Isolation of kitchen appliances

[bernardgreen]

The washing machine was mid cycle and full of water when the RCD tripped. Smell of burning from the washine machine.

Washing machine too heavy to move. Is believed to be plugged into a 13 amp socket behind the machine. No access to the drain pipe to empty the machine by gravity.

RCD could not be reset for several hours until an electrician had arrived and in the CU disconnected live and neutral of the circuit for the washing machine

Eventually washing machine was moved out and found to have, among other faults, a Neutral Earth fault which prevent the RCD being reset.

Had there been an accessible two pole isolator for the machine's socket or the socket accessible without moving the machine then the RCD could have been reset restoring power to the rest of the house.

 

[Chri5]

So why didn't you fit such in the 1st place

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

ooh, your poor back shifting a very heavy faulty washing machine simply to gain access to the plug to facilitate diagnosis of the fault. Lets hope you didn't have integrated appliances meaning you had to dismantle your kitchen units aswell!! Lets hope you didn't rip the lino whilst trying to drag the w/m out, that would have made it even worse! Mrs. Green would have been nailing parts of your anatomy to the kitchen wall!!

If only the installation had been designed in such a way as to allow easy access to the plug to disconnect it without having to move the appliance, i'm sure things would have been easier to deal with

Still, im sure some people would argue that theres nothing wrong with putting socket outlets in stoopid places

Maybe you should just have assumed the machine was knackered and called a kitchen fitter and a washing machine repair man in immediately to unplug it and charge you a handsome sum of cash for this service?

 

[bernardgreen]

So why didn't you fit such in the 1st place

It wasn't in my house. where there IS such isolation fitted and all sockets are accessible.

It was the next door but one neighbour of a friend. The owners are elderly and there was no way they could have moved the machine themselves.

 

[ajrobb]

I thought that having sockets in stupid places is less of an issue than lack of double-pole isolator switches above the counter.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

I thought that having sockets in stupid places is less of an issue than lack of double-pole isolator switches above the counter.

What made you think that?

 

[bernardgreen]

Lets hope you didn't rip the lino whilst trying to drag the w/m out, that would have made it even worse!

The heavy items im my kitchen stand on plywood to raise them 12mm above the floor level. When they need to be moved out a sheet of 9 mm ply wood is used to protect the floor covering.

 

[ericmark]

I would agree with local isolation if you have ever seen a washing machine when the weights come lose you would never do without an isolation switch.

However not all kitchens need isolators and there seems to be some very poor wiring on the grid switches used.

My parents have a sub-main supplying the kitchen yet they still have isolator switches. Why? Just as easy to isolate with the RCBO's.

Having a ring main supplied from a B32 MCB supply a row of 4 grid switches which in turn supply sockets means the amount of cables stuffed behind the switches just ask for problems. 16A or 20A supply to a 20A grid switch is fine but we all know all those single sockets are likely to be made double and with a washing machine and tumble dryer next to each other both supplied from a double sockets which is in turn supplied from a grid switch is asking for trouble. Yet we see it again and again. Some of the three socket outlets are fused but some will allow three plugs again all supplied from one 20A switch.

132.12 Accessibility of electrical equipment
Electrical equipment shall be arranged so as to afford as may be necessary:
(i) Sufficient space for the initial installation and later replacement of individual items of electrical equipment
(ii) accessibility for operation, inspection, testing, fault detection, maintenance and repair.

132.15.1 Effective means, suitably placed for ready operation, shall be provided so that all voltage may be cut off from every installation, from every circuit thereof and from all equipment, as may be necessary to prevent or remove danger.

132.15.2 Every fixed electric motor shall be provided with an efficient means of switching off, readily accessible. easily operated and so placed as to prevent danger.

513.1 Except for a joint in cables where Section 526 allows such a joint to be inaccessible. every item of equipment shall be arranged so as to facilitate its operation, inspection and maintenance and access to each connection. Such facility shall not be significantly impaired by mounting equipment in an enclosure or a compartment.

There are loads more which mean an isolator should be provided but we all know that builders cut corners and try to reduce the price of wiring a house.

 

[RMS]

I suppose it comes down to how the individual interprets the term accessible. Some will view the socket as accessible by the removal of the machine.

With regards to 132.15.1, surly the main switch for a domestic installation would satisfy this requirement.

Does a washing machine fall under the scope of BS7671 and regulation 132.15.2?

Personally I would always provide a means of local isolation for under unit appliances. It makes good sense.

 

[Spark123]

It may make sense, however I am pretty sure I read in the electricians guide to the building regs that only fixed appliances need to have an accessible switch fitted. Movable appliances can be fed from an inaccessible socket behind them without another local isolator.
Saying that, I like to see switches above the counter too.