purchasing fused switches for kitchen - need clarification p

[svea]

hi,

i am ordering new sockets, switches and fused switches for our kitchen, ready for the electrician to fit them.

i have two questions which i hope someone more knowledgable can answer.

1. i am trying to locate a fused switch with 5A. This is proving difficult/impossible. the standard fused switch appears to be 13A. we want to connect a under cabinet light to this - electrician says we need a fused switch not just a normal switch, and it should have 5A.
has anyone seen 5A fused switches anywhere?
if not, can we buy a 13A fused switch? do we need to change the fuse out to 5A?

2. we will have a new electric cooker and hob installed (in built unit). i assume we need one 45A fused switch for this? or do we need two switches as its two appliances, i.e. oven and seperate hob?

this is confusing.

many thanks for your help

 

[700mb]

take the 13 amp fuse out and put a 5 amp fuse in. simple as that

depends on the rating of the oven/ hob. most fan ovens are on a 13amp plug top these days. hob will probly need a bigger feed

 

[JohnD]

the fused switch (FCU) has a cartridge fuse holder. like a 13amp plug, the cartridge is removable. you can take out the 13a cartridge and put in a 5A one (or a 3A or a 1A though these are less widely sold). it is the same size and specification as goes in a plug.

edited: bah


And the second question you slipped in:

It is preferable to have the oven on a separate circuit. If you are being rewired, have a 2.5mm radial put in (not on the RCD side) with a 16A fuse. Then you just need a 20A DP switch, and if you decide to have a double oven later, you can upgrade the MCB to 20A which is usually enough. You would not be able to do this if you only have a 13A FCU.

Beware of using the word "cooker" when you mean "oven"

 

[svea]

thanks for the answer on the 5A fused switch. that sounds easy enough.

as for the cooker, the current one has been wired in such a way that the cowboy builders put in two fused switches, one for the hob and one for the oven. our electrician was surprised and basically told us that this is nonsense and we only need one.

i am right in thinking we need one of those fused switches with red rocker (neon light optional) which seem to come in 20A DP or 45A DP. we want one without the additional socket though, just the switch to turn off the appliance.

i am still confuzzled....

 

[JohnD]

It is better to have a separate switch for the oven and the hob.

It is also bad practice to put an oven (with a 12amp design load) on a 45Amp circuit with no fusing down.

Some people put the oven and hob on a single outlet

A fused switch (FCU) has a max current of 13Amp and this is nowhere near enough for an electric hob. It is OK for a gas hob which just has a spark igniter though.

 

[svea]

ok, so i still dont get it - what do i ideally need to get fitted?

electric hob
electric oven
both from IKEA if that makes any difference....

i swear i am not blond but i am pregnant

 

[JohnD]

If you are having an electrician in to wire your kitchen, I think the best solution would be:

10mm radial circuit for the hob, fused at 32A (or whatever the hob takes) with a 45A DP Switch (no socket) and a cooker outlet. This will have the capacity to change to a large electric cooker in future if you or a future occupier so desires.

and

2.5mm radial fused at 16A with a 20A DP switch for the oven. This will give you the capacity to upgrade to a double oven later if you or a future occupier so desires. (If for some reason you can't have this circuit, or can't afford it, then have a 13A FCU for the oven instead. this will only ever be enough for a single oven. there may be a problem with overloads if it is on the same circuit as your washing machine, tumble drier, dishwasher, kettle and toaster and you ever turn them all on at the same time, so it is not as good a solution.)

It is an advantage to have all your kitchen wiring done in one go, soon after you move in. you won't want to be chipping out wall tiles or cutting through laminate flooring to make alterations at a later date.

 

[svea]

thanks John for being patient.

we are having the whole kitchen whipped out in one go - nasty 80s tiles and all! though we will have to be living through this building site for a while......

 

[JohnD]

Then make sure you get lots of sockets and switches fitted too...

for my opinion, see //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=591983#591983

 

[Cremeegg]

Take time thinking about what you need - positioning of appliances - switches above worktop; plugs for appliances or flex outlets below. Think about fused connection units with neon indicators so you can easily see whats on and whats not.

Not quite electrics but it's often easier to get a good finish tiling over old tiles (as long as they are sound) than ripping the old ones off the walls, half the plaster coming off and finding you then need a plasterer to give you a decent finish to tile off.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Sometimes I get clients who want to get their own fittings, usually on the basis that it will save them a bit of money.

Without exception they will get at least one thing wrong which leads to additional time on site sorting it out or having to return on another day when the correct item has been collected from B&Q or somewhere.
The extra time costs the client many more £££ than they tried to save on the cost of the switches etc.

I suggest you agree with your electrician the range of switches you want and let him get on with it - then the monkey is on his back..

 

[svea]

@cremeegg
we are having everything done, incl. plastering in various areas. so it's all already accounted for.

@TTC
my electrician doesnt want to buy the stuff for me, so i had to do it!
i have overordered anyways now, so we should have enough of everything...
sadly B&Q and other such retailers have a shockingly poor choice of good looking fittings, especially if you want something other than white plastic...

 

[Chri5]

Have a look at http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/index.html

They will deliver / post anywhere and the range is vast, about 30% cheaper than most DIY sheds.

Make sure that your sparks uses 35mm back boxes if you decide to use any of the flat range of sockets / switches (flat sockets have more depth requirements due to all the components being behind the socket)