New cooker but wiring/socket is wrong, can you help?

[novice1812]

Hi

I am a novice in DIY terms so treat me gently!
I have just ordered a new electric cooker and the delivery men would not install it as the serparate socket that my old cooker was plugged into does not have it's own independent electricity supply, apparantly it is running off the main fuse box.

I have called out and electrictian (on the delivery mens advice) and he is coming monday. I am assuming it is dangerous to plug my new cooker into the socket I currently have? Can you confirm this for me? I am assuming I should wait until the electrician can come on monday and sort this problem out.

Also the socket I currently have for the cooker is not wall mounted and sits on the floor with the power supply going into one end and the separate hob being wired up to the other end of the socket.

I know nothing about electrics, can you help???

Thanks in advance.

 

[novice1812]

picture of what I am talking about below. Wire on left goes to hob, wire on right wired to mains/main fuse box

//www.diynot.com/network/novice1812/albums/1730/6665

 

[novice1812]

Anybody help?

 

[stargazer]

Yes, the electrician who is coming to see you on Monday. In the meantime, please don’t go near that abomination in your picture.

 

[JACKC]

I think your problem is that the delivery men would not connect to a poorly positioned cooker socket. There is certain building regs that need adhereing to about cooker socket positions and they probably didn't want to be held liable. Without looking at your set up I can't say where the supply is fed from, It should have its own supply from the fuse box. Your electrician will be able to mount your cooker socket properly to avoid any danger to yourself and confirm where it is fed from. Just wait until he comes Monday and live off carry outs for a few days. Expect to spend a few £ sorting this out though.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi

I am a novice in DIY terms so treat me gently!
I have just ordered a new electric cooker and the delivery men would not install it as the serparate socket that my old cooker was plugged into does not have it's own independent electricity supply, apparantly it is running off the main fuse box.

I have no idea what they meant by that - cooker circuits usually originate in the consumer unit. I guess they know about driving and carrying, but that's about it...

I am assuming it is dangerous to plug my new cooker into the socket I currently have? Can you confirm this for me?

When you say "cooker", what do you mean?

This is a cooker:

What rating is it?

But whatever, it might be unsafe to touch that socket....

Also the socket I currently have for the cooker is not wall mounted and sits on the floor with the power supply going into one end and the separate hob being wired up to the other end of the socket.

Why is it just dangling on the floor? That's wrong.

picture of what I am talking about below. Wire on left goes to hob, wire on right wired to mains/main fuse box

What size are they?

What rating is the fuse or MCB?

What are all the other cables?

Why is one of them not connected to anything?

Why are any of them just lying around like that?

I know nothing about electrics, can you help???

Thanks in advance.

I think you've already made the right decision:

I have called out and electrictian (on the delivery mens advice) and he is coming monday.
.
.
I am assuming I should wait until the electrician can come on monday and sort this problem out.

 

[novice1812]

Thank you for all your replies people.

I've since had an electrician out for this problem now. Could anybody tell me please if the price he has quoted for the following is reasonable and how I should go about negotiating a reduction if at all?

Supply and fit new consumer unit
To earth water supply
Re-site cooker switch
Install switch fuse socket
Full systems test

£680 inc VAT.

Happy to answer any questions you might have if you need anymore info.

Thanks in anticipation of replies.

 

[streetlighter]

Price seems ok to me, whats the old consumer unit like ?

 

[electronicsuk]

Thank you for all your replies people.

I've since had an electrician out for this problem now. Could anybody tell me please if the price he has quoted for the following is reasonable and how I should go about negotiating a reduction if at all?

Supply and fit new consumer unit
To earth water supply
Re-site cooker switch
Install switch fuse socket
Full systems test

£680 inc VAT.

Without seeing the rest of the electrical installation it's hard to say whether or not this work is required. However, given the apparent age of the cooker switch/socket, if the CU is from around the same period then it's likely to be a Wylex Standard with no RCD protection, and is overdue for replacement. If the water supply has no earth then this also requires immediate attention, as bonding of incoming services is very important to ensure the safety of your electrical installation.

As for price, that's not something we tend to comment on as it's impossible for an electrician to quote without seeing the job, and prices also vary greatly between different areas of the country. I'd be suprised if you can't bring him down to £600, as if he's deemed the existing cable is suitable to be left in place, there's only £100 or so of materials there.

 

[DESL]

I never negotiate on my price for a job.

I will however make a reduction if the customer can do some of the donkey work for me i.e. lifting floorboards, clearing dust etc.

As for your price we don't know how much work is involved in relocating cooker outlet & providing a bond to water supply.


As always if you're not satisfied with the price get two further quotes.

 

[novice1812]

Price seems ok to me, whats the old consumer unit like ?

Consumer unit is fine, I was told it needs splitting though to spread the power more evenly. I have actually been told this by another electrician who saw the set up as well, so I'm fine with that.

 

[novice1812]

Relocation of cooker outlet does not have to be moved far at all.

Thanks for you help gentlemen, it seems that this price is not out of the ordinary as you would probably have said so by now. What I have been adviced by the electrician fits with advice I have been given before, so it all seems kosher

 

[bongos]

Can you post a pic of your existing consumer unit and incoming service head? It would give people a better idea of what actually is required and will show the rough age of your exisitng CU.

 

[novice1812]

Can you post a pic of your existing consumer unit and incoming service head? It would give people a better idea of what actually is required and will show the rough age of your exisitng CU.

Sure, picture of CU attached (link below). If you can give advice ASAP as I have to ring electrician tomorrow, so more info the better.

Many many thanks in advance!

Cheers

Untitled

• novice1812
• 14 Dec 2008
• 1

 

[novice1812]

If you click on picture, it gets bigger!