Trying to remove cooker switch...a bit stuck 😕

[EmmaB]

Hi All,

            l have removed my cooker switch as l need to blank that off as l dont use it and it is too close to my cooker.l have the cooker plugged in behind .l was going to remove the cooker fuse from fusebox and leave the wires taped up behind the blanking plate but if l do this,the socket behind the cooker has no power.lf l were to connect the 2 blue wires with a connector block and same with the brown 2 wires,would this just result in a big bang or would it cure my problem? Also,there is a space on the back of the blanking plate for one of the earth wires...what do l do with the other one.Any help much appreciated

 

[ProDave]

1) leave the switch where it was. WHY do you want to remove it?

2) Get an electrician to replace it with a more discrete smaller double pole switch, which will almost certainly require changes to the MCB in the consumer unit, and will require some making good of the wall as it will be smaller.

I can only assume it's a dual fuel cooker (gas hob and electric oven) or is it all gas and the electric is only needed for ignition? Otherwise a whole electric cooker won't work from a "plug"

 

 

[EmmaB]

Hi Dave.The reason l am trying to blank the switch off is because l have been told that it is too close to the cooker top.lt is a duel fuel cooker and is designed to go in a normal plug socket.lt is a rangemaster 90 and l have the manual so lm ok to use the plug behind the cooker.

I would have called electrician but like everybody,l dont have the money to spend.lm in a catch 22 situation now

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

You have to join the 2 blue wires together. You then join the 2 brown wires together. You then join the 2 earth wires which normally are bare copper with a yellow & green stripe sleeve. So now you have 3 separate connections, each with 2 cables in. Make sure they are tight & make sure its all turned off and dead before starting. As there is a 13A socket below you do not need to change any fuse or circuit breaker. You must fit a blank plate cover over the connections

The 2 earth wires must be joined together but you can use the terminal on the cover if both cables fit.

 

[ProDave]

And then there will be no local point of isolation for a hidden socket behind the oven.

I am guessing (reading between the lines) that you swapped a standard 60cm coker for a 90cm range, widening the opeing in the process but are not prepared to complete the job properly and move the switch which is now either to close, or even behind the new larger cooker.
 

 

[Murdoch]

Forgive me for pointing this out but Range master cookers are NOT cheap - so a little extra to get the job done properly?

 

[EmmaB]

I have wired it all up with connector blocks.Have fit both earths to back of blank plate and fitted a blanking plate cover to match the tiles so looks great There is still an isolation switch behind the cooker.l couldnt afford an electrician as l spent my last £100 on having a gas fitter install the cooker...anyway,l just cooked tea for the kids and nothing has blown up,so thank you for helping me with this

P.s..l was very lucky to get the cooker very cheap through family.No way could l ever afford £1,600+

 

[rapparee]

l couldnt afford an electrician as l spent my last £100 on having a gas fitter install the cooker..

You should have went onto a gas fitters forum maybe you could have done the gas yourself and saved £100.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

And then there will be no local point of isolation for a hidden socket behind the oven.

I am guessing (reading between the lines) that you swapped a standard 60cm coker for a 90cm range, widening the opeing in the process but are not prepared to complete the job properly and move the switch which is now either to close, or even behind the new larger cooker.
 

Its not an oven, its a slot in cooker . Although i would always wire an isolator  close its not in the regs you have to

 

[ProDave]

I have wired it all up with connector blocks.Have fit both earths to back of blank plate and fitted a blanking plate cover to match the tiles so looks great There is still an isolation switch behind the cooker.l couldnt afford an electrician as l spent my last £100 on having a gas fitter install the cooker...anyway,l just cooked tea for the kids and nothing has blown up,so thank you for helping me with this

P.s..l was very lucky to get the cooker very cheap through family.No way could l ever afford £1,600+

Yes, but that isolator switch is BEHIND the oven. So when something has goen wrong and you need to turn it off in a hurry, you have to oull the oven out to get to it.

Your house, your choice, but I suspect the majority of electricians would advise you do not bypass the isolation switch but either keep it, or move it if it's now in the wrong place.
 

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Yes, but that isolator switch is BEHIND the oven. So when something has goen wrong and you need to turn it off in a hurry, you have to oull the oven out to get to it.

