Integrated Appliances

DE_612183

Hi I'm looking to replace two integrated appliances, from what I can see most you buy online have to be fitted to a 13amp spur, however the builder ( redrow |) just put in a normal 13amp socket and plugs on the end of the appliances - when I change, I presume I just remove the plugs from the outgoing appliance and put them on the incoming ones - is that ok?

|Thanks

ps - the apps are an oven and a microwave

Ebe_Scrooge

Yes.  Assuming it's just a standard 13-amp supply that's needed, it makes no difference whether it's a plug or a hardwired connection.

So yes, you can just fit a standard plug if you want.  Alternatively, you could replace the socket with a hardwired outlet.  If space is tight behind the oven then a hardwired outlet can give you an inch or so extra wiggle-room as you don't have the bulk of the plug to factor in.

Are you sure the oven is just 13-amp though?  Unless it's a gas cooker where you only need electricity for the spark, they're usually rated a lot higher than 13 amps - in which case it would need to be properly connected to a dedicated circuit with appropriate wiring and circuit-breaker (that's a job for an electrician if one is not already installed).

nofoollikeold

1. I would expect the appliances to come with plugs already moulded on to the end of the cables.
2. If they have no plugs on the end, then just fit plugs, either new ones or re-use the old ones.
3. If they come with moulded on plugs and you remove them (for example, to get the cables through an access hole), you may well invalidate the appliance guarantee, so read the terms and conditions first.

FreeBear

Having integrated appliances that plug in to a socket (under the counter) is good in my opinion. Invariably, the lead is only just long enough, so if you need to pull the appliance out to clean or service, it is much easier to unplug. Having them hard wired in to a fused spur means paying an electrician (if you're not up to the task) to change them...

Any under counter sockets or spurs should have an isolation switch directly above the worktop so that you don't have to pull the appliances out to turn them off.

Sandtree

nofoollikeold said:

2. If they have no plugs on the end, then just fit plugs, either new ones or re-use the old ones.

If they have no plugs on them then check their power rating before adding any plug!

Our single oven is 3.7kw so needs a 16amp fuse... certainly not a good idea to blindly put a 13amp plug on it and plug it in. 

DE_612183

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Yes.  Assuming it's just a standard 13-amp supply that's needed, it makes no difference whether it's a plug or a hardwired connection.

So yes, you can just fit a standard plug if you want.  Alternatively, you could replace the socket with a hardwired outlet.  If space is tight behind the oven then a hardwired outlet can give you an inch or so extra wiggle-room as you don't have the bulk of the plug to factor in.

Are you sure the oven is just 13-amp though?  Unless it's a gas cooker where you only need electricity for the spark, they're usually rated a lot higher than 13 amps - in which case it would need to be properly connected to a dedicated circuit with appropriate wiring and circuit-breaker (that's a job for an electrician if one is not already installed).

It looks like the oven and microwave have a "plug" socket behind then, this is in turn connected to a wall socket that allows you to switch off the mains supply to the oven and microwave - I presume this other socket maybe a higher rating - it's actually got writing on it which states it's for the over - bit like those big red switches you used to get

Ebe_Scrooge

DE_612183 said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Yes.  Assuming it's just a standard 13-amp supply that's needed, it makes no difference whether it's a plug or a hardwired connection.

So yes, you can just fit a standard plug if you want.  Alternatively, you could replace the socket with a hardwired outlet.  If space is tight behind the oven then a hardwired outlet can give you an inch or so extra wiggle-room as you don't have the bulk of the plug to factor in.

Are you sure the oven is just 13-amp though?  Unless it's a gas cooker where you only need electricity for the spark, they're usually rated a lot higher than 13 amps - in which case it would need to be properly connected to a dedicated circuit with appropriate wiring and circuit-breaker (that's a job for an electrician if one is not already installed).

It looks like the oven and microwave have a "plug" socket behind then, this is in turn connected to a wall socket that allows you to switch off the mains supply to the oven and microwave - I presume this other socket maybe a higher rating - it's actually got writing on it which states it's for the over - bit like those big red switches you used to get

Check the power rating for the cooker - there will be a sticker on it somewhere, or else Google for the technical specs for the particular model.  Basically if it's less than 3KW then a 13-amp plug will be fine.  If it's over 3KW then you'll need a dedicated cooker circuit which is wired and circuit-breaker-protected appropriately for the load.

It may be that you already have a cooker circuit in place.  If your cooker only pulls 13 amps then that's fine - if the cooker circuit is rated for say 30 amps, you can safely connect a 13 amp appliance into it.  But you can't do it the other way round - connect a 30-amp appliance into a 13-amp circuit.

DE_612183

Ebe_Scrooge said:

DE_612183 said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Yes.  Assuming it's just a standard 13-amp supply that's needed, it makes no difference whether it's a plug or a hardwired connection.

So yes, you can just fit a standard plug if you want.  Alternatively, you could replace the socket with a hardwired outlet.  If space is tight behind the oven then a hardwired outlet can give you an inch or so extra wiggle-room as you don't have the bulk of the plug to factor in.

Are you sure the oven is just 13-amp though?  Unless it's a gas cooker where you only need electricity for the spark, they're usually rated a lot higher than 13 amps - in which case it would need to be properly connected to a dedicated circuit with appropriate wiring and circuit-breaker (that's a job for an electrician if one is not already installed).

It looks like the oven and microwave have a "plug" socket behind then, this is in turn connected to a wall socket that allows you to switch off the mains supply to the oven and microwave - I presume this other socket maybe a higher rating - it's actually got writing on it which states it's for the over - bit like those big red switches you used to get

Check the power rating for the cooker - there will be a sticker on it somewhere, or else Google for the technical specs for the particular model.  Basically if it's less than 3KW then a 13-amp plug will be fine.  If it's over 3KW then you'll need a dedicated cooker circuit which is wired and circuit-breaker-protected appropriately for the load.

says on the sticker it's 3kw

Ebe_Scrooge

DE_612183 said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

DE_612183 said:

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Yes.  Assuming it's just a standard 13-amp supply that's needed, it makes no difference whether it's a plug or a hardwired connection.

So yes, you can just fit a standard plug if you want.  Alternatively, you could replace the socket with a hardwired outlet.  If space is tight behind the oven then a hardwired outlet can give you an inch or so extra wiggle-room as you don't have the bulk of the plug to factor in.

Are you sure the oven is just 13-amp though?  Unless it's a gas cooker where you only need electricity for the spark, they're usually rated a lot higher than 13 amps - in which case it would need to be properly connected to a dedicated circuit with appropriate wiring and circuit-breaker (that's a job for an electrician if one is not already installed).

It looks like the oven and microwave have a "plug" socket behind then, this is in turn connected to a wall socket that allows you to switch off the mains supply to the oven and microwave - I presume this other socket maybe a higher rating - it's actually got writing on it which states it's for the over - bit like those big red switches you used to get

Check the power rating for the cooker - there will be a sticker on it somewhere, or else Google for the technical specs for the particular model.  Basically if it's less than 3KW then a 13-amp plug will be fine.  If it's over 3KW then you'll need a dedicated cooker circuit which is wired and circuit-breaker-protected appropriately for the load.

says on the sticker it's 3kw

OK, that's fine then - a standard 13-amp plug will do the job :-)