one will blow before the larger.
2. Access to the plug. An appliance full of water is hard to move if the fuse in the plug blows and it is behind the appliance.

Also a flex connection plate is not as deep as a plug and socket. This is needed in many situations so that the machine does not stand out from the
base unit. I will ALWAYS use one for an integrated built in appliance.

1. There is only 1 13A fuse after the consumer unit in either case, either in the plug or in the fused spur unit.
2. But the fused spur unit is often behind the appliance as well! Anyway if the fuse has blown there is a fault and most likely the replacement will blow as well, so an appliance full of water remains.
3. I concede on the thickness issue, but even so a plug and socket well placed (perhaps in an adjacent cupboard) is no issue.

Normally there is an FCU at high level which contains the fuse. Then at low level there will be a flex outlet plate to connect to. Ive never actually seen (in an installation thats been done properly) a fused connection unit with fuse at low level behind the appliance.

Cutting the plug off does not invalidate the warranty. Infact in every single manual for my appliances it states that you can do it, and even shows you how with a diagram.

 

[bhm1712]

Why do people wire washing machines to spur units? Last time I came across this I just replaced the spur unit with a 13A socket.

You did this because you thought that you're in the right and the circuit designer was wrong? or because you thought 2 fuses is better than 1?

It defeats the purpose for which the circuit was designed.

 

[winston1]

Why do people wire washing machines to spur units? Last time I came across this I just replaced the spur unit with a 13A socket.

You did this because you thought that you're in the right and the circuit designer was wrong? or because you thought 2 fuses is better than 1?

It defeats the purpose for which the circuit was designed.

There were not two fuses. There was a fused spur unit behind the washing machine as part of the ring main. I replaced it with a 13A socket in the same place.

The sparks that fitted it was defiantly wrong. If these machines are designed for hard wiring why do the manufacturers fit moulded plugs?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Fitting moulded plugs is the law.

There's nothing wrong with someone competent altering it.

The machines don't care.

 

[ericmark]

All fuses produce heat and the FCU can remove the heat produced by the 13A fuse far better then the modern 13A plug. As orignal design without the plastic finger guards there was far more metal in the plug and they could dissipate 13A without too much problem but with the plastic finger guards running 3kW appliances for extended periods can cause over heating.

For the immersion heater often it was supplied with 16A spur and used old type 15A round pin plug with no fuse so it should not heat up.

So one should only really use a 13A plug in free air. Behind the washing machine, tumble drier, or oven is not in free air. Either one of those access points used with computers so the lead with plug can be passed through the work top and plugged in above the work top in sight and in free air or cut off the plug and use a FCU which can dissipate the heat better. Or use a FCU remote and 15A plug and socket which still means cutting off the plug.

My drier is only 2.2kW and I have left the 13A plug on it and my washer is hot fill so again 13A plug left on it. The element will not go on for very long and time is important.

If I was replacing a 3kW drier with a 2.2kW drier and orignal had a FCU then yes I would consider swapping for a 13A socket. But driers really do run for too long to use a 13A plug if not in free air and drawing 3kW.

Dish washer, washing machine likely don't have elements on for long enough to worry about. The same could be said for a built in oven but heat from the oven could be a problem. Since many ovens have cooling fans one has to consider case by case with an oven.

 

[winston1]

Fitting moulded plugs is the law.

No it isn't. The law only says a 13A plug has to be fitted. A non moulded one can be fitted and often is on appliances.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Ok.

Then why did you ask -

why do the manufacturers fit moulded plugs?

The sparks that fitted it was defiantly wrong.

You seem quite defiant yourself.

 

[bhm1712]

At the very least, it makes far more sense to have an appliance like a washing machine or dishwasher hard wired into a flex outlet with a high level switched fcu than having a plug behind the machine. If the fuse blows you don't have to pull the machine out.

 

[SaladFingers]

At the very least, it makes far more sense to have an appliance like a washing machine or dishwasher hard wired into a flex outlet with a high level switched fcu than having a plug behind the machine. If the fuse blows you don't have to pull the machine out.

But if you have to pull the machine out, you've got to fiddle about trying to get to the connections and you may not always have enough flex length to get the machine out of the way entirely.

 

[winston1]

At the very least, it makes far more sense to have an appliance like a washing machine or dishwasher hard wired into a flex outlet with a high level switched fcu than having a plug behind the machine. If the fuse blows you don't have to pull the machine out.

Fuses don't blow without good reason. If it blows there is a fault and the machine will have to come out to find it.

 

[bhm1712]

There is neither a right or wrong here,

It is perhaps just good common sense to have the the high level FCU and low level outlet to allow for easy isolation and testing purposes. If there is then a fault which does indeed blow the fuse or trip an RCD, then the appliance can be easily isolated from the supply before removal from the unit or its position.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fuses don't blow without good reason. If it blows there is a fault and the machine will have to come out to find it.

Not necessarily.