Is it OK to terminate switched fused spur with 13A socket?

[haggis999]

I am still very much in the planning stage, as I like to work things out on paper before picking up any tools, but one decision has already been made. We tend to avoid dual-purpose kit in favour of dedicated devices, so when our 17-year-old washing machine died a few weeks ago, we replaced it with a new washer and dryer (we never had a dryer before).

I was already planning to check out whether or not I need a new ring main to handle the additional electrical load, but thanks for the reminder.

 

[Midwest]

Just a thought, washer dyers are more reliable these days, although I do encourage her indoors to use the washing line to dry the washing

It may be more appropriate or easier to have a new radial circuit installed for your new appliances rather than a new ring final.

 

[haggis999]

.... an awful lot of appliances won’t go fully back with a plug behind them...

I've now checked more carefully behind each of the three appliances and found that the position of a 13A wall socket would have to be completely different for each machine to allow them all to be pushed back against the wall. You need a minimum of 30mm clearance to accommodate a plug and socket. Large areas behind each machine are much closer than that to the wall.

In the case of the freezer, the wall socket would have to be quite close to the floor, making it a little trickier to avoid trapping the cable when moving the machine.

I guess there must be ways to install a 13A socket that is set back 30mm into the wall, but it would probably take quite a bit of effort.

 

[Pete999]

I've now checked more carefully behind each of the three appliances and found that the position of a 13A wall socket would have to be completely different for each machine to allow them all to be pushed back against the wall. You need a minimum of 30mm clearance to accommodate a plug and socket. Large areas behind each machine are much closer than that to the wall.

In the case of the freezer, the wall socket would have to be quite close to the floor, making it a little trickier to avoid trapping the cable when moving the machine.

I guess there must be ways to install a 13A socket that is set back 30mm into the wall, but it would probably take quite a bit of effort.

Can you not install the socket in a position that doesn't impede the FF or is the flex not long enough?

 

[Midwest]

I've now checked more carefully behind each of the three appliances and found that the position of a 13A wall socket would have to be completely different for each machine to allow them all to be pushed back against the wall. You need a minimum of 30mm clearance to accommodate a plug and socket. Large areas behind each machine are much closer than that to the wall.

In the case of the freezer, the wall socket would have to be quite close to the floor, making it a little trickier to avoid trapping the cable when moving the machine.

I guess there must be ways to install a 13A socket that is set back 30mm into the wall, but it would probably take quite a bit of effort.

I do a lot of kitchen refurbishments, hardly ever locate the socket behind the appliance for problems you've encountered. Similarly, locating 3 appliance adjacent to each other will also present the problem of flex length of each appliance.

Can you not redesign your layout?

 

[Risteard]

feeding a single 13A socket below

Preferably unswitched if you don't want calls about it not working because someone hit the switch before pushing the appliance back!

 

[haggis999]

Our utility room is only long enough to take the row of 3 appliances with one storage cupboard on either side, so I don't really have any alternative layout options. There would be no cord length issues if the sockets are directly behind each machine.

I might give myself more flexibility on the location of the 13A sockets if I use the following recessed box I have just discovered:

Sync-box solves slim TV wall-mounting blues - Inside CI - http://www.insideci.co.uk/news/sync-box-solves-slim-tv-wall-mounting-blues.aspx

 

[Midwest]

Our utility room is only long enough to take the row of 3 appliances with one storage cupboard on either side, so I don't really have any alternative layout options. There would be no cord length issues if the sockets are directly behind each machine.

I might give myself more flexibility on the location of the 13A sockets if I use the following recessed box I have just discovered:

Sync-box solves slim TV wall-mounting blues - Inside CI - http://www.insideci.co.uk/news/sync-box-solves-slim-tv-wall-mounting-blues.aspx

You could try contacting the service department for your new appliances. They will often supply replacement leads for damaged ones, and in some cases provide additional longer leads, that negates the problem of hidden plug top fuses behind kickboards etc.

 

[haggis999]

You could try contacting the service department for your new appliances. They will often supply replacement leads for damaged ones, and in some cases provide additional longer leads, that negates the problem of hidden plug top fuses behind kickboards etc.

That's an interesting thought. The two new machines both have quite short mains cables, especially the washing machine.

With longer leads, I could consider installing all three sockets inside an adjacent tall larder unit. In that case, I guess I would just use switched sockets and forget about having DP isolation switches.

 

[Midwest]

Our utility room is only long enough to take the row of 3 appliances with one storage cupboard on