isolator switch for built-in appliance

[RobertL]

This gets discussed from time to time but it seems hard to get a proper sta tement of what is permitted according to current electrical regulations. Ca n someone advise please?

I am fitting our new kitchen and it has several built-in appliances (hob, o ven, microwave, fridge freezer, dishwasher, extractor hood, steam oven).

I'm not doing the wiring - that's being done by a local firm. They want to put the isolators inside the adjacent cupboards. But they seem unable to give me a clear statement on what the requirement for isolator positioning actually is - they tend to just say "this is what we always do".

Isolators in adjacent cupboards would be OK except that in some cases those cupboards have drawers in them so they are not suitable.

Is it permitted to mount the isolators UNDER the adjacent floor-standing un its just behind the plinth? Plinth will be clipped on, no tools needed.

Any thoughts?

thank you

Robert

[Tim Watts]

On Tuesday 30 July 2013 15:23 RobertL wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Bugger the regs for a moment and take a step backwards.

If the appliance is hardwired in and it goes wrong (in a catchy fire / won't turn off sort of way) you want to be able to isolate it with minimum fuss. You want your wife to be able to do the same.

Personally I would want the isolators close by and accessible, over the worktop as is the norm.

Is there a reason that is not possible?

[RobertL]

Only that it looks cluttered. I think if there was a sudden danger of fire, for example, we would leave the room ASAP and switch everything off at the CU.

Robert

[bert]

And where is your CU?

[John Rumm]

This is partly a reflection of there not being that many hard and fast rules... the big picture and common sense needs to come into play as well.

OK Cooking appliances - need an isolator within 2m of the appliance. Once can do several, or one each if you prefer. This needs to be easy to get to, and visible.

Other stuff, there is no hard rule... one argument is that for isolation you can simply unplug it. However that can be difficult when its slid into a cubby space under a worktop and the socket is obscured behind it.

Placing the socket in the adjacent cupboard is acceptable. Ideally the socket should be mounted on the fabric of the building and not the kitchen furniture - but equally its not unreasonable to count kitchen furniture as "permanent" in a way that would not apply to most other furniture.

By the time the plinth is sealed to the floor with silicone etc, it won't be coming out in a harry, so I would not favour this approach.

Things like fridges etc I would feel comfortable with them plugged into a socket behind the appliance or even behind a drawer etc since you are unlikely to need to disconnect, and you don't want to make it easy to do by accident. Same could apply to a cooker hood.

White goods with heaters / water etc (TD, WB, DW etc) then either have them plug into a socket easily accessible in the adjacent cupboard, or a plate switch above the worktop feeding a single non switched socket below is my preferred design. I have seen cases where a TD caught fire, and where a WM became live due to a combination of house earthing fault, and fault in the machine itself. Needless to say its owner tried pulling it out of its slot to unplug it and did not enjoy the experience!

[A.Lee]

You do not have to fit 'local' isolators for any equipment (unless manufacturers instructions state otherwise), so long as the relevant circuit breaker at the CU can be locked off.

With fuse boxes, it may be difficult to lock off, so maybe an isloator would be required.

It may be beneficial to put in isolators, but not always necessary, and mostly not always required.

[DerbyBorn]

"A.Lee" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I saw a very nice instalation using Grid Components.

[RobertL]

Under the stairs. Close to the front door.

Robert

[RobertL]

thank you John, that's exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.

Robert

[bert]

So in the event of your appliance emitting smoke rather than just switch it off at the wall you are gong to run to the front door and dive into the understairs cupboard to switch off the whole house. I know which I would prefer.

[ARW]

No. It only needs to be accessible.

The Electricians Guide to the Building Regulations says that the socket-outlet for free standing appliances should be accessible when the appliance is pulled out and it doesn't mandate any other means of isolation. It also says for integrated appliances there should be a readily accessible socket, SFCU or DP switch.