Kitchen electrics - illuminated switches question

[shd1970]

Can anyone confirm for me please, is it mandatory/legal to have an illuminated 32a switch "on show and accessible" for a cooker, or, can it be hidden inside a cupboard perhaps, or alternatively, do you not even need one at all and thus can rely on the trip fuse on the consumer board ?

Also, on the other side of my kitchen will be the fridge
Likewise, does this need an accessible above the worktop fused switch to hardwire in to, or could i have a traditional style socket fitted in the unit that houses the sink and then plug the fridge into that ?

Many thanks in advance

 

[ban-all-sheds]

is it mandatory/legal to have an illuminated 32a switch "on show and accessible" for a cooker,

No.

or, can it be hidden inside a cupboard perhaps,

If you do have one then there can be problems with having it tucked away in a cupboard.

or alternatively, do you not even need one at all and thus can rely on the trip fuse on the consumer board ?

You not even need one at all and can use the MCB in the consumer unit for isolation.

Likewise the fridge does not require an FCU above the worktop.

Why are you asking? What idiot electrician have you got doing circuit design for your kitchen?

 

[mwatsonxx]

What idiot electrician have you got doing circuit design for your kitchen?

One that knows far more about his kitchen than you do.

It is advisable to have visible double pole isolation points for cookers etc. Using consumer MCB's are not acceptable forms of isolation as they are only single pole. Switching OFF the consumer unit main isolator is an acceptable means of isolation. But is it readily available? And do you want to plunge the whole house into darkness while dealing with an ongoing problem?

 

[bernardgreen]

do you not even need one at all and thus can rely on the trip fuse on the consumer board

A cooker can start to catch fire and become a serious hazard long before the "trip fuse" operates.

Do a risk assessment. Then decide if a safety isolator is needed in your kitchen. Then decide if it needs to be instantly accessable.

Does it need to be illumination is a separate decision.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

One that knows far more about his kitchen than you do.

And who knows so little that he cannot answer his client's questions.

It is advisable to have visible double pole isolation points for cookers etc.

The question was not about "advisable", it was "is it mandatory/legal ".

"etc" can include almost anything.

Using consumer MCB's are not acceptable forms of isolation as they are only single pole.

So are light switches.

 

[EFLImpudence]

If f Using consumer MCB's are not acceptable forms of isolation as they are only single pole. Switching OFF the consumer unit main isolator is an acceptable means of isolation.

Please see Table 53.4 in BS7671 - although, from what you post it would appear that you don't have one.

But is it readily available? And do you want to plunge the whole house into darkness while dealing with an ongoing problem?

That implies that the switch is for 'emergency' switching; not isolation.

As the switch is not required for isolation that would be the reason for fitting them and as such should be 'readily accessible'.

 

[Risteard]

No.

How is it not legal?

 

[Risteard]

Please see Table 53.4 in BS7671 - although, from what you post it would appear that you don't have one.

Isolation in a domestic premises must include all live conductors though, so he is correct that a single pole circuit breaker cannot achieve this.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Isolation in a domestic premises must include all live conductors though, so he is correct that a single pole circuit breaker cannot achieve this.

That's not what 7671 says.

How would this be achieved for items without local isolation (which is not a requirement) other than use of the main switch.

 

[Risteard]

That's not what 7671 says.

How would this be achieved for items without local isolation (which is not a requirement) other than use of the main switch.

The main switch is typically what is necessary for isolation in a domestic single-phase installation. BS7671 most certainly does require all pole isolation in single phase domestic premises as they are not under the supervision of skilled or instructed persons, or whatever they are called now. There most certainly is a Regulation stipulating that.

 

[EFLImpudence]

So, are you saying that, in a domestic situation, a non-skilled person must use the main switch but a skilled person may use any of the items in Table 53.4.

537.2.1.1

 

[Risteard]

So, are you saying that, in a domestic situation, a non-skilled person must use the main switch but a skilled person may use any of the items in Table 53.4.

537.2.1.1

No. A domestic premises is NEVER taken to be under the supervision of a skilled or instructed person.

 

[EFLImpudence]

No, but as all circuits in a domestic premises are protected by single pole fuses or MCBs, the main switch must have to be used - by unskilled persons - unless there are double pole switches for certain appliance.

I don't, though, know what this has to do with the thread when local isolation is not required for any appliance.

 

[Risteard]

local isolation is not required for any appliance.

I never suggested it was.

 

[Steven Prentice]

Personaly if you are having a switch local to the apliance then it is a wasrte of time and money if you cannot get to it to operate it.

For example, we have switches for all of ours - but we also have small boys who love to press buttons and it is a safety concern that a tumble rier could get turned on without our knowledge, a cooker can overheat and things can catch fire - the switch next to it adds a quicker mens of isolation than running to the consumber unit to turn it off (same with the tumble drier) and so on.

So my view, if you have a switchm make it accessible and I would prefer one for each appliance