Your house, your choice, but I suspect the majority of electricians would advise you do not bypass the isolation switch but either keep it, or move it if it's now in the wrong place.
 

I agree Dave, but its acceptable to the regs. A slot in washing machine or fridge wedged under the worktop also does not need another point of isolation as the appliances can apparently just be pulled out to turn off :C

 

[Murdoch]

I agree Dave, but its acceptable to the regs. A slot in washing machine or fridge wedged under the worktop also does not need another point of isolation as the appliances can apparently just be pulled out to turn off :C

Yup - just goes to show how STUPID the authors of the regs are.

How many elderly people could pull out their washing machine in the event of a problem?

I never put sockets for such devices behind them unless there is an accessible isolation switch - and accessible is readily to hand, maybe moving a packet of cornflakes, but that's all...

 

[ProDave]

If it's a gas cooker, you can't just pull it out, it will be chained to the wall. You must pull it out a little then grovel down the small gap to unclip the chain.
 

 

[EmmaB]

To be honest,lf my oven catches fire,l would rather switch the electric off from the switch outside the house than a switch right by the cooker

 

[steptoe]

TBH

I think you are almightily stupid,

You get your family and friends to stump up £1600+ for a cooker, and a £100 for a gasman,

But refuse to get the electrics done properly,

You do realise that the smallest of sparks from the electrics could ignite the gas and 

baddayexplode

Oh well, yet another person that thinks,

well, it works, so it must be ok.

What makes you think you can do the electrics safely, but not the gas,?

 

[Blue Duck]

...reminded me of a customer who spent £500 on a vacuum cleaner but quibbled over the £65 to add another socket...

 

[EmmaB]

Steptoe.My friends/family DIDNT stump up £1600+ for the cooker.l paid for it myself but got it very cheap.

I also paid the £100 to have it fitted.l am not some freeloader that gets family/friends to pay for my items.Thanks to those that have helped me with this and those that have sidetracked it into me taking money from others and being too tight to pay for an electrician,please read the facts before you post things that are not true.

 

[Andy™]

Steptoe.My friends/family DIDNT stump up £1600+ for the cooker.l paid for it myself but got it very cheap.

I also paid the £100 to have it fitted.l am not some freeloader that gets family/friends to pay for my items.Thanks to those that have helped me with this and those that have sidetracked it into me taking money from others and being too tight to pay for an electrician,please read the facts before you post things that are not true.

we see stuff like this all the time. people happy to pay for lots of other things but always ignore the electrics

2 jobs from this week - install new cable in bathroom refurb for mirror. old wiring, no earth, metal light, no RCD,very old fuse box, half the house wired in rubber cable. cables burnt in the board. no problem spending thousands on a new bathroom, but never once done anything with the electrics in 15+ years they have been there. never been checked

another job, swap a few lights / switches. hallway just been redecorated, spent a lot. old wiring, no earth to wall lights or switches...

but i guess the difference is you dont get to see what youve spent on the electrics compared to fancy new stuff...

 

[Murdoch]

2 jobs from this week - install new cable in bathroom refurb for mirror. old wiring, no earth, metal light, no RCD,very old fuse box, half the house wired in rubber cable. cables burnt in the board. no problem spending thousands on a new bathroom, but never once done anything with the electrics in 15+ years they have been there. never been checked

ah the importance of looking at a job properly!

A while back I was asked to quote for a similar job.... so I looked at the fuseboard, 1950's house.... took the cover off - VIR in very bad condition. So I told the client I wouldn't touch it unless they had essential works done first.... needless to say my advice fell on deaf ears.... a £800K house FFS - nice shiny cars in the drive, ........ no sympathy for such people. Guess his new bathroom budget wouldn't stretch to a complete rewire......

 

[Lurch]

You have to join the 2 blue wires together. You then join the 2 brown wires together. You then join the 2 earth wires which normally are bare copper with a yellow & green stripe sleeve. So now you have 3 separate connections, each with 2 cables in. Make sure they are tight & make sure its all turned off and dead before starting. As there is a 13A socket below you do not need to change any fuse or circuit breaker. You must fit a blank plate cover over the connections

The 2 earth wires must be joined together but you can use the terminal on the cover if both cables fit.

Are we not earthing boxes at all nowadays?