Yes...........another electric cooker question

[scott488]

We have bought a new electric cooker and gas hob with the usual electric ignition.

We have a cooker connection which has a 40amp mcb within the main fuse box which is in an adjacent cupboard.

The cooker says that it requires a 16amp connection, so I am aware this needs to be wired direct to the connection.

Two questions. (1) Should the 40amp mbc be changed to a lower rating?

(2) Can the gas ignition be connected to the cooker connection?

 

[ericmark]

Using a FCU yes gas can use cooker supply but as to cooker and 40A MCB this needs careful reading with portable appliance the fuse in plug only protects the lead any fusing down the appliance requires is done within the appliance but this is not the case with a fixed appliance the manufacturer can stipulate the protection required.

So if it says at least 16A then the 40A MCB is OK but if it says to be supplied from 16A MCB then it must be changed. I would prefer not to change unless manufacturer says you must as next time you change if a larger cooker is used then unless you have the paperwork to say original 40A many will not return it to that value. Some consumer units have provision to take paperwork in lid the minor works completed when you change from 40A to 16A should be placed in this so no problem if you want to return to 40A latter.

32A is the standard cooker supply which will normally have either 4mm² (thermal setting) or 6mm² (thermal plastic) cable for 40A norm would be 10mm² cable (thermal plastic) but you could have 6mm² (thermal setting) it is very hard to work out which is which from the end of the cable hence why records are so important.

In Wales this may be notifiable under Part P in theroy the LABC should keep records however I have never tried to get records from LABC in England not sure if records of work no longer notifiable under new rules still has to be kept. Hence why you need the records.

 

[scott488]

Eric,

The house is an ex local authority so there are no records within the CU.

There is no FCU. It looks like its a direct line from the cooker connection unit.

The oven says "Current 16A" and is rated at 2.9KW if this is of any use?

It also says that a all pole isolation switch with a conatct gap of at least 3mm required. What does mean?

I'm thinking that it would be easier to connect the oven to the cooker connection and the hob straight to a socket.