Kitchen appliance wiring

[FredFlintstone]

Hi all,

Forgive me for asking something which may make me sound completely incapable of tackling anything to do with electrics or anything even vaguely associated. I'm not incapable at all but could do with a little knowlege on the following.

I need to install electrics for the oven, hood and fridge which will be on their own circuit, separate from the kitchen ring I've already installed but not yet connected to the CU. The kitchen ring will be on the protected side of the split CU, the oven, fridge and hood will be on the unprotected side. It's a single oven requiring only a 13amp plug for connection.

I intend to install the appliances on a ring rather than radial (the floorboards are up anyway so running a cable back to the CU from the last socket on what would otherwise be a radial is no hassle) with a 32a MCB. Is this OK or would I be better with a radial and 20a MCB?

My main confusion is how an above counter switch controlling a below counter socket is wired. Is the switch the ring connector (as a socket would be) and then the socket effectively a spur from the ring connector (sorry, you'll have to excuse my lack of technical terms)? If this is the case, do I basically wire the switch with the incoming and outgoing ring cable to the off terminals and then the spur cable to the on terminals?

I wasn't planning on hard wiring the oven or fridge into an outlet plate. I'd planned just to use an unswitched socket for each and plug them in with the control to the socket being above counter level. I just figure this is easier for future changing of appliances etc. Is this acceptable? Obviously if I was hard wiring them then I'd need to use fused spurs but with the way I intend to do it the fuse will obviously be in the plug.

What type of switch will I need for above counter top use? Is there a 13a DP switch available for this purpose?

The other thing I've not done before is a fused spur. Again, is the fused spur the ring connector with the outlet effectively being the spur? Or is a fused spur taken as a spur from a socket?

Oh, also the gas hob may need power for the ignition (I haven't bought it yet but some are mains and some are battery aren't they?). For ease I was thinking of possibly providing a double socket for the oven and then just plugging the hob ignition supply into this with the correct fuse in the plug. Is this acceptable or would I be better fitting a separate fused spur for the hob ignition?

I've attached a crude diagram in the hope that it makes what I'm trying to ask understandable. Please note that the positions of the cables is for ease of demonstration only. I'm actually wiring vertical only - all horizontals are above the ceiling. I know this uses more cable but I prefer vertical only installation whever possible.

Thanks in advance for your help. I hope I haven't come across as a bodger - I'm really not and I know what I'm doing installing rings and radials but don't have any experience of the type of set up I'm trying to install here.

Incidentally, I'm aware it's notifiable and should point out that LABC are advised. The reason for my questions is so I can get it right first time. All will also be properly tested before and after connection to the mains.

Cheers

Fred

 

[ELZ4742]

ill do 1.

a fused spur.............


connect as part of the ring (incoming side) and feed the socket on the fused (outgoing) side, thus having a switchable outlet undert the worktop.

 

[FredFlintstone]

Cheers ELZ,

So basically, on a fused switched spur, there'd be two cables on the incoming side (both of the ring main cables) and obviously just the one on the outgoing side?

I assume this setup could be used for the sockets as well as the hood even though the sockets will have fused plugs in them anyway. Providing the fuses were of the correct rating I guess this wouldn't have any negative effect - it just means that an appliance attached with a fused plug would be somewhat pointlessly double fused.

So what I'm really looking for is an unfused switched spur for the socket outlets? Does such a thing exist?

Cheers

Fred

 

[ELZ4742]

the idea behind it is if you have a fault it can be disconnected at the spur, and makes it easier to diagnose faults without the need to rip out tha appliance etc....

there isnt such a thing as a 13a dp switch no but a 20a yes, although AFAIK these should only be used on a suitably rated circuit, i.e. 20a or less.
not sure if the appliance HAS to be fused prior to the socket in this case but a 45a dp switch maybe? perhapes someone else with could enlighten.

 

[FredFlintstone]

Cheers ELZ.

I may just use fused spurs then and go for hard wiring the appliances into connection plates.

At the end of the day, changing an appliance will just mean opening up the connection plate and chainging flexes rather than unplugging it - no more difficult than changing a plug.

Thanks again

Fred.