Have I broken any regs?

[ZippyMo]

Ok friends.

So this evening I was trying to install an electric oven in a friends kitchen. The kitchen is quite small and it was bit of a squeeze carrying the oven from the living room to the location of installation.

Whilst connecting up the heat resistant flex cable, I could just about see the live and neutral terminsls but couldn't see the cpc terminal as it was hidden below the live terminals.

So therefore I connected the cpc from the flex cable to the metal bodywork of the oven as shown in the attached pic.

Have I broken any rules by doing this?



ZippyMo

Trainee Spark

 

[westward10]

It needs connecting to the correct terminal. Is that exposed or enclosed.

 

[ZippyMo]

It needs connecting to the correct terminal. Is that exposed or enclosed.

This is enclosed as it is behind the oven itself.

I couldn't get to the correct terminal as the kitchen is so tiny and the worktops opposite each other are so close together, I couldn't turn the oven 90 degrees to get a good view of the terminals.

 

[Dartlec]

You may have adequately earthed the appliance (you could test to see if that is the case). The problem is that screw will not have been designed as an earthing terminal so it may not function adequately long term and could easily be removed in the future by someone less knowledgeable.

It will also be against the manufacturers instructions, which have to be taken into account.

Oven's are often a pain to connect because the terminals are small and/or badly placed. But they provide the earth terminal so good practise if nothing else is that it should be used.

Ovens usually need enough flex to be brought forward out of the cavity (placed on a step up or similar) to be worked on. Where does the flex come from currently? You may be better extending it so that you can connect it to the oven properly and then carefully feed it back behind the oven when replacing it.

 

[westward10]

This is enclosed as it is behind the oven itself.

I couldn't get to the correct terminal as the kitchen is so tiny and the worktops opposite each other are so close together, I couldn't turn the oven 90 degrees to get a good view of the terminals.

So it isn't enclosed and not compliant, it requires connection to the correct terminal.

 

[ZippyMo]

You may have adequately earthed the appliance (you could test to see if that is the case). The problem is that screw will not have been designed as an earthing terminal so it may not function adequately long term and could easily be removed in the future by someone less knowledgeable.

It will also be against the manufacturers instructions, which have to be taken into account.

Oven's are often a pain to connect because the terminals are small and/or badly placed. But they provide the earth terminal so good practise if nothing else is that it should be used.

Ovens usually need enough flex to be brought forward out of the cavity (placed on a step up or similar) to be worked on. Where does the flex come from currently? You may be better extending it so that you can connect it to the oven properly and then carefully feed it back behind the oven when replacing it.

The flex is attached to a plug which was buried behind the cabinets.
I was actually removing the old oven for a new one.

 

[westward10]

You need a long enough cable to be able to connect correctly so it can then be plugged in. Your existing earth connection is not suitably enclosed.

 

[Dartlec]

The flex is attached to a plug which was buried behind the cabinets.
I was actually removing the old oven for a new one.

Bad install by whoever did it then. But if you can't easily get to the plug it would be better to run a new flex to the oven while it is out and you can work on it properly, then connect the flex to the old flex behind the oven with appropriate connectors/junction box

 

[Dustydazzler]

I would endeavour to get the earth onto the correct earth terminal ...

 

[ZippyMo]

Bad install by whoever did it then. But if you can't easily get to the plug it would be better to run a new flex to the oven while it is out and you can work on it properly, then connect the flex to the old flex behind the oven with appropriate connectors/junction box

Ok I'm going to have to return to it then.
It's my mates home, so I'll tell him I need to rectify my mistake.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Dartlec]

Ok I'm going to have to return to it then.
It's my mates home, so I'll tell him I need to rectify my mistake.

Thanks for the advice.

Nothing wrong with admitting you made a mistake and rectifying it - that's the way we all learn. It's repeating the same mistake multiple times that's the problem!

 

[ZippyMo]

Nothing wrong with admitting you made a mistake and rectifying it - that's the way we all learn. It's repeating the same mistake multiple times that's the problem!

Absolutely.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

In general, a screw that serves to fasten parts together should not be used as an earth connection. Casing screws in sheet metal appliances are more prone to loosening or corroding than the official earth terminals and may not be in reliable contact with the parts that are most in need of earthing, in this case the element sheaths.

I'm not 100% convinced by the crimp ring terminal either. It seems to be a regular insulated terminal that has been subjected to an indent crimp of a type used for non-insulated terminals, in the wrong place. What made you choose this type of crimp tool?