Oven and Hob wiring - Is this ok?

[STEVEROG]

I've got a sparky in. The attached sketch shows what's being suggested for wiring my oven and hob in. Is this OK? (I've been cowboy'd before)

The red line running across the top of the picture is the existing cooker cable (6mm) that runs in the ceiling all the way across the room (3.9m) then down the internal corner of the room as shown (the old free standing electric cooker was in that corner). The spark has said best approach would be to fit a junction box under the kitchen units and feed both the over and hob from there (as shown). All cables to be 6mm. The feed to the double oven (built in oven) will run under the kitchen units til just before the edge of the double oven, the cable is then run in a chase up the wall to the oven switch as shown and back out to the oven. The edge of the oven is 1.2m from the corner where the JB is located. The feed to the hob is also under the units til just below the hob switch then as before, a chase up to the hob switch then back down to run under the units to connect to the hob. The hob is 2m from the back wall where the hob switch is located. The hob switch is 2.7m from the internal corner where the old 6mm cooker cable runs.

Couple of specific questions:

1. Is is ok to run cables flapping around under kitchen units?
2. Is it OK to have a JB under the units?
3. Would it be possible to have just one oven&hob swich in the internal corner of the room (cut into the old cooker cable) and do away with the two separate ones? Might then be able to run both feeds between JB and oven/hob without chasing out walls (hide behind kitchen units).






View media item 48911

 

[Steve]

The switches must be within a certain distance of the appliances. So the sketch is probably the only way to do this. The JB under the units is ok, as long as it is accessible - make sure you can pull it out to inspect it etc. However it shouldnt be resting on the floor. Not sure about the cables though, its not ideal but not sure how you would fix the cables down/up. Maybe stick some mini trunking to the bottom of the cabinets and run the cables in this.

 

[securespark]

It's OK to have cables running behind units, provided they are secured to the fabric of the building.

The junction box should be accessible, unless it's MF, but even then I'd prefer it to bve accessible. Ideally, do away with the junction box altogether and make connections in the switches.

There are lot's of people here (including me) who would quote the 2m rule to you.

Historically, it has been a regulation, but now it is guidance. Still good practice, though.

....
Just for amusement value, this is the history of the "2m" rule from the 14th onwards:

The 14th says,

A29.

Every stationary cooking appliance shall be controlled by a switch separate from the appliance and installed within 6 feet of the appliance. Where two SCA's are installed in one room, one switch may be used to control the two appliances provided that neither appliance is more than 6 feet from the switch.

The 15th says,

476-20.

Every fixed or stationary household cooking appliance shall be controlled by a switch separate from the appliance and placed within 2m of the appliance. Where two SCA's are installed in one room of household premises, one switch may be used to control both appliances provided that neither appliance is more than 2m from the switch.

The 16th says,

476-03-04

Every fixed or stationary appliance which may give rise to a hazard in normal use and is connected to the supply other than by means of a plug & socket complying with regulation 537-05-04 shall be provided with a means of interrupting the supply on load. The operation of the means of interrupting the supply on load shall be placed so as not to put the operator in danger. This means may be incorporated into the appliance or, if separate from the appliance, shall be in a readily accessible position. Where two or more appliances are installed in the same room, one interrupting means may be used to control all the appliances.
...

Anyone care to add what the 17th says? I do not have my copy with me.

 

[STEVEROG]

Thanks for the input gents.

Interesting point about cables being ok behind units. I did suggest to the sparky that I was happy for him to run the oven cable from under the units up behind the tall unit that houses the double oven the just a short run of cable out and back to the switch. He reckoned chasing it in from ground level was best.

I assume (after doing a bit of googleing) MF means Maintenance Free and I guess this is something a bit more substantial than a plakky box with a few screw terminals. Spark hasn't said anything specific about the JB.

Couple of other interesting things that have recently been said ...

Spark has told me that while I have the ceiling open (long story) and can get to the existing cable in the ceiling void, then I should pull the insulation away from the existing cable and clip the cable to the joists (it was flapping around in the insulation. He said he could do it but its a simple job and will save me paying him to do it.

The existing cable in the ceiling did have a second branch (one 6mm into two 6mm via a juntion box) but the second 6mm cable doesn't go anywhere useful so the spark has said that he will disconnect this and joint the cable. He reckons this is completely acceptable. Not sure what he means by 'jointing' it?

Anyway, it sounds like he's a reasonable chap

 

[securespark]

Jointing it is just the same as what he proposes to do under the units. Again, if it's accessible, OK, but if not, it needs to be MF.

If that joint in the cable is physically beyond the point of the oven, why not bring the cable down from the ceiling to the oven switch, then carry on down to the hob?

This way, you can get rid of 2 unwanted JB's.

 

[JohnW2]

....The 16th says,
476-03-04
Every fixed or stationary appliance which may give rise to a hazard in normal use and is connected to the supply other than by means of a plug & socket complying with regulation 537-05-04 shall be provided with a means of interrupting the supply on load. The operation of the means of interrupting the supply on load shall be placed so as not to put the operator in danger. This means may be incorporated into the appliance or, if separate from the appliance, shall be in a readily accessible position. ...

Did that mean that the appliances functional on/off switch (which, surely, almost all appliances have) would 'count'?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

Duplicate deleted

 

[STEVEROG]

Thanks again for more input.

Unfortunately the joint is going to be at almost the opposite corner of the room. The spark did say that he could put the first drop just above the oven unit and put the oven switch at that point BUT to do the job properly he said that he would need to cut another single box next to the switch to take the 6mm onward to the hob. He reckoned that JB'ing in the switch is a botchers trick!