Old cooker socket – OK?

Just moved into a new (old) house and have a new cooker on order. We paid to have it installed as it is gas and electric – gas bit should be fine but the old cooker socket looks pretty dated. Is the dude going to be able to plug it into this?

I have no idea how these things work. Where does the new cooker connect?!

The kitchen is old and grim and will be replaced in the next year, but in the meantime I just want a cooker to work and don’t want some person turning up and saying he can’t possibly connect to this socket.

My first question would be is you new cooker less than 3 kilo watts.

Hmmm… I can’t see 🙁

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=hud61gs+hotpoint+watt#hl=en&q=hud61gs+hotpoint

The internet site just said it needs an electric point within 1.5m and not above.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=737311

Looks like it is above 3kw:

The Hotpoint HUD61G is a stylish freestanding dual fuel cooker with a gas hob complemented by a glass lid.
Material: Stainless steel.
Dimensions: (H)90, (W)60, (D)60cm.
Energy efficiency rating: Top oven A, bottom oven A.
Wattage: 4500 – 4800W.

See those 2 round junction boxes….. it looks like you’ve got a 32A twin and earth feed in via the top one to the cooker switch box. Then it looks like the cooker switch goes out via twin and earth to the lower junction box. Thats where you’d be wiring to.

See those 2 round junction boxes….. it looks like you’ve got a 32A twin and earth feed in via the top one to the cooker switch box. Then it looks like the cooker switch goes out via twin and earth to the lower junction box. Thats where you’d be wiring to.

Ahhh OK, that makes sense. Thanks a lot! I freely admit I know nowt, I just didn’t want the chap to turn up and say he couldn’t do anything with it.

Although I’m guessing these wires everywhere above a cooker aren’t ideal 🙁

….he may not be thrilled signing it off!! Is it defo on its own circuit?
And 4mm+ core wire?

…he may not be thrilled signing it off!! Is it defo on its own circuit?
And 4mm+ core wire?

Think it’s on its own circuit, don’t know about the wiring 🙁

I could move where the cooker switch is before he comes on Friday? If I turn all the power in the house off and then try and move the switch to the wall on the right so it won’t overhang the cooker, that should be OK then, maybe?!

Has it been moved, well I know you won’t know. It looks like 4mm T&E supplying a 45A switch using 30A junction boxes. I’d make getting that tidied up a priority. If on it’s own circuit, they often were it shouldn’t be too hard or expensive.

Tbh that looks pretty shoddy, assuming the cooker is on its own circuit and it should be 30 / 32 A 6mm cable, it would appear that the isolator has been relocated in the loosest sense of the term, via the joint boxes, presumably ones the feed with the other to the cooker outlet at low level….?
I would seriously get the whole electrical installation checked out though, as this doesn’t inspire a whole lot of confidence – if you’ve just moved in was there any mention on the survey….?

What fuse is protecting the circuit?

4800W is a fraction over 20 amps.

Cable capacity should be greater than the fuse capacity which should be greater than the load.

4mm can carry 37 amps clipped direct/run in walls assuming no insulation.

So providing the fuse/breaker is <37 amps you’ll be ok.

It is legitimate to apply diversity to the cooker circuit in that you can assume that it will not be pulling full load all the time which will drop the load value down to less than 20 amps but I personally prefer to use the full load for ovens.

Without seeing it “in the flesh” it’s difficult to tell whether it’s safe but the calculations imply that the circuit has sufficient overload protection.

It is important to get what is known as a Zs figure from the circuit. This will establish whether the resistance of the circuit is low enough to trip the fuse in the required time.

The electrician connecting the cooker should do a Zs check and check the earth continuity from the consumer unit to the outlet. Insulation resistance should be checked too as should the performance of any RCD on the circuit.

It’s not tidy, but tidy doesn’t necessarily mean safe and untidy doesn’t necessarily mean dangerous.

Mine was similar – the man from Currys wouldn’t touch it. He commissioned the gas hob but left the electric oven. I did it myself after he left…..

How old are those junction boxes btw – they look like the old bakelite ones i had from 1956

Good to see whoever did the tiling takes pride in their work, anyway 😯

Never seen anything like it in my life.

… oh.

I’d get an electrician in to do an EIC ( Electrical Installation Condition) report on the whole house. From that one picture I’d be wary of the general condition of the electrics. If you are getting the kitchen redone soon then you will almost certainly need new circuits so will need an EIC anyway.

If it is on its own circuit then you will get away with using the existing circuit. You should be able to check this by turning of the power pulling fuses one by one and turning the power back on. I’m guessing you have an old fused consumer unit. I’d be tempted to buy a new cooker outlet and position it where the junction boxes are so it can be directly connected.

Thanks for all the replies, appreciate it.

I tested from the consumer unit and the cooker is on its own circuit which is good.

I’m tempted to get one of these:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-2-gang-45a-dp-cooker-switch-with-13a-switched-plug-socket-white/17157

and some new 6mm cable and wire from the first junction box into my new cooker socket which will be on the wall just past the junction boxes.

Then I’d lose the second outlet from the socket and the junction box and let him take it straight from the cooker socket – would that be OK?

I appreciate the kitchen is old and the tiles are quite special! The survey on the house warned us that the electrics are dated so I will look to get them all sorted, just want to be able to eat some food in the meantime!