Washing Machine

[Fordy12]

Can you advise if the following fitting is legal or requires replacement:

Current installation of a washing machine in a utility room, in a double floor unit under a worktop that has a small sink on the other side. The washer has a fused switch on the wall above it, with a 13 am fuse.
The power cord for the washer is directly wired into a socket on the wall under the worktop which connects to the fused switch above the worktop.

Is it legal and safe to have this set up?

Aside from being a nuisance if moving the washer (but how often is that done?) and possibly invalidating the warranty - is this an OK set up?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes that's fine.

Just to clarify - do you mean the wm is wired to a socket or is it a connection unit?
Doesn't really matter - would just be a bit odd if it were a socket - but ok as long as nothing else plugged in to it

 

[Taylortwocities]

Personally I hate sockets behind appliances.

If something goes wrong you'll have a heavy washing machine to pull out (possibly full of wet heavy clothes).
It is also a PITA if PAT testing - for the same reason.

In many cases the washing machine will not go all the way back because the plug gets in the way. Best set up is a connection plate behind the washer with its power lead wired directly into it with the FUSED connection unit above the worktop.
From your description that is what you have got??

 

[Fordy12]

The fused switch is on the wall above the worktop - some way to the left.

The washer has a a connection box fixed to the wall behind it, protruding off the wall. It has a blank face plate which when removed allows access to the terminals to wire in the cord, which is fed through from a hole in the bottom side of the box.

Having the power here is a nuisance if the machine needs moving - but there is nowhere else to put the washer. And doubly so because it needs unwiring rather than just unplugging.

If aware of this I would have possibly replaced with a new 3 pin plug socket in place of the current connection box, but the wife was in when fitted and the engineer suggested cutting the plug and fitting direct - as per the previous installation and she agreed.

I am checking this installation to see if we need to remove and re-fit if this current set-up is illegal or unsafe.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's fine, legal and safe.

At least you have a switch accessible if anything goes wrong with the machine. A lot, if not most, don't.

 

[Fordy12]

Engineer said Curry's would not allow him to cut the wire but he could do it privately (there and then) for £50!
So possibly invalidates warranty but if safe and OK to leave I'll do that.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[flameport]

If something goes wrong you'll have a heavy washing machine to pull out (possibly full of wet heavy clothes

That would happen anyway - how it is connected to the electricity supply doesn't change anything.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Not exactly. If a socket is behind an appliance and the fuse in the plug blows then you have to heave the darn thing out to mend the fuse..

The arangement that the OP has is better because there is only one fuse for the appliance, and that is in the FCU, above the worktop.

 

[plugwash]

but how often do 13A plug fuses actually blow without their being some other problem that will require pulling the machine out anyway...