Rating of electric cable used to supply cooker panels?

[Radio Fixer]

Can anyone remember back in the days when cables were in imperial sizes what the allowed loading was on the cooker control panel used in houses of the 70's?

The present free standing cooker has a max load of 11kW and the planned new cooking arrangement (single oven, induction hob and built in microwave) comes to 11.7kW total.

But another fly in the ointment is the current dishwasher is on the same circuit and feed. This is 2.2kW but maybe could go on the ring main.

Of course there is diversity and we wouldn't have everything on at once but how do the now super empowered electricians see it?

To get 'signed off' everything has to be by the rules ... I get the impression that not much lee way is allowed even though the current wiring has been fine for all those decades. But a great way for 'sparks' to get rewires and more Vat for the Gov.

Gary

[AlanBeckett]

OOOh, 3/029, 7/029, 3/044, 7/044 etc, etc.
In all honesty Gary if it's that ancient you should put a new cable in anyway.
These days it's 6mm if you're feeling mean or more usually 10mm.
What's the Fuse or Breaker?

Alan

[pwdrive]

Gosh, that's a lot of Kw's, we are limited to 15 KW as an absolute max as per Western Power, anything more and next doors lights go dim...Ovens under 3 Kw are available, they are plug in as normal with a 13a plug, that's what we will be having.

Lawrence.

[camallison]

OOOh, 3/029, 7/029, 3/044, 7/044 etc, etc.
In all honesty Gary if it's that ancient you should put a new cable in anyway.
These days it's 6mm if you're feeling mean or more usually 10mm.
What's the Fuse or Breaker?

Alan

My electrician friend says - renew with 10mm.

Colin

[Radio Fixer]

Oh! dear, it sounds as if the job just got more lengthy and expensive. So 'sparks' will be chopping off tiles from the walls etc.

But thanks guys, better to know in advance.

Alan, we are still on the old pull out fuses and the cooker one is 30A so sounds like 7.5 kW and shows diversity works as its never blown. Missus only ever uses the bottom oven and rings at one time and the dishwasher always later. One job to be done is a new fuse panel with individual breakers. The house does have a common ELT which apparently becomes redundant.

Lawrence, modern built in single ovens with pyrolytic cleaning are about 3.5 kW max and induction hobs are an amazing 7.4 kW everything flat out which is very unlikely.

SWMBO wants it and you know how it is ... the old was good enough to me but I can see her point of eye level cooking, not getting any younger. Also, pull out draws for pans etc are a good idea.

thanks Gary

[AlanBeckett]

Gary,

You'd be OK with 6mm assuming that you stick to 30A, actually 32A these days. You could actually go to 45A with thet cable if you want to.
However, 10mm covers all eventualities, and if you're going to have to chop you might as well.
If you're not PMEd get that done at the same time.

Alan

[ppppenguin]

Here are the relevant wiring regs, in a nice easy version published by TLC: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/6.5.2.htm

Remember that fairly small overloads for long periods will not operate the fuse/MCB but may eventually harm the cable. If you still have a rewireable fuse, try to change it for an MCB. If it's a classic Wylex fuseboard you can get MCBs that are a drop in replacement for the fuses.

[Yorkie]

Alan, we are still on the old pull out fuses and the cooker one is 30A...

Just a small point, which no longer has relevance to you Gary as you are having a new consumer unit fitted which will have circuit breakers rather than fuses. But anyone else who still has a traditional fuse-board consumer unit might like to know (if they don't already know) that you can get MCBs which simply plug in as direct replacements for re-wireable fuses. I fitted them in the house of one of our sons. (Took less time to do than to re-wire a fuse!)


Ooops - Jeffrey pipped me at the post on this po9int!

Wylex retro-fit MCBs here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WYLEX-MCB-CIRC...reakers_RL&var=550286087700&hash=item3a85795879

[pwdrive]

I think the new consumer units are split load, that's the type we have.

Lawrence.

[Radio Fixer]

Thanks for latest info. The plug in MCBs for replacement of fuses is a great idea. If that was the only issue I would certainly get some.

And thanks for the lead to the easy to read regs Jeffrey, its going to put me in a better position before 'sparks' wants to rewire the building !! Just ordered a second hand copy from Amazon and will swot up.

Gary