To hardwire or not to hardwire my oven?

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Hi all.

I have a new single built under oven for my kitchen install the other day which is great. Rated at 2800 in the book so has a plug already fitted which sounds fantastic and nice and straightforward!

Trouble is, i have a 6mm feed (from the old electric hob - new one is gas) where they are going to be installed.

I could just extend into the ring or spur off the sockets above the worktop to include 13a FCU's for the two but i was trying to think of utilising whats already there - the 6mm supply (which i want to keep incase i use a larger load oven / hob in the future)

Is it advisable/possible to hardwire the oven directly to this or use the 6mm fused down to a 13a FCU for the oven?

Any suggestions welcome.
 
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Will i get 6mm t & e into the back of a 13a FCU - 2.5mm obviously ok for the load from oven to the switch or maybe even 1.5mm but prefer to use 2.5 if thats ok?

Assuming thats ok, ill just put the oven in using that technique and spur off a socket for the gas hob power?
 
why don't you just put a socket on the end of the 6mm feed?
 
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Dont really wanna bang a socket on the end as it isnt fused down then is it? - also , i want the facility to isolate the cooker/hob at worktop level and not just at the CU should anything go wrong (god forbid)

Hence, im thinking that i use the existing 6mm to supply a 13z FCU at worktop level with a 6mm cable for the load (future thinking being i dont wanna chip tiles off if i get a larger cooker in future) leaving enough slack on the cable to be able to change the 13a FCU in future to a 45a Cooker switch.

Then the 6mm load cable from the 13a FCU goes down behing my cooker to a splitter to enable me to hardwire the cooker and hob into that.

Result being if im right, that the gas hob and oven are then controlled by the one 13a FCU above the worktop?

How does that sound???
 
If you put a socket there, the plug will have a fuse in it, exactly like the one in an FCU.

If there is no isolator currently, fit a cooker switch above the worktop, continue with 6mm to below the worktop and fit a double socket there.

If you get a larger oven/cooker later, its a simple matter of changing the socket to an outlet box.
 
but what if the fuse goes in the plug? - i will have to take the built in oven out wont i?
 
so put the connections behind the cabinet next to the oven.. it's not rocket science..
 
I could do that but ive had sockets in base units before and i wanted to get rid of them and have all appliances including integrated dishwasher,fridge and freezer all controlled at worktop level with FCU's.

Didnt really want to hack the back out of my nice new carcases to pull through cables and have a double socket located inside them - if i did do that and wanted a more powerful oven in future, id be left with holes everywhere as id have to hardwire to a outlet plate behind the oven with 45a switch above.

I know its easier to do what you are suggesting by installing the 45a switch at the start but as this wont fuse down unless i use the old "socket in the adjacent cupboard" trick, what other options (if any) do i have?

If i use one 13a FCU at worktop wired with 6mm in and out to the double outlet plate behind the oven, i can wire the gas hob and oven in to that if im right??

Yeah, i know that it will be a pain to have to change the 13a FCU in future IF i want a more powerful oven (doubtful but who knows) - but if i leave enough slack on the load and supply to the FCU, im thinking i could pull it through to enable me to change the switch if i needed to in future.

This would leave my cupboards in tact.

How does that sound in terms of being ok to do?
 
CCU behind the oven, switch above, hardwire a double socket off the CCU to the cupboard next to the oven.. job done.

as for DW / WM etc, they come with plugs so you'll still need sockets at the back of them..
 
Yeah , i can see that and sounds ok to me apart from the socket in the adjacent cupboard bit - didnt really want that if i could avoid it.

Would there be anything wrong with my "proposed" method so i could avoid mutilating the cupboards?

Regards to the DW / WM etc - i had initially thought if i extend into existing socket ring with FCU's to control each appliance, then its just a case of running a 2.5mm leg down behind each apppliance to a connection unit with a blanking plate - cut the plugs off and wire them in (as they are integrated they arent going anywhere and if i do need to remove 'em i can just isolate and unwire them) - hey presto - fused at 13a just like a plug.

What dya reckon?
 
I'd just go ahead with your original plan. Fit an fcu above and to the side of your cooker location and a double outlet behind the cooker. 6mm throughout. You should have no problems getting 6mm in the fcu terminals if you use decent accessories. Even 10mm would have fit in these ones that I'm using.

It'll then be a straight swap later on for one of these if you get a more powerful electric cooker. Just use a nice deep 47mm back box so the 45A switch is an easy fit later. Keep enough cable in there in case terminal postions are different between the fcu and the later 45A switch (they are in this range for example).

Liam
 
id have to check about the warranty etc although im sure the manufacturers expect people to do things like this.

Afterall, im not rewiring without a plug on it - its exactly the same thing isnt it?

Good point Liam about the depth of the box - i will ensure i use one deep enough to cater for a larger switchgear etc for future use. I plan on leaving a foot of slack for supply and feed incase the wiring inside a new switch requires different positioning etc - the slack is to be left behind the carcases for future use (pinned to wall with clips tho)

So, sounds ok does it folks? - one 13a FCU will do for my 2800 cooker and for ignition purposes on the gas hob?

Thanks again in advance of a reply!
 

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