UK Grid / Minigrid wiring to an unswitched socket for kitchen appliances.

[daavvee]

Okay, so, I’m currently working towards becoming an electrician and was after some guidance for a job that I’m working on.

The property (a small flat) has a few circuits on RCBOs.
1 Ring (kitchen)
1 Radial Sockets
1 Internal Lighting
1 External Lighting

The owner occupier is replacing their kitchen and is wanting grid switches as a means to isolate their appliances:

Fridge freezer
Igniter on gas hob
2kW oven
Washing machine

I’m looking at Click Minigrid.

There doesn’t seem to be any clear guidance on the grid switches be that from the manufacturer or otherwise.

The grid switches are 13A double pole. Now some say they need their own fuse, other say they don’t if the device they’re coming trolling has its own fuse such as a that found in a plug top, others say it needs to be a radial, other say it can be done off a ring.

I’m figuratively pulling my hair out.

So, for my question...

Can these grid switches be used on a ring main without the need for a fuse on the grid plate, if so, can someone show me and/or explain how they would be wired?

I’m thinking it would be:

Incoming supply to the grid switch (from ring main) feeds an unswitched socket from the ‘outgoing’ load on the grid switch. The fuse would be in the plug top on the appliance.

To continue the ring, this is looped in and out at the grid switches.

See Image (forgive the artwork)
edit here’s a link to the grid switches - https://www.electricalcounter.co.uk...P+Switch+Module,+'WASHING+MACHINE'/2454004957

 

[UNG]

I only used the click minigrid once for kitchen appliance switching and had a few issues with it so I wouldn't recommend it. When I was chatting to one of the Scolmore reps about the problems I had they recommended using the grid pro range instead

 

[loz2754]

Some grid switches are intended for lighting and 10A or so rated, others are 20A, typically the DP switches, so you do need to check the spec carefully!

The Click Mode Mini Grid DP 13 amp rated switches come labelled with appliances like Oven, Washing Machine etc.
Although I'm a big fan of the Click range in general, I am a little skeptical about the use of the Mini Grid switches for high load appliances.

 

[UNG]

The Click Mode Mini Grid DP 13 amp rated switches come labelled with appliances like Oven, Washing Machine etc.
Although I'm a big fan of the Click range in general, I am a little skeptical about the use of the Mini Grid switches for high load appliances.

Part of the problem I had was the stiffness of the 2.5 cable was twisting the switches out of the grid as you pushed it back into the box with similar problems if you need to remove it to replace a switch IMO using the minigrid created more problems than it solved

 

[daavvee]

So I spoke with Scolmore directly today, who I might add, were extremely helpful.

They’ve said that the grid switches can form part of a ring protected by a 32A MCB/RCBO and that the grid switches do not need to be fused providing the appliance that is connected has its own fuse. Moreover, they have said that the 13A grid switches would be suitable fo everything, but did mention a deep back box and perhaps a radial for any high demand appliances.

Kudos to all those who helped.

First fix complete. Let’s see how things go.

 

[brianmoooore]

Any 'fixed' appliance 2kW or over (in this example, the oven), should have its own dedicated supply from the CU.
Igniter and fridge/freezer are trivial loads, and wash/mac. is a high, but very intermittent load, so these three could come off of the existing RFC. They will need fusing downstream from the switches.

I should I expanded more on the last sentence. Fusing is required, but this can be the fuse in a 13A plug, if the switch is connected to a single 13A socket, or a fuse in a SFC if the appliance is hard wired.
I would not include a fuse built into an appliance, because the appliance might be replaced by unfused version, by an unskilled person, at some time in the future.