Can you use cooker switch for normal 13a appliance?

[jamespeliby]

Hello,

I have a simple question really, but I can’t seem to find the answer anywhere!

I have an electric wall-mounted heater which has been hard-wired into an on-off light-switch style socket (i.e. it is not plugged in), however I simply want to change this socket to a 2-gang socket with the same on-off style switch (so the heater can remain hard-wired) but an extra plug socket. However, the type of socket I describe only seems to exist as a “cooker switch”, which I really don’t want, as I don’t need a 45a on-off style switch! 
 

However, I was wondering if you can just use a normal 13a appliance (such as the hard-wired wall mounted electric heater) on a 45a cooker switch? My electric cable can only withstand 40a so I don’t want the hard-wired heater to try pull in more than that, but it shouldn’t do if it’s designed for a 13a switch, should it?

Thanks in advance for your time!

 

[Evans Electric]

I'm taking a guess  that the wiring is probably 2.5   and I'd say  you could  fit a DUAL box    ( as opposed to a TWIN  box)   .  Then you could  fit a switched spur unit  for your heater  plus a single 13A  socket . 

Is the box flush or surface ?      

 

[jamespeliby]

I'm taking a guess  that the wiring is probably 2.5   and I'd say  you could  fit a DUAL box    ( as opposed to a TWIN  box)   .  Then you could  fit a switched spur unit  for your heater  plus a single 13A  socket . 

Is the box flush or surface ?      

Thanks for your response!

I’m concerned that by getting a dual (back) box I’d need two cables going into each (separate) section (assuming that this is what you’re referring to?: https://bit.ly/36MTvYT). The cable I’m using is a spur, and I’m aware you can’t run a spur from a spur. I’ve made a diagram to help explain this:

Therefore a 2 gang socket (one an on-off switch, the other a plug hole), of which only requires one cable, is what I really need, but as I mentioned above, I can only seem to find 2-gang sockets with a 45a on-off ‘COOKER’ switch and not just a simple 2-gang socket with a 13a on-off switch and a 13a plug socket!

Unless I’ve got this wrong? 

 

[roys]

Not fully understanding what you are trying to achieve, but if I am on the right tracks you are wanting a cooker style switch but limited to 13A and also have a 13A socket outlet.

If this is correct you could use a 2+1 dual backbox, fused spur on the single to limit down to 13A and on the double side fit something like a cooker switch with socket maybe a Lap 30955 from Screwfix which doesn’t have cooker written on it. Not a fan of Lap but the Clickmode one I looked at had cooker written on it.  It is easy to link between in the twin backboxes.

 

[binky]

If I'm understanding this right, you want a 13Aa appliance controlled by the cooker switch? This is not a good idea as the cable to the appliance will not be rated for 32A or whatever the cct breaker is, hence we have a plug or switch fuse with a 13A fuse in. Cooker switchs are double pole isolators and offer no cable protection.

 

[roys]

If I'm understanding this right, you want a 13Aa appliance controlled by the cooker switch? This is not a good idea as the cable to the appliance will not be rated for 32A or whatever the cct breaker is, hence we have a plug or switch fuse with a 13A fuse in. Cooker switchs are double pole isolators and offer no cable protection.

I think that is what he trying to do as well, that is why I suggested taking through a fused spur first to give the load protection, we might be wasting our breath though Binky as he has not come back.