Position of Cooker switch.

[eckersecker]

Tested a house recently and the hob was connected directly back to the board via 6mm. The cable appears to run down the wall (buried) and out just above skirting board level. No cooker isolating switch.
The wall is tiled. Cant see how I could put a switch at normal height without destroying kitchen.
Can a switch be mounted in an adjacent cupboard or possibly at ceiling height. Or any other alternatives?

 

[Spazz]

cooker switch must be accessible easy - so if you cut a whole in the back of the cupboard to access it easy (no glasses in the way etc).
When was this installed - you cant apply 17th regs respectively - you can only advice this is what you think they would benefit from and what they need to comply with BS7671.

You need to find out what regs it was installed under and apply it to them.

 

[Moses]

Tested a house recently and the hob was connected directly back to the board via 6mm. The cable appears to run down the wall (buried) and out just above skirting board level. No cooker isolating switch.
The wall is tiled. Cant see how I could put a switch at normal height without destroying kitchen.
Can a switch be mounted in an adjacent cupboard or possibly at ceiling height. Or any other alternatives?

Cooker Switch could be mounted on the ceiling, a shower pull cord.
The cooker must have a local isolator, no more than 2m from the cooker.

You could install a surface mounted cooker isolator above the worktop, a min of 300mm from the cooker, by bringing the cable behind the units and up through a hole in the worktop and a small piece of YT4 trunking covering the hole up to the surface mounted switch.

 

[eckersecker]

Think it was 16th edition as rcd in board for sockets side only. Tails and bonding ok.

 

[eckersecker]

If it is 16 th edition is there still a requirement to retrospectively fit a switch?

 

[trev]

My first reaction is does your client want this switch installing? You can't force them to have it done, a strong recommendation is pretty much it. It's a good sign that they're actually having an EICR carried out but there's no way of knowing
You could use a pull switch or use the trunking idea but both will look hideous and guess who will get the blame.....
That's right mate, it looked fine before.
How long ago was it tiled and what was it tiled with? If it's plain white 150x150 then you're in luck. Anything other and it's rock/hard place for you

 

[kayeno]

No matter which regulations it was installed to, you are testing it to the 17th edition and a recomendation must be made to have a isolator. However your only going to have to install the isolator if they want a satisfactory test certificate (or if it is a EIC you can list it as a departure from the regs).

Personally I would go with a pullswitch and tie the cord out the way. Not your fault it looks ugly, leave a copy of the periodic inspection report near the DB if your worried about what people will think of your work!

 

[Spazz]

You mentioned about the cable going down behind the cooker - cant you just take that cable and run it to the cupboard next to the cooker and have a surface mount in the cupboard close to the door, hidden and within reach.

Is this cooker electric or gas? This would make a difference as to what the electric is used for. If its gas disconnect the electric and give them a handheld sparker that will meat the regs - did this 3 weeks ago, sparker would not work and they told me max to spend was £25 on it so I gave them a hand held sparker for £5. They looked at me silly but when I shown then the quote for a new sparker unit (as all tips warn down and electric ring had had it - over £100) they were happy with the sparker.

If its electric make sure you got the correct size cables and everything or thats another warning on the EICR

 

[Des 56]

If the cooker requires isolation,there is a double pole isolator in the consumer unit

I can envisage someone with a good understanding of the regs putting up argument that the direct connection contravenes none
Not me of course,I dont qualify for that :bigcry:, worth a thought perhaps

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The last time the Regulations Mentioned anything about a cooker switch was in the 15th, and that only stated that one switch could control two devices, and that both devices had to be within 2m of the switch.
Neither the 16th or the 17th make any specific requirements for a cooker switch.

