Hardwired Oven?

[Stresbringer]

Hi Guys,

Sorry, I feel like a right thicko for asking this but i am not sure if my oven point in my kitchen is what they called hardwired or not.

My current single oven is over 6 years old and has stoppped heating up. Rather than having it repaired i am thinking of buying a new one, preferally a double one but i keep seeing that is most say they must be hardwired

The old oven is fitted with a 13amp fuse and plugs directly into a switched socket below the worktop which is also controlled by a red cooker switch/socket above the worktop. The cooker is also on a seperate circuit in the fusebox (pictures below)

I am a bit confused because i had assumed hardwired means it cannot have a plug and must be connected direcly to the wall  (like my gas hob ignition below the socket in the picture)  however i have read that it means the cooker would be on a seperate circuit with and isolating cooker swicth like mine already is? This sounds stupid to me but is it possible to have a hardwired oven with a plug?

If i buy a new oven that needs hardwiring am i able to put a cable and plug on it and plug it into the socket?   It seems safer to me to have the extra protection of a plug with a fuse that can blow rather than wired directly to the wall.?  probally wrong is that it less safe?

If i cannot plug it in can i just replace the socket with a plate like the one below the socket in the picture







Thanks in advance,

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

You need to see what size cable is behind that socket & isolator switch & wired to that MCB....

My gut feeling is that it is a dedicated circuit that someone has just put a socket outlet on cuz the new single oven came with a pre wired plug that they didn't want to remove & invalidate some warranty crap...

But without actually seeing cables I could be wrong!!

Guinness

 

[matt.leung]

If the oven is to be hardwired and stated in the spec, you can't just put a plug on the end. For a start the fuse will keep blowing, the cable will get hot and could cause a fuse etc... 

You need to see what size cable is behind the socket and isolator as stated above, get the calculations sorted out, and go from there. 

Also get an electrician in to do the work as it will be much safer....  other than that get a new oven that comes on a 13A plug. anything under 3kw should come on a plug these days but double check.... 

 

[Stresbringer]

Thanks for your responses guys

I have decided against getting a new oven and I've now fixed the old one instead.  I couldn't really justify spending £300+ when A new heating element only cost me £30 and is much less hassle.