Wiring an oven

[Swiss Tony]

Having read my 'Which Guide to electrics' I saw that it says i should use either 6mm or 10mm cable depending on the rating of the oven and the distance from the Consumer Unit.

That all made sense to me and I decided that i would probably need 6mm, so I checked in the manual for the oven.

That says use 2.5mm or wire to a switched socket outlet.

So I assume that if i buy a reel of 6mm and do it in that I can't be wrong?

Or should I do as the manual says?

If I buy the 6mm cable is that OK to use for a shower too?

Sometimes, wiring an oven is like making love to a beautiful woman. You pick her up and take her home, you settle her in and fiddle with her buttons, and dream of a good roasting.

 

[Diyisfun]

error deleted

 

[Swiss Tony]

Yes it is a single oven and no hob.

Would you say it is best to just plug it in, or run a new cable from the consumer unit.

IThe kitchen is part of a new extension so running a new supply isn't a problem if its the best thing to do. It just seems a bit simple to plug it in!

Swiss

 

[JohnD]

A single oven in the UK usually takes no more power than a kettle, so it is OK to plug it in or use an FCU with a 13Amp fuse.

If you were going to the trouble of adding a new radial circuit I would suggest putting in a 30-Amp one (or 40Amp if you do not already have an electric cooker circuit) so you can use it for a big electric cooker with rings if you decide to buy one later. The cable will be more expensive but the labour will be about the same. The MCB or fuse that you fit should be appropriate to the load you are putting on it, but once you have big cable and switches you can change the MCB later if you need to.

It is the hob (rings) that use a lot of power in an electric cooker. Double ovens can be 20A or so but range cookers can be 30A or more. A single oven might only be about 10A.

Adding new circuits in a kitchen is notifiable to your council, unless you have it done by an electrician who is a member of a self-certification scheme. If you are already involving Building Control you could probably add it to the plans and inspection.

Edited: As you say this is a kitchen as part of a new extension I think I would definitely go for adding a new cooker Radial. This would be the ideal time and it will quite likely be wanted by you or the next occupant.

 

[Swiss Tony]

Thanks,

That all makes sense and putting in a new circuit sounds the right thing to do but:

The oven is built in and the hob is gas on an island unit about 5 feet away. So there is no way that the oven is ever likely to be changed to anything else, and certainly not in my time in the house.

So based on that, would you still plug in, or run a new 2.5mm circuit just for the oven? It may be over the top, but I do feel inclined to do that unless someone says its a complete waste of time.

Just seen your edit. The Building regs were approved prior to the new regs coming in, so isn't part of Part P.

 

[JohnD]

2.5mm will carry 20Amps, which should be enough for a double oven if you get one later. It would also save putting extra load from a fixed appliance on the kitchen ring.

Go on then, put in a new radial. You know you want to. But try to overcome your meanness and make it big enough for a proper cooker



(BTW after reconfiguring my kitchen, I used the 32A Oven radial for the freezer and microwave, gives me a non-RCD appliance circuit in the kitchen which is ideal for those two - one causes trips, and the other wants to be protected from them, so non-RCD suits them both)

 

[goooba769]

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