Electric connection for new oven

snowboardjon

Hi all,

We've got an electric oven that has just broken, it was already in the house when we moved in and it's just a basic/cheap oven so not worth trying to repair, so I want to replace it with a new one.

Whilst investigating how to install the new one I noticed that our broken one is just plugged in to a socket in the back of one of the kitchen cupboards (it's on the same ring main as all of the downstairs sockets).

I'm aware that ovens are normally connected on their own circuit.
Is it a bad idea to connect a new oven with a plug as it was before?

If we have to get a new circuit run from the fusebox to the oven it will cost a fortune as they're opposite corners of the house

mercurystar999

It is quite normal for an electric oven to just plug in. I would be wary about it being on the same ring main as the rest of the house though as this may have a tendency to overload the circuit.

How many ring mains have you in the house?

weekendwarrior

Electric ovens are normally 13 Amp and will use no more electric than a 3 KW fan heater and so can quite easily be plugged into a socket. In the unlikely event that the circuit becomes overloaded the fuse/circuit breaker will cut out. If this did not happen with your old oven then it will not happen with your new one, if it is a like for like replacement.

Here is a link-

Replacing an electric oven

snowboardjon

We have a modern consumer unit, and have never had any problems with the circuit tripping.

There are 2 ring mains in the house - 1 for upstairs and 1 for ground floor(inc kitchen).

mercurystar999

I would say that it would be fine then.

titewad_2

It is quite normal for an electric oven to just plug in,It's the hob that takes the biggest current draw.That should be on a fused socket/box of its own.

kat21

please becarfull of what you post, other posters, cookers can take a great deal of electrical power and do need there own fuse this is normally thirty amps or in some cases can be forty five amps. the old cooker may have only had a very low wattage. do you know ohms law? cookers electrical cookers are normally supplied by there own electrical cable. if you know ohms law you can work out what size cable you need and also what size fuse should be fitted. houses tend to have three ringed circuits so not sure where the others are posting from, they tend to be upstairs, downstairs and a separate one for the kitchen.
please consult an electrician if in any doubt, remember bad electrical installations can cause fires and kill.

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At the consumer unit, the cooker will require its own fuse way. A 30amp fuseway can support an appliance of up to 7.2kw providing that the control unit does not also have a socket outlet. For higher powered appliances a 45amp fuse or greater is required. The control unit is then connected to the consumer unit by a radial circuit

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From 1st January 2005, the Building Regulations Part P requires, in England and Wales, that only certified persons can carryout electrical installation work, or the work must be certified upon completion

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kat21

Alan_M_2

kat21 wrote:

From 1st January 2005, the Building Regulations Part P requires, in England and Wales, that only certified persons can carryout electrical installation work, or the work must be certified upon completion

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kat21

This is plainly misleading, Part P requires anyone undertaking electrical work for reward to be certified, you are still quite within you rights and the law to undertake your own electrical work as long as anything falling under the umbrella of Part P is notified to the relevant authorities. And as long as you are "Competant". (for which there is actually no legal definition as far as I'm aware).

weekendwarrior

kat21 wrote:

please becarfull of what you post, other posters, cookers can take a great deal of electrical power and do need there own fuse this is normally thirty amps or in some cases can be forty five amps. the old cooker may have only had a very low wattage. do you know ohms law? cookers electrical cookers are normally supplied by there own electrical cable. if you know ohms law you can work out what size cable you need and also what size fuse should be fitted. houses tend to have three ringed circuits so not sure where the others are posting from, they tend to be upstairs, downstairs and a separate one for the kitchen.
please consult an electrician if in any doubt, remember bad electrical installations can cause fires and kill.

---

At the consumer unit, the cooker will require its own fuse way. A 30amp fuseway can support an appliance of up to 7.2kw providing that the control unit does not also have a socket outlet. For higher powered appliances a 45amp fuse or greater is required. The control unit is then connected to the consumer unit by a radial circuit

---

From 1st January 2005, the Building Regulations Part P requires, in England and Wales, that only certified persons can carryout electrical installation work, or the work must be certified upon completion

---

kat21

An electric oven is not an electric cooker, there is a HUGE difference.

Single electric ovens are often wired to a plug and plugged into a socket. Ovens are around or below the 3kw mark and so can safely be plugged into a socket. Just like you would plug a fan heater in.

kat21

some electrical ovens do need a higher fuse and cable. My brother has had his own kitchen installaton company for 30 years its a large company too, and you should never assume anything. I also teach electrical engineering at university
if your replacing like for like then fine but just becarefull because the poster has not said what he has replaced the oven with you can for example get double ovens
http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/531_282227.html
look at these links above and look at where it says it must be wired into a cooker socket, why do you think it says cooker socket?
http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/281_250643.html
again the size of the oven in watts and by using ohms law will give the current rating in amps
kat21
not all ovens should be assumed to be 3 kilowatt

weekendwarrior

If you are really a lecturer at university then I suggest you re-read your posts and re-read my posts and you will see that-

you mentioned "cooker"

I mentioned "single electric oven"

You will also see that I mentioned "like for like replacement".

I posted "Single electric ovens are often wired to a plug and plugged into a socket. Ovens are around or below the 3kw mark and so can safely be plugged into a socket. Just like you would plug a fan heater in."

You posted links to double electric ovens.:rotfl:

There is no confusion in my mind who is confused here!