Advice needed on wiring electric hob and oven

[NigeLord]

Could anyone tell me what kind of connector I need to wire in a new electric hob and oven? The existing cable (which emerges from the wall) was previously used for a combined electric cooker but I now have two separate units which need to be connected to it.

The hob unit has a 2.5mm twin & earth cable coming from it, while the (single) oven has a flexible cable terminating in a standard 13A plug. The hob is rated at 6200 watts (which I calculate to be around 26A max.) but I can't seem to find the rating for the oven - though clearly it must be less than the 13A fuse it's fitted with.

Together, the two come to under 40A - but the largest junction box seems to be 30A. What's the solution to this? Obviously, I don't need to keep the plug on the oven - but what kind of connectors should be used?

Also, it would be extremely useful for me to move the existing cooker switch box, but if I want to avoid a major re-plastering job this means lengthening the cable. Is there any way of doing this that complies with the wiring regulations? Obviously I'll need to have everything checked and passed by a qualified sparks, but I'd like to do the work myself if possible.

Any advice would be gratefully received...

Nige

[The Natural Philosopher]

Its likely that the spur to the old cooker will be fused at 32A or so (poss 45A) and have a cable fit for that, and its HIGHLY unlikely that you will in a fit of temptation turn on all the rings flat out and the oven at once..

So you need to connect all that lot to the existing cable..

Ok...

Right. You need a bit of fat 'cooker' cable to do the extending with and I would suggest a double backing box, and a combined cooker switch & 13A front plate on that. Has to be close to the new cooker.

The pukka way to extend the cable is to join it with crimps.

IF you retain the old backing box and put a cover plate on it, screw terminals are admissible - probably a chocolate block, but I would remove that box, crimp, wind up with PVC and plaster over the lot frankly. Possibly a bit of ply or plastic sheet over the wire joins before plastering to avoid your hopefully water tight crimps getting wet.

[RobertL]

technically, does the OP need building control approval for this? Not for connecting the cooker, but for extending the spur.

Robert

[NigeLord]

Many thanks for this - but because the kitchen has been tiled (and I can't connect the hob and oven directly to the cooker switch), I'm forced to use the existing 'load' cable from the switch which is set into the wall. What I need to know is what kind of connector(s) can I use between this and the cables from the hob and oven?

TIA...

Nige

[David Hansen]

On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 01:46:20 +0000 someone who may be NigeLord wrote this:-

It depends.

It should emerge from the wall via a cooker outlet, from which the new units could, in theory, be wired, but that depends.

cooker outlet has suitably sized terminals on the back.

I assume it is secondhand. Does it have a manual, can you find a manual on-line? What rating should the protective device be?

An understanding of the concept of diversity as applied to the rating of electrical equipment, together with an understanding of protective devices.

The appropriate ones. Which ones these are depends.

This has been discussed here before and a search engine should pull up the posts. However, you may want to consider these

control the hob and control the oven. Both could be fitted in a replaces the current cooker switch box (but is a bit wider) or they could be mounted separately.

The outlet to the hob could be a cooker outlet and the outlet to the hob could be a

in a suitable box.

The rating of the protective device and size of the existing cable would be useful.

Remember not to exceed the maximum distance from either appliance. Also remember to run the cables in the correct zones.

Get a book on electric wiring from the library and study it. When you have grasped the basics, come back and ask detailed questions.