surface mounted metal socket box in cupboard

[mills]

Hi, sometime ago I had a new kitchen installed with a fcu fitted in a cabinet to power a under sink water pump in the future. Well the future is here and I need help in some safe practice.
I have bought a surface mounted metal socket to link up to the fcu so I can plug in the pump(the pump came with a moulded plug). My concern is that the box is to be mounted in the back of the cabinet and not connected in any way to the fabric of the building. Is this safe as I feel i should be doing something further with earthing? Cheers

 

[Taylortwocities]

All you need to do is to cut off the plug and wire the pump into the FCU.
Take the fuse out of the (supplied) plug and put it into the fuseholder of the fcu. That will ensure the correct fuse is in place.

Socket not necessary.

 

[mills]

thanks for the reply. I thought of doing that, but I may need to move the pump at some stage to change water filters, so I thought the easy option would be to retain the plug in plug out thing. The fcu already has a fuse, but odly (i thought) the moulded plug doesn't. What do you think?

 

[Taylortwocities]

If the moulded plug is a standard UK 3-pin one then it must have a fuse. Have another look, its probably behind a lever out flap on the pin side of the plug.
The FCU will already have a fuse but it may be the wrong one for the pump.

If you add a socket inside the cupboard then that is deemed to be fixed electrical wiring work in a kitchen, and that is notifiable to the local authority (if you do it yourself). That will probably be a couple of hundred squids, just for the paperwork.
Or you could get a registered electrician to do the work and certify an notify it. - That would be cheaper.

Or abandon the pointless socket. The pump will be on a flexible lead, just turn off the switch on the FCU and then you can move the pump to do filters.

 

[mills]

good advice, thanks. You're right there is a stamp in the plastic moulded plug 240v 13amp. There must be one in there just no access/flap etc to replace if blown! Wonder how many people have bought a replacement pump with a blown fuse! Cheers, i'm gonna do what you said cut the plug off and wire straight in to the fcu with the 13amp fuse in place.

 

[mfarrow]

Does the pump have a rating in Watts, kW or W?

The plug may be rated at 13A but the cable and equipment probably won't be.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Per my post above. There is a fuse in that moulded plug. You can get at it.
BS 1363 plugs are required to carry a cartridge fuse. The fuse is manufactured to BS 1362 and are normally rated at 3, 5, 10, or 13 amperes.

You need to take it out of the plug and put it in the FCU.
On this plug, the fuse is mounted just above the two bottom pins. You get to the fuse by using a screwdriver to lever out in one of those two slots.

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• Taylortwocities
• 16 Jan 2010
• 1

If you aren't sure, post a picture of your plug (the side with the pins on it).

 

[mills]

Hi guys, I didn't realise the plug and then cable led to an adaptor before going to the pump. I don't know what bearing that had on the plug specs, but it was definitely a completely solid moulded type plug no access to fuses or anything.
I cut it off as advised and wired staright into the fcu and works perfect. I've already thrown it away so can't post a pic unfortunately.