Kitchen Appliiances - Isolation Switch

whowants2brich

Hi all,

At the moment, in our kitchen, there is a fused 13A isolation switch, controlling a double switched socket behind the washing machine. This is all well and good, because the other socket is empty, we don't use it. It's also probably pointless having a fuse in the isolation switch and a fuse in the plug - especially if they are both the same 13A rating...?

The previous owners had a dishwasher in the other socket, and advised that the two appliances must not be used together, because it blows the 13A fuse!

Now, since each appliance has its own 13A fuse in the plug + socket, can we get a way with converting the fused isolation to just a standard isolation switch without a fuse?

Is the isolation switch enough and it doesn't have to be fused? And will a 20A double-pole isolation switch be enough for a dishwasher and washing machine?

Yes, we are looking to acquire a dishwasher, we're fed up with washing everything by hand, and I've read the other posts on the pros and cons of dishwashers. But we want to wire these two appliances in a simple but safe way...

And having a gas hob/cooker, the whole kitchen is on its own ring main, I think these two appliances will be the only things drinking electricity.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions on this!

whowants2brich...

aboard_epsilon

perhaps there is a reason for this switch and fuse arrangement ..and that reason is perhaps inadequate wiring from the consumer unit ..or its spured off something.

meaning that if you ran the two, at the same time, it would overheat the wiring .

all the best.markj

optimus_primera

We have the same arrangement, both W/M and D/W run off the same 13amp switched supply, never had an issue yet ......( thats done it now!)

ormus

max power usage on a fused spur should be 3200 watts.
hence the general practice of only using one appliance per spur.

Homersimpson

You need to find out how the socket is connected and what it is wired in, for example if its one twin socket on a spur from the ring main and its wired in 2.5mm2 T+E then its generally deemed acceptable (assuming that the cable is installed in a way that allows its tabulated rating to be maximised - i.e. not through thermal insulation), however a 20A isolator would be insufficently rated to install between the ring and the socket. You can buy a 32A isolator (cooker switch) which fits in a single back box and you could use on of those.

If the socket is on a dedicated 20A rating then you can remove the fused connection unit and replace with a 20A switch.

To be honest neither of the above are ideal and the installation of a seperate supply to the dishwasher as recommended by posters above is the correct long term solution. This could be either a dedicated spur from the ringmain or a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit.

It is likely that an RCD/RCBO will be needed for the circuit.