Switched Fused Spur and Flex Outlet

[campbs]

Hi,

I am having a new kitchen fitted and am told the corect way to wire all appliances is to:

1. Wire appliance into flex outlet (20Amp)
2. Cable Flex Outlet into Switch Fused Spur (13AMP)
3. Cable Switch Fused Spur into a socket on main ring

Is this correct? If it is, does each swith fused spur have to be directly connected the main ring or can one switched spur be run to another one?

All help will be mch appreciated.

Thanks

 

[didthathurt]

Is this a DIY rewire of the kitchen, or are you getting a pro in?

Kitchens are special locations so DIY is illegal for the reasons implicit in the question.

Briefly, there is no real right or wrong about this. Part P places quite a few limitations on how this is done, but mainly with regard to locating sockets etc. It also places a rider that the manufacturers instructions should be followed. It is very arguable, therefore, that if an appliance has a fitted plug it must be used (and to cut it off may affect the warranty).

A cooker will, normally, exceed the rating of a standard ring main and, for future proofing, a cooker circuit wants to be made fairly beefy at the outset (a realistic minimum of 6mm cable giving a capacity of at least 40A unless the installation has other factors affecting). This does mean a cooker must be wired into a spur - though the MCB provides the protection.

Just about everything else can work through a 13A socket suitably placed. There's alot more to kitchens, though, including running fridges and freezers off a seperate non-RCD radial to protect against losing the food if the RCD trips due to fault elsewhere.

Hope that doesn't muddy the waters too much.

 

[campbs]

It was going to be a DIY with some educated help from my friend that works for the electricity board! It is not a complete rewire just replacing current plug sockets with switch fused spurs and then running them into the flex units.

Would a pro do the same thing? I am sure that it certianly wouldnt be cheap!!

 

[didthathurt]

This is one pro who wouldn't do the same and whether it is cheap or not depends on the measure you use. If you DIY and it goes wrong then there is the possibility of insurance companies apportioning liability, you being sued if someone is hurt, you being prosecuted by the Local Authority and, should you choose to sell in the next few years, survey problems.

With the exception of a possible radial for the fridge etc and the cooker, I'd run all Fused Control Units directly into the ring main if possible, though a couple of spurs won't hurt provided you keep the loads in mind.

 

[Steve]

You can DIY - ask your local building control for advice on DIY electrical work, ask them what their notification procedure is.

a freind who works for the electricity board? You trust someone who works for a company that protects 16mm² cable with 1000A fuses? (16mm is rated at around 80A)

 

[dingbat]

1. Wire appliance into flex outlet (20Amp)
2. Cable Flex Outlet into Switch Fused Spur (13AMP)

Best check with your appliance manufacturers whether cutting off the moulded plug will invalidate your warranty.
Many service engineers will not work on appliances that cannot be unplugged.

3. Cable Switch Fused Spur into a socket on main ring

Do it properly. Supply unswitched single sockets from 20A double-pole isolators on the kitchen circuit, whether it be ring or radial.

 

[JohnD]

It was going to be a DIY with some educated help from my friend that works for the electricity board!

I have never worked for an Electricity Board (and I bet your friend doesn't either) but I have worked for 2 RECs, 4 PESs, a couple of Generators and one DNO. This makes a total of three companies.

However, I am a complete buffoon, and not to be trusted with a piece of wire or a screwdriver.

 

[Spark123]

Kitchens are special locations so DIY is illegal....

To be pedantic, a kitchen is not a special location. A kitchen does have additional notifiable activities on fixed electrical wiring work under Part P of the building regs. It isn't illegal to DIY notifiable works in a kitchen as long as long as it is notified to LABC and their fee paid before work is started.