Kitchen Electrics

[rgsouth]

Hi
is it true that the side wall of a kitchen cupboard can no longer be used to mount a 13a socket on,as the N I C have stated that it has to be within the fabric of the building, in other words on the back wall.
What about the kitchen with an island which I have had with appliances.
I have found with over forty years experience that the best way is hole at the back of the dividing wall adjacent to the appliance for the plug top,mini trunking on the dividing wall with 13a socket to the front.

Super Sparks

 

[Scoter1066]

Hi
is it true that the side wall of a kitchen cupboard can no longer be used to mount a 13a socket on,as the N I C have stated that it has to be within the fabric of the building, in other words on the back wall.
What about the kitchen with an island which I have had with appliances.
I have found with over forty years experience that the best way is hole at the back of the dividing wall adjacent to the appliance for the plug top,mini trunking on the dividing wall with 13a socket to the front.

Super Sparks

First I've heard about that rule, and more to the point is that you follow the regs laid down by the IEE. NICEIC think that they rule the roost, but they don't just yet!

 

[Pensdown]

IMO A "fitted kitchen" is as much a part of the building fabric as stud wall. However, I would only mount accessories inside cupboards as a last resort because they can become inaccessible and there is normally a better way around the problem.

But when it comes to an island, there are not many other suitable options so I can't see a problem as long as the accessory is accessible in normal use, i.e. not at the back of a cupboard.

The NIC try and promote "best practice" as well as conformance to 7671 but at times best practice is not always achievable and they know that

 

[ericmark]

522.8.5 and 522.15 could be read as to requiring a fixed structure to ensure no undue strain to the supply cables but personally I think that's reading too much into the regulation.
I do remember a colleague getting into trouble because a steel wire armored cable pulled out of a gland when someone tried moving the container it was feeding with a crane.
I think there will always be the odd case where it is considered that the structure was not permanent enough.
But with sockets designed to pop out of the floor etc when required I can't see how anyone could consider a kitchen unit as temporary.
However there has been a move towards pre-wired units and with these the whole unit is normally plugged in and I can see the case that if these become the norm then to hard wire units in could cause problems for kitchen fitters but I don't think there are any rules as yet about this system except it does not come under Part P.
Eric

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I don't think there are any rules as yet about this system except it does not come under Part P.
Eric

The requirements of this Part apply only to
electrical installations that are intended to
operate at low or extra-low voltage and are—
(a) in or attached to a dwelling;
(b) in the common parts of a building
serving one or more dwellings, but
excluding power supplies to lifts;
(c) in a building that receives its
electricity from a source located within
or shared with a dwelling; or
(d) in a garden or in or on land associated
with a building where the electricity is
from a source located within or shared
with a dwelling.


“electrical installation” means fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer’s side of the electricity supply meter;

 

[ericmark]

I was looking at page 8 of Part P document where it refers to work not being regarded as a special location where it is prefabricated equipment sets.
But the way it is written it is not very plain and maybe I have miss understood what it says.
Eric