Running single oven on main flat socket circuit?

[daz100]

Hi folks, hoping for some advice.

I've had an electrician in to rewire the kitchen in my flat (small 1 bedroom).

I bought a new oven and hob package (had an old stand alone cooker). The ratings on the appliances are:

hob - max 6Kw
oven - max 2.5Kw

The cooker switch also has a socket.

The electrician has wired the hob into the existing cooker circuit (30amp fuse at consumer unit), but has said that because the hob is rated at 6Kw and the cooker switch has a socket that he can't wire the oven into the cooker circuit as well as this would exceed the load on the circuit.

Therefore, he has wired the oven into the main flat socket ring circuit. He indicated that if the oven is on and I run too much on the socket circuit it might trip the RCD unit.

I'm no expert at this, but is this an OK way to do things? I don't want to have to unplug things in my flat or avoid using apliances (washing machine / kettle, etc) just so I can use the oven.

I'd rather pay to fit a higher rated cooker circuit if that is a safer way of doing things?

Would be very grateful for any advice?

Regards
D

 

[sparkyspike]

Well, if your electrician thinks that the circuit can be easily overloaded, then perhaps you should run a seperate cooker circuit. This would be preferable to, for example, splitting the ring main so that the kitchen has a seperate ring. If the cooker is close to the fusebox and running a new 2.5mm cable is not too much drama, then a seperate radial circuit on its own breaker would be a good idea.

Having said that, to exceed 32A is not likely, unless you're using all your major appliances at once.

 

[kevindgas]

Therefore, he has wired the oven into the main flat socket ring circuit. He indicated that if the oven is on and I run too much on the socket circuit it might trip the RCD unit.

WTF is this "electrician" actually qualified? he should not be doing work like this as it appears from what you have written to be overloading a circuit

as it is a kitchen he is also required to hold Part P or an equivalent qualification.

 

[daz100]

Thanks for your imput guys, as I suspected I'll be looking to get a new higher rated cooker circuit put in, and I will be going for a different electrician.
Cheers
d[/quote]

 

[bongos]

The electrician has wired the hob into the existing cooker circuit (30amp fuse at consumer unit), but has said that because the hob is rated at 6Kw and the cooker switch has a socket that he can't wire the oven into the cooker circuit as well as this would exceed the load on the circuit.

Therefore, he has wired the oven into the main flat socket ring circuit. He indicated that if the oven is on and I run too much on the socket circuit it might trip the RCD unit.

Your hob will have a maximum draw of around 26A but diversity can be applied to this.

10A + (0.3 x 16.1) + 5A [for socket outlet] = 19A
You say this has 30A limiting overcurrent, which is fine.

The oven will draw just under 11A on full load. Assuming you have a kitchen ring then theoretically it could trip if you had alot of items switched on at once (as it could do anyway without the oven). I'd be inclined to see how it goes for now and if you have nuisance trips then look at getting an extra circuit installed. As you live in a 'small one bedroom flat' the likelihood of having alot of items on at once when just you are there is much smaller.

My guess is that you won't have any nuisance tripping and that the electrician has saved you a few quid by not completing unecessary work.

OOI does your CU have RCD protection?

WTF is this "electrician" actually qualified? he should not be doing work like this as it appears from what you have written to be overloading a circuit

as it is a kitchen he is also required to hold Part P or an equivalent qualification.

No Part P required. The OP lives in Glasgow.

 

[Taylortwocities]

He indicated that if the oven is on and I run too much on the socket circuit it might trip the RCD unit.

Over current will not trip the RCD.
Over current will trip the device protecting the circuit (fuse or contact breaker, usually).