Spurs for kitchen appliances

[Arjay12345]

Hi.

My builder and electrician are running cables for all my appliances in my new kitchen. So some questions for my own understanding:..

1 - do all appliances need a fused spur, or just high amp appliances like electric ovens? I have ovens, fridge freezer, wine cooler, hob, extractor, dishwasher. I've read it's best practice to have a spur for all appliances, but then read that warranties can be cancelled if I cut a moulded plug off an appliance like a fridge. Hence what do you do?

2 - Where people install a spur above the worktop level and hard wire the appliance into it, what happens if they want to change the appliance in the future given the flex from the appliance is now buried within the wall into spur? It's almost impossible of getting the flex out and getting the new appliance flex into the spur without chasing into the wall again (and making a total mess). Isn't it better to install surface mounted spurs within neighbouring cupboards for easier access plus ability to easily remove and replace the appliance at any time?

Thank vm...

 

[flameport]

1 - fused spurs are not required, most appliances just plug in. Isolation is achieved by removing the plug from the socket. Cookers and some ovens will require their own circuit.
Warranty is NOT affected by removing the plug. What is affected is repairs - if someone arrives to repair a washing machine or whatever, the first thing they will do is unplug it. If it's wired in, they cannot unplug and won't remove the wires either, and you will pay for a wasted service call.

2 - Some people have racks of FCUs or grid switches installed for appliances. They are not necessary, and even when installed will probably never be used.
A socket in an adjacent cupboard with the appliance plugged in is far simpler and avoids the problems caused by the other methods.

 

[sparkwright]

The switched fused spur is supposed to control a single socket situated either behind the appliance or in a nearby cupbpoard.

An integrated appliance doesn't leave much room for a plug and socket though, so the socket may be best in a nearby cupboard.

Cutting a neat 2.5 inch circular hole in the back of the cupboard allows the plug to be passed through.

 

[Diver Fred]

The kitchen fitter/electrician who renovated my kitchen changed the wiring so that the dishwasher and washing machine had unswitched socket outlets under the worktop with switches above the worktop. the switches where connected into the ring main with each socket wired as a radial from the switch. So now the 2 machines can be switched on or off separately. This was done as it's a real pig to get to the socket outlets under the worktop.
I have the paperwork from when the work was done.

 

[Arjay12345]

Hi guys

Thanks a lot for advice - very useful

So I'm assuming that whether you need a fused spur or not is not dependent on the size of the live feed used (I.e. 2.5mm, 6mm, etc)?

Does it make sense for me to simply check on each appliance to see if it already has a moulded plug or not and advise by builder so he can install either a spur or standard 13a plug socket as required?

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1 - do all appliances need a fused spur, or just high amp appliances like electric ovens? I have ovens, fridge freezer, wine cooler, hob, extractor, dishwasher. I've read it's best practice to have a spur for all appliances, but then read that warranties can be cancelled if I cut a moulded plug off an appliance like a fridge. Hence what do you do?

Why don't you trust your electrician enough to get these things right and/or to ask him those questions?

2 - Where people install a spur above the worktop level and hard wire the appliance into it,

Why don't you trust your electrician enough to not do it that way? Has he really said that that is the way he is going to do it?