I have just ordered a fan oven from John Lewis. it is ridiculously cheap, and I have a strong feeling that the order will be cancelled. (Bosch HBN531E2B for £109 after allowing for cashback, in case you are interested.)
The existing oven just plugs into a 13 amp socket, but this new one is
16 A. I really, really do not want to run a new supply to the oven. Are there any other options apart from:1 stick the thing on eBay, and
2 illegally wire in a cooker socket?
Can you split the load and use two circuits?
Bill
I don't know what's illegal about wiring it in but is there no existing cooker circuit? no electric hob?
Tim W
What do you mean "illegally"?
No. We have a gas hob, plus a two ring electric hob. That just plugs into a socket.
What I meant is disconnect the socket from the ring main and put a cooker socket in its place. Plus, this is in the kitchen, so Part P applies and requires a qualified electrician. (Does it apply if the socket is in a cupboard? And does the electrician have to be qualified, or just competent?)
£209 now! It says total load rating 2.35kW, so it should be OK on a standard 13A plug.
Part P applies to any electrical work in a domestic setting. Do you mean it may need Council notification? If so, it doesnt. It isnt a special location.
The only BC notification required would be if you put a new circuit in to supply the cooker. Manufacturers instructions should be followed.
What is qualified and what is competent? I know of qualified people who are not competent. You mean part of an Electrical Governing Body? Always helps (slightly), but really, anyone with electrical knowledge should be able to do it. The only certification required would be a Minor Works Certificate.
You need to establish what other loads are on the circuit. If your current cooker has not over-loaded the circuit, then there is a good chance that the new one will be fine. If it is really 2.35kW, then I would'nt have a problem in connecting it onto a 32A circuit that includes socket outlets. But, local conditions apply, so would check what else is on the circuit first.
That would be against the regs, not "illegal".
However, given that a 20A[1] total load double socket is permitted as a spur, one could argue that adding a spur with a 16A type B MCB then feeding your appliance would not be unsafe.
Essentially, the maximum point load on a 32A ring is assumed to not exceed 20A in practise.
The other thing you could try is just plug it in on a 13A plug[2] or 13A fused spur.
That would NOT be unsafe - the worst that would happen is you'd blow the fuse. You are most likely to find that the fan oven's duty cycle will prevent it from pulling the full 16A for long.
The other question is: is it *really* 16A?
[1] Most double sockets will have a marking on the back saying 20A max load. [2] Good make of plug - and if it works, better to then wire it in hard on a 13A FCU.2350W?? Where did they get "16A" from??? That's 10A near a dammit.
Yes - without a doubt, stick a 13A plug on it. But I recommend a good make (MK or equiv). Crappy plugs (and sockets) can overheat on sustained high loads.
Adding a spur to an existing ring would not be notifiable (for the OP's benefit)
That 2.35kW on the JL site must a mistake. The Bosch literature says
3600W whihc wouldn't be OK on a 13A plug.
Hmm, still showing £159 for me, not £209, but out of stock.
I can't find the 2.35Kw loading you mention. That wouldn't bother me.
16A is ofc closer to 4Kw.
and you switch on the kettle (3kW) while the oven is on? Not good. Ovens should have their own circuit.
It's not a JL mistake. It's a Usenet mistake. Someone looked at the wrong oven on the JL website. :)
This was explicitly allowed as a method to put 16A commando sockets on a standard ring circuit in earlier regs, although I could no longer find any mention in 17th Ed.
The other thing is that the load must be distributed such that the current is going to be shared in each leg. What this means is that you can't put a high loading (single item or multiples) near one end of the ring.
16A won't blow a 13A fuse, but it will cause it to dissipate 1.5W, versus the 1W it and the plug or FCU is designed to handle. This could significantly shorten the life of the plug/FCU.
Useful to have a separate cooker circuit (with a plug socket) if you're doing electrical work elsewhere in the house
Yes, I put a 30A one in when rewiring many years ago. Since there's a gas cooker there, it just has a 13A socket on it, and the spark igniter is plugged in with a 1A plug fuse ;-)
Really? Care to point out where this is documented? How about if someone has a kettle, a large microwave, and a toaster on? That woudl be pulling as much as a kettle and oven. Should they all be on separate circuits? The cooker was rated at 2.35kW. It would be running at that level for a very few minutes, then the thermostat would regulate the temperature, so once hot, it would only be pulling a few amps. And then you didnt read my last point:
If there were large loads already on the circuit, then I wouldnt put a cooker on it. Being as there already is a cooker connected, then in all probability, a new one, even if rated a few hundred watts more, would be fine.
?328 now )-:
Ah well - I'm looking for a 2nd oven too, but that's a shade too much!
My existing one is 2.2Kw - which is fine if you let it come up to temperature first, but it struggles to get up to full temp (250C) if loaded with 6 loaves of bread at e.g. 180C when I'm in a hurry...
-Gordon
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