Isolators / spurs

[davejp]

Hi all..

One i have been pondering for a lil while....

My sister has just bought a house, and two things have caught my attention.

A) The first is that they have an electric fire screwed to the wall, so a permanent fixture but is connected to a 13amp socket so can be unplugged.

Is this normal?, as i have only noted that these are conected Via fused spurs or do i need correcting (which i am happy with, gotta learn )

B) The second is that in the kitchen there are 1 gang switches acting as isolators for the sockets that supply the washing machine, fridge and another for a dishwasher (unused).

The Detail that bugs me is that as they are acting as isolators, therefore should they have neon lights in them at least, or maybe even be fused spurs?.


Cheers.


Dave

 

[JUD]

Hi all..

One i have been pondering for a lil while....

My sister has just bought a house, and two things have caught my attention.

A) The first is that they have an electric fire screwed to the wall, so a permanent fixture but is connected to a 13amp socket so can be unplugged.

Is this normal?, as i have only noted that these are conected Via fused spurs or do i need correcting (which i am happy with, gotta learn )
Either way is fine, as long as it has the correct fuse.


B) The second is that in the kitchen there are 1 gang switches acting as isolators for the sockets that supply the washing machine, fridge and another for a dishwasher (unused).

The Detail that bugs me is that as they are acting as isolators, therefore should they have neon lights in them at least, or maybe even be fused spurs?.
No requirement for neons AFAIAA and as they are switching socket outlets behind appliances then there is no need for FCUs as the appliances are fused in the plug tops.



Cheers.


Dave

My GREEN

 

[oldtimer]

OK first of all the fire yes you can look at it as a fixd apliance but remember these are bought by Joe public who fixes them on to the wall and then plugs it in to the adjacent socket Also one thing to mind is these appliances come with a moulded plug top on them so cutiing them off could invalidate the warranty.

As for the kitchen the switches you refer to are probably 20 amp rated and are connected to the ring circuit these switches supply the socket under the worktop that in turn supplies the washing machine , tumble dryer, dishwasher and are their to safely isolate the appliance (incase something goes wrong and you need to switch the appliance off) Now as for neon or non neon it depends what is specified at the time and why not fuse spurs well there is no need as the appliance already has a fuse. A fused spur is used for an example to supply a fixed appliance ie a central heating boiler

 

[davejp]

Thanks guys

 

[martysparky]

All fine as long as the switches are not 10A light switches, but I doubt that. But then again you never know what you'll find.

 

[Adam W]

Personally i would change the plug and socket for a switched fused flex outlet, then there would be less confusion over what it is (part of the heating system rather than a plug-in 'quasi-portable' appliance which just happens to be screwed to the wall).
Also if you unplug it what do you do with the plug other than leave it lying around on the floor for someone to tread on?

The isolators are probably fine - as mentioned just check they're DP 20A isolators and not light switches.

 

[peterb2428]

"Personally i would change the plug and socket for a switched fused flex outlet" Do you mean cutting off the plugs as these are normally sealed.

 

[peterb2428]

The isolators are probably fine - as mentioned just check they're DP 20A isolators and not light switches.[/QUOTE]

When you check them you could always replace them with 20A DP switches with Lovely NEONS

 

[Adam W]

"Personally i would change the plug and socket for a switched fused flex outlet" Do you mean cutting off the plugs as these are normally sealed.

Yes. I don't have a problem with doing that if I feel it's appropriate.
You used to be able to buy wall lights from Ikea which came with inline switches and plugtops on them, but I certainly wouldn't install those by putting in a load of single sockets around the room for fear of invalidating the warranty - I'd just snip most of the flex off and wire them into the installation as if they were normal lights.

 

[peterb2428]

Yes. I don't have a problem with doing that if I feel it's appropriate.
You used to be able to buy wall lights from Ikea which came with inline switches and plugtops on them, but I certainly wouldn't install those by putting in a load of single sockets around the room for fear of invalidating the warranty - I'd just snip most of the flex off and wire them into the installation as if they were normal lights.

Fair enough totally understand