Cooker Cable Outlet

Mar 30, 2011 13 Replies

Hi all



Yet another seemingly numpty question on kitchen wiring....



Is it necessary/advantageous/required by the regs to fit a cable outlet for an integrated oven? Would it not be preferable to have a continuous cable from the isolator to the device and eliminate this extra joint?



Thanks



Phil


Our integrated oven is quite a way from the isolating switch and the cable is run buried in the wall. I would imagine there is a cable outlet. Different cable might be required when the oven is replaced.

Pending the arrival of an authoritative response from Adam, John etc it may just possibly help if I say (i) the On-site Guide says that means of isolation must be provided for every item of equipment, pointing to regulation 537.2.1.2 (Suitable means shall be provided to prevent any equipment from being inadvertently or unintentionally energized.) and (ii) I think the thinking is that, if smoke starts to pour from the back of the stove, or the person you love most is still getting ~230V from the stove, a cooker control unit within a couple of meters is preferable to a dash to the consumer unit. Similarly of course if you want to work on the cooker it is desirable to be able to isolate it locally rather than rely on an MCB/RCBO which could be re-energised by someone else.

Not more than 2m, I would hope!

I always prefer to fit a cable outlet, as when the cooker is replaced you're not having to chisel the cable running to the CCU, you're just replacing the drop cable from the cable outlet.

Means of isolation is the Cooker Control Unit. The Scullster is asking about a Cooker Connection Box/Cable Outlet Box/Cooker Terminal Box.

I had one customer who insisted the CCU should be hidden inside a floor cupboard. She wouldn't take "that's not allowed" as an answer, so I patiently took her through the steps of what would happen if she got a shock and couldn't reach the consumer unit under the stairs while stood in front of the cooker in the kitchen.

JGH

Umm, I've just seen one inside the wall cbd next to the cooker. Not okay?

It would depend upon the type of cable needed for the final connection to the oven. Usually you would need some sort of heat resistant flex and that is best acheived by using 6mm T&E to an outlet plate and heat resistant flex from the plate to the oven.

Not far off. The oven is in the middle of a large range of built in bits and the only available open wall is some way away.

Sorry. I'll take the pointy hat to the corner (again).

Ours used to be until the kitchen was refitted. Would be better in clear view.

"ARWadsworth" wrote

Thanks Adam

All this has to do with the BCO and remote isolation. So I have a scheme which will allow a cooker switch

These unit are often not "fully backed" and so an outlet plate in the correct place on thge wall is no problem to wire up.

You sort of get used to it after a while.

Yes.

No

This is coming from invisible man? ^.^

They are generally designed such that the permanently connected side is fed from T&E (usually 6mm^2, although 4mm^2 might do), and then a heat resistant butyl ribber insulated flex goes from there to the appliance. Usually specced at 4mm^2 also - which most wholesalers don't have as an off the shelf item, so often wired in 2.5mm^2 in reality (only good for

27A in theory). The outlet plate will typically be at the back of the oven enclosure.

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