Fitting an electrical socket

Curry_Queen

Hi

I was wondering if I could get some advice please?

I need to install a washing machine and the plumbing (water and waste) is already in place, but the electrical socket where it should plug in below the worktop has a blank plate on it rather than a plug socket. There is a switch above worktop height which presumably operates it, so I wondered if this was a job I could tackle myself to replace the blank plate with a socket (assuming the wiring is in place behind it) or do I need to call in an electrician to do it?

I don't know why there is a blank plate or it, or if it has even been used previously, so it's a bit of a mystery!

Cheers

Flimber

Advice from an (un-enthusiastic) DIY-er:

You might want to get the ring checked out to be on the safe side. Only a certain number of 13A sockets are allowed per ring and if others were installed after that one was blanked off (by someone who didn't know it was there or check for it) enabling it might put you over the limit, IYSWIM. You can check the ring out yourself (simple plug count if you know which feed off the same line) and putting a 13A socket on it is simple once you've turned the juice off (and doing so is within the Regs).

If you're not sure about any of this I'd go with a Pro, IIWY.

HTH,
Mike.

Lorian

Is the plate completely blank or are there any holes, writing, fuse holder or light on it?

Curry_Queen

Lorian wrote:

Is the plate completely blank or are there any holes, writing, fuse holder or light on it?

It's just a plain white blank plate screwed onto the wall, nothing on it whatsoever. The switch plate above the work top just has a switch on it, no light, although it might possibly have a fuse on it, can't remember now so will check that out later. There's nothing else that the switch could operate and is directly in line with the blank plate below the worktop.

robnye

i suspect, that is intentionally blanked....... I would guess that whoever installed the kitchen, hardwired the appliance into the blanked socket, then controlled the socket via the switch above the worktop

if that is the case, then you would just need to remove the plug from washing machine and wire it into the blanked socket,

I would suggest switching of the mains first and then removing th blank plate to see what is available within the box

JimArnold

It probably had an unswitched fused spur to allow the machine to be hardwired into the ring main. These look like blank plates with a fuse holder srewed in they may have a flex outlet as well.

I would see no reason not to put an ordinary socket in there - I said I see no reason that doesn't mean it's within the regs.

As suggested turn off the power, remove the blanking plate and have a look; they may have removed the wires as well.