 

[Moses]

If the cooker requires isolation,there is a double pole isolator in the consumer unit

I can envisage someone with a good understanding of the regs putting up argument that the direct connection contravenes none
Not me of course,I dont qualify for that :bigcry:, worth a thought perhaps

Table 53.2 says cooker unit switch has to provide emergency switching and 537.4.2.5 BRB says it must be readily accessible, so I reckon in a cupboard isn't good enough.


just found this >>
There is no distance stated in BS 7671 however it is the view of the NICEIC that socket-outlets cannot be closer tham 300mm from the sink or draining board. The 300 rule is a requirement to comply with the building regs.
or
The IEE’s Electricians guide to the building regulations sub section 5.2.2 Locations of accessories in kitchens states;
(iv) Accessories should be installed a minimum of 300mm from the edge of kitchen sinks and draining boards to reduce the risk of being splashed.
AND

Positioning
The switch or control unit should be readily accessible. It should
not be positioned behind or above a cooking appliance such that
a person would have to reach over the appliance in order to
access the switch/control unit.
The horizontal distance between a cooker switch/control unit and
the appliance(s) it serves must be sufficiently short for the switch
to be under the control of persons relying on it for safety. This
requirement is likely to be met if the distance does not exceed
2m.
The height of a cooker switch or control unit in an installation in
a new dwelling should be suitable to facilitate access by persons
in wheelchairs and others whose reach is limited (as should the
heights of all wall-mounted switches and socket-outlets). Based
on the recommendations of Approved Document M, applicable
for new dwellings in England and Wales, the height of the switch
or control unit should not exceed 1.2 m above finished floor
level.
Installation of a cooker switch or control unit in a cupboard or
cabinet is not recommended. Potential users of the
switch/control unit may not be aware that it is there, or items
stored in the cupboard may obstruct access to the switch/control
unit. In any event, wiring and other electrical equipment should
generally not be fixed to a cupboard or cabinet, which may be
removed in the future; they should be fixed to the building fabric.
It is also not recommended to locate a cooker switch or control
unit in a central wall-mounted control panel together with other
switching devices, as this may result in the switch not being
under the control of persons relying on it for safety or otherwise
not being suitably accessible. Where a cooker switch or control
unit is positioned in such a central control panel, then, as for any
other item of switchgear or controlgear, a label or other suitable
means of identification must be provided to indicate the purpose
of a cooker switch/control unit, except where there is no
possibility of confusion (Regulation 514-01-01 refers).


The 300 rule is a sensible rule to follow for the cooker also. If a Pot catches fire, I would prefer to be more than 300 away to isolate the cooker than to be 150 away.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Table 53.4 (in new money) or 53.2 (in old) state that the switch on a cooker control unit that complies with BS 4177, may/can be used for emergency switching.
The Table also indicates that an MCB/RCD may/can be used for emergency switching.
Regulation 537.4.2.5 refers to a device installed specifically to provide emergency switching.
Unless you determine that a domestic cooker requires emergency switching, the position of a cooker switch and it's accessibility is not something the Regulations make any requirements for.
In fact, the Regulations don't even require a cooker switch to be installed.

 

[Guitarist]

Moses, there is no requirement in the building regs for sockets to be more than 300mm from a sink, drainer or cooker. They are recommendations, but not always feasible in most kitchens.

 

[Moses]

Moses, there is no requirement in the building regs for sockets to be more than 300mm from a sink, drainer or cooker. They are recommendations, but not always feasible in most kitchens.

In most kitchens, and I've done and inspected many many in my time, there are always alternatives.

Recommendations in the Building Regs, are there for all to follow, they have been written with hindsight, for the safety of the user and property in mind, otherwise they would not be mentioned.

You do not have to follow recommendations, but then you have to answer to the Judge when things go oops!!!!

 

[Guitarist]

In most kitchens, and I've done and inspected many many in my time, there are always alternatives.

Recommendations in the Building Regs, are there for all to follow, they have been written with hindsight, for the safety of the user and property in mind, otherwise they would not be mentioned.

You do not have to follow recommendations, but then you have to answer to the Judge when things go oops!!!!

You stated that it is a requirement. I merely pointed out that, like many things, it is a recommendation. I'm sure that most of us would like to follow every single recommendation in life, but many are just not practical.