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Dave the spark

How would you code a cooker isolator switch mounted within the cooker space, I.e directly above the hobs?

It's a metal faceplate mounted flush on metal splash back.
 
Personally, I would give it a C2 because the customer could be cooking pasta one day, accidently spill the water over the cooker isolator and could cause it to develop a fault. Also steam from cooking won't do the isolator any good. Not to mention the heat from the hob.


Code C1 ‘Danger present’. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required.
Code C2 ‘Potentially dangerous’. Urgent remedial action required
Code C3 ‘Improvement recommended’
http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100126678/best-Practice-Guide-4.pdf.
 
What regulation are you going to use on a code 2 out of interest?
Being as a kitchen isn't considered a special location anymore, there is no regulation that I can think of, However in the electricians guide to building the regulations, it says that an outlet should be at least 300mm away. As explained in my scenario there is a potential danger by water spilling onto the isolator / steam and heat effects. Hence my thinking it would be a C2
 
I wouldn't give it 'urgent action required'. Just a comment and a recommendation maybe? Daz
 
I think the issue is more likely attributed to the fact, if the chip pan catches fire on the hob, you would have to put you hand through the flames to turn it off. The odd splash of water and little bit of steam won't amount to much of an issue IMO :)
 
For a C1 or C2 you need a reg to refer to so I'd go with C3 and a comment.
 
Being as a kitchen isn't considered a special location anymore, there is no regulation that I can think of, However in the electricians guide to building the regulations, it says that an outlet should be at least 300mm away. As explained in my scenario there is a potential danger by water spilling onto the isolator / steam and heat effects. Hence my thinking it would be a C2

An eicr is based solely on BS7671 and not on whatever other guides or picture books might be out there.

If you cannot reference a regulation from BS7671 then you cannot code it.
 
I think the issue is more likely attributed to the fact, if the chip pan catches fire on the hob, you would have to put you hand through the flames to turn it off. The odd splash of water and little bit of steam won't amount to much of an issue IMO :)

How does that prevent it being turned off? The hob controls will still be just as accessible as they were before the fire started.
 
Personally, I would give it a C2 because the customer could be cooking pasta one day, accidently spill the water over the cooker isolator and could cause it to develop a fault. Also steam from cooking won't do the isolator any good. Not to mention the heat from the hob.


Code C1 ‘Danger present’. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required.
Code C2 ‘Potentially dangerous’. Urgent remedial action required
Code C3 ‘Improvement recommended’
http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100126678/best-Practice-Guide-4.pdf.

Based on that logic every socket outlet above a kitchen worktop is just as much at risk of having water spilled on it.
 
Based on that logic every socket outlet above a kitchen worktop is just as much at risk of having water spilled on it.

Okay, if not the water, what about the heat and steam?

The steam can enter the isolator and condense on the metal in the backbox / isolator.

Here's a picture of what I had to fix a while ago:

eicr coding question {filename} | ElectriciansForums.net



Would regulation 522.2 External Heat Sources Apply??


522.2.1 In order to avoid the effects of heat from external wiring systems, one or more of the following methods or an equally effective method shall be used to protect a wiring system:

(i) Shielding
(ii) Placing Sufficiently far from the source of heat
(iii) Selecting a system with due regard for the additional temperature rise which may occur
(iv) Local reinforcement or substitution of insulating material


Also 512.2 External Influences?
 
Last edited:
How does that prevent it being turned off? The hob controls will still be just as accessible as they were before the fire started.
I remember when I was an apprentice, toasting our sandwiches on an electric fire for lunch. One day mine slipped off the bars, and started to catch the fire alight. Whilst I started to kick my cheese & pickled onion off the blaze, my electrician got up and turned the fire off at the socket. Guess that's what an isolator is all about, Mr Manwaring ;)
 
S
I remember when I was an apprentice, toasting our sandwiches on an electric fire for lunch. One day mine slipped off the bars, and started to catch the fire alight. Whilst I started to kick my cheese & pickled onion off the blaze, my electrician got up and turned the fire off at the socket. Guess that's what an isolator is all about, Mr Manwaring ;)

Switching off the heater would have worked just as well is my point.

And if it's an electric hob then turning it off doesn't remove the source of heat, it cools down very slowly. The fastest way to remove the source of heat in this case is to remove the burning pan from the hob.
 

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