Electric Cooker Installation

mollymoo said:
Surely it depends on the size of the oven. Ours is wired in the way you describe, it was done by someone who has nigh on 40 years in the trade, some of it substation, he really does know what he is on about. I will be seeing him shortly and asking him about this, as you seem to also know what your on about.
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Actually I don't know what I'm on about (true).

If we were testing individual elements and motors on a bench then we would have a 13amp plug with normal wiring and crocodile clips on the connections and just put these on the items and switch on to see if it heats up or the motor turns.
In a double oven cooker there can be up to 3 elements (depending on model) in the main oven (sides, back or top) add to that another element or two in the top oven and you have quite a bit of ampage building up that a 13 amp socket will not handle.
I think the ampage on an hob was 7, 6, 5 & 5 so that alone needed 23 amps if all were turned on to full.
 
Dimple said:
Actually I don't know what I'm on about (true).

If we were testing individual elements and motors on a bench then we would have a 13amp plug with normal wiring and crocodile clips on the connections and just put these on the items and switch on to see if it heats up or the motor turns.
In a double oven cooker there can be up to 3 elements (depending on model) in the main oven (sides, back or top) add to that another element or two in the top oven and you have quite a bit of ampage building up that a 13 amp socket will not handle.
I think the ampage on an hob was 7, 6, 5 & 5 so that alone needed 23 amps if all were turned on to full.
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That might explain it then. :) Ours has one element (it's reasonably old) and a gas hob. he did state that if we were to get an electric hob and turn everything on at once then it would have to be hard wired on its own breaker.
 
mollymoo said:
That might explain it then. :) Ours has one element (it's reasonably old) and a gas hob. he did state that if we were to get an electric hob and turn everything on at once then it would have to be hard wired on its own breaker.
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Absolutely.
So you could have 23 amps on the hob, around 10 amps on a single oven element and 10 amps in the top oven/grill making a total of 43 amps at full on BUT cooker manufacturers know that everything won't be on at the same time and at full pelt.
 
Dimple said:
Absolutely.
So you could have 23 amps on the hob, around 10 amps on a single oven element and 10 amps in the top oven/grill making a total of 43 amps at full on BUT cooker manufacturers know that everything won't be on at the same time and at full pelt.
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Except on a Sunday in our house :)
 
Look how thick the cables are on the Creda, Hotpoint, Indesit, Ariston, Belling & Cannon test leads because all elements would be turned on at the same time while the testers are looking at the meters.
Of course a top oven can't be put on at the same time as a grill.

cookertest.jpg
 
Wow, what a thread.

Non-electrician, DIYer here.
To the best of my understanding, you may connect a cooker to an existing connection unit in a kitchen yourself (that is essentially what's being discussed, right?)
That work is not notifiable. All work carried out still has to "comply" with BS7671 and Part P regardless of who does it, a DIY'er or a pro. So do a neat job ;)

There is no need for a minor works certificate when carrying out non-notifiable DIY work, because a competent person has not been paid to do the job.
If the work done by the DIY'er is notifiable (and like I say, as far as I can understand it, the work you are proposing is not), then you would need to inform your LABC, who would send a competent person (debatable) to inspect the work.

If a sparky (a real one, not an internet hero) could advise if my understanding is correct, I'd appreciate it.
 
mollymoo said:
What are you testing for there?
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The two big handled things put a lot of volts through the cooker and this tests for earth leakages and if the red light comes on you go in search of the fault which is usually a faulty element.
These are also great for sneaking up behind somebody and giving them a shock or holding somebody down until they told us their secrets but don't worry because they were low ampage and I think that's what kills you.

The other VU meters tested the amps of elements and whether they are wired right or not.
For instance on some hobs/grills there could be 7 settings on the switch and if wired wrong they would be all over the place so when you turn to first position the amps go up a bit, 2nd position up a bit more and so on.

Those were the simple tests and not the ones I did in the lab.
 
Lopéz said:
Wow, what a thread.

Non-electrician, DIYer here.
To the best of my understanding, you may connect a cooker to an existing connection unit in a kitchen yourself (that is essentially what's being discussed, right?)
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I think the major problem here is (and something I wouldn't attempt) is that the socket he plugs into is 13 amp and was used only for ignition, fan or light but now he wants to put a full double oven (no hob) in there.
This would mean thicker cable and a bigger fuse in the box.
 
one thing ive not noticed getting a mention is the Gas side of things, bar someone saying just disconect the bayonet, Just like the electrical side of things, Gas should be done properly to, its rare for any new cooker to be supplied with a pipe now, and has to be fitted by a Gassafe registered fitter who will supply a new pipe and test the fittings for leaks.
 
insane200 said:
one thing ive not noticed getting a mention is the Gas side of things, bar someone saying just disconect the bayonet, Just like the electrical side of things, Gas should be done properly to, its rare for any new cooker to be supplied with a pipe now, and has to be fitted by a Gassafe registered fitter who will supply a new pipe and test the fittings for leaks.
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Haha, so he would have to pay for an electrician and a gas fitter, ouch!

To be honest, I never even gave it a single thought when I hooked my oven up. But there was already a cooker outlet in place and it was just a case of turning off the electrics and then wiring it up.
 
Well little update, the oven is on order but unfortunately wont be here until Saturday!
Ill update when it arrives. I've already removed the existing socket and it was in fact 6mm wiring so we are good to go once the cooker faceplate is on.

Thanks for all the input even if it did get a little bizarre! :)
 
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