Spurs above kitchen work surfaces.

[pritch]

About to start a contract monday for fitted kitchens and ive heard the guys who are doing the sparky work at the moment just put sockets inside cuboards or behind the appliances. Now ive always put a spur above and a flex outlet plate below for easy local isolation.
The difference between the two regarding time is a hell of alot and ive got a feeling im going to get the kitchen fitter up my arse.
Ive done my 17th a while back but if i remember i'm sure you should always put a spur above and outlet below and putting a socket inside a kitchen unit or behind the appliance is not to regs?
cheers

 

[bugsy]

Means of local isolation? I dont think dragging out an appliance to pull the plug qualifies as local isolation

 

[SimpleSimon]

Hmm. There's no specific reg on this I don't think other local isolation should be easily accessible. It's just poor poor practice an easy job to do especially when kitchen fitting and everything is up.

 

[telectrix]

i fit a D/P 20A isolator/switch above feeding a socket behind or to one side of the appiliance. the local isolation must be accessible.

 

[Engineer54]

I'm afraid you can!! Most position the outlets in adjacent cabinets for ease of access. Putting FCUs above and outlets below worktops basically gives the appliance a double fused situation!!!! I have my own way of getting around this, but i'm not going to mention it here ...hahaha!!!

 

[i=p/u]

fused switch above appliance/worktop and plug behind appliance

 

[mylocalelectric]

Check out selection and erection, From the top of my head I think you will also find some info in the electricians guide to part p building regs

 

[gpz900jim]

also, if you dont have a double pole isolator above the work top, if you have your rcd trip, youve got to pull your washing machine, dishwasher, oven ,freezer etc, to isolate them to find where the fault is before you can re instate the supply, you may also, for an added bonus be doing all of that in the dark. its a real bad idea doing it that way, back to the stone age if you ask me

 

[Engineer54]

It can also be a bugger when you have to pull a washing machine, or other heavy appliance out just to change a fuse in a plug top. Really need a non-fused plug and outlet. The only one i know of to any domestic BS standard is a non standard pin arrangement, based on the 13A style plug but has a round earth, others have conductor pins vertical instead of horizontal.... anyway one of them is a non-fused!! Trouble is, about 5x or more the cost of a standard 13A arrangement...

Obviously being fed from an above worktop FCU or similar fused arrangemet as a means of isolation

 

[pritch]

I'm afraid you can!! Most position the outlets in adjacent cabinets for ease of access. Putting FCUs above and outlets below worktops basically gives the appliance a double fused situation!!!! I have my own way of getting around this, but i'm not going to mention it here ...hahaha!!!

hahahahhaha thats funny?

 

[LukeD]

Had this last year. Client did not want a wall of sockets and plates ! I understand the visual aspect... but as mentioned In reality its a lot nice to have fused switches above

 

[Engineer54]

Yeah, ....but then they later moan, of not having anywhere to plug there latest fad Gizmo into, ...Women!!!! lol!!!!

 

[sparky3366]

Im sure that you cant fit to kitchen units anymore...remember something about it in the part Pee

 

[Engineer54]

If you can't fit outlets to cabinets, then the majority of the floor standing appliances won't be able to go back to the wall flush with the units/worktop. Not unless you chop them into the wall, even then some appliances don't have any room behind them, even for this arrangement...

 

[sparky3366]

They have to attached to the fabric of the building, so chop n chase it is