Electric cooker, safe to remove myself?

plumbdog

Hi - I have a defunct cooker wired to an elderly cooker switch, I can't post a link but if you'd be kind enough to google
"Vintage Ivory Bakelite MK 45 Amp cooker Switch and Socket"
that should get you something similar enough.

I'd like to disconnect the cooker and ditch it asap, I have no plans to connect another until I have future electrical work done in kitchen & elsewhere - could someone advise if I'm ok to do the disconnecting myself? My concerns are any residual electricity in the wiring (if what I've read is correct about non-double-pole switches) and about best practice re safely dealing with the wiring once disconnected as it will be like it until further notice.

Any advice about this & any other issue I haven't considered very gratefully received, thanks.

shaun_from_Africa

The safest way to proceed is to find the fuse for the cooker circuit and remove it (if you have a very old consumer unit) or the MCB (circuit breaker) in a modern unit and trip this.
Then to make sure that you've not picked the wrong one, turn off the main power switch/s in or near your consumer unit.

Remove the cooker wiring making sure that the remaining wiring (the cables coming from the consumer unit to the socket) are still secured in their respective terminals inside the switch and reassemble it, leaving the old switch assemble in place on the wall

When you put the main power switch back on, make sure that you leave the cooker circuit disabled.

plumbdog

Thanks v much - the fuse box is probably even older than the type of unit you are thinking about, it is a Bill/Crown 4 fuse box (aka "a nasty old metal switch unit" as I have just seen it described on another site) - have hoped to avoid having dealings with this until it is replaced, would it be *relatively* safe/simple/advisable to interfere with its innards in your opinion, as it's only a matter of nipping in & whipping the fuse out? (obviously all advice taken at my own risk &c).


nb by leave the cooker circuit disabled I assume you mean leave the fuse out/don't replace, nothing else involved?

Owain_Moneysaver

If you mean this one

then there are several safety risks:

* The unshrouded brass terminals of the main switch incomer will still be live even with the switch off

* The china fuse carrier may fracture as you pull it

* There may be asbestos fibres behind the fuse, and loose fibres inside the fusebox casing

If any cables are old enough to be rubber insulated then they may be very brittle and the insulation disintegrate if you need to wiggle them to get the cooker cable out.

The cooker cable should be completely withdrawn from the fusebox so it can't accidentally become live.

To be honest, I'd be suggesting you get an electrician in.

Owain_Moneysaver

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

The safest way to proceed is to find the fuse for the cooker circuit and remove it (if you have a very old consumer unit) ...
Then to make sure that you've not picked the wrong one, turn off the main power switch/s in or near your consumer unit.

No.

The main switch must always be switched off before handling fuses.

Inserting or withdrawing a fuse on an energised circuit can cause an arc with disastrous consequences.

MisterP123

Personally, the fact you've done as much research as you have and are still doubting yourself. I wouldn't advise you touch it.

Pulling fuses is great, providing you don't have crossed polarity somewhere. Disconnect the neutral and the appliance won't work but it'll still be live.

Or, pull fuse, use some insulated snips to cut the cooker supply. Dab every core across one another to make sure if it wasn't dead, it is now. That'll save money on a meter and proving unit....

Just find a friendly local electrician. Have you got RCD protection at all? Does your lighting circuit have a CPC? Do you have any metal switches/light fittings connected to said circuits?

MisterP123

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

No.

The main switch must always be switched off before handling fuses.

Inserting or withdrawing a fuse on an energised circuit can cause an arc with disastrous consequences.

There's a reason, hoods, gauntlets, masks etc. are worn when switching at that size. We get a nice shiny bag to carry that specific PPE in :beer:

plumbdog

Thanks all, it is indeed that specimen Owain, sadly am of the mind that it is best left alone. I have no issue getting an electrician in for this, what I am putting off is the amount of work an electrician will advise having inspected the current setup - not putting my head in the sand, but can't get to that point overnight although it will have to be moved up the list. Was just hoping to at least get shot of the ghastly old cooker in the immediate term.


Thank you for settling it for me, I was aware of the asbestos &c, but am not going to mess about with anything more risky than that, & end up having to have an emergency electrician in anyway.


("The main switch must always be switched off before handling fuses." I took this as read but thank you Owain )

shaun_from_Africa

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

The main switch must always be switched off before handling fuses.

Inserting or withdrawing a fuse on an energised circuit can cause an arc with disastrous consequences.

Thanks for the correction.

Owain_Moneysaver

plumbdog wrote: »

what I am putting off is the amount of work an electrician will advise having inspected the current setup

That depends on the state of the rest of the installation. Obviously it won't be up to current regulations but most installations aren't.

There might not be anything much wrong with the wiring.