Switching built-in applicances

[antgel]

I'm rewiring the kitchen ring to allow for a built in fridge/freezer and microwave oven. Both were going to be plugged into unswitched sockets, switched from switches which would be easily accessible from the work surface. However in a moment of brain drain, I've extended the ring to where the sockets are, rather than to where the switches would have been.

Now I've gotten over the embarassment, can anyone tell me whether it is a bad idea to leave the ring as it is, fit standard switched sockets instead of the unswitched, and forget about the accessible switching. Way I see it is that I can isolate them via the CU if I ever need to turn them off without pulling them out of the kitchen units.

Same goes for the washing machine and dishwasher, although I haven't done the wiring for those yet, so could do it either way.

Antony

[Andrew Gabriel]

Put the socket in an adjacent cupboard, and drill a hole between at the rear with a hole saw which is big enough to pass a mains plug through. Don't bother using switched sockets -- you can just pull the plug out.

FWIW, I think having an easily accessible switch for the fridge/freezer is just asking for trouble...

[Martin Angove]

See current thread "Kitchen Electrics - Advice Required Please?"

Note that an MCB is not normally allowed as an isolating device for an appliance as it is neither nearby the appliance, nor does it operate on

*both* live conductors (i.e. live & neutral).

Hwyl!

M.

[John Rumm]

Yup, I have days like that ;-)

You could also get round it crimping and extension onto the ring inside the backbox of the socker so that you can take it from there up to the switch and back. The only tricky bit is you will need to fit three cables into the chase up to the switch (ring in, out, and switched feed out) rather than one.

[Martin Angove]

And you're going to have an awful lot of "stuff" to fit into the backbox. I suspect that two ring cables, six crimps, a switched cable and the socket accessory is going to be too much for a 1G box unless it's 45mm or so.

There's also the problem of it being "non obvious" to future householders/electricians.

Hwyl!

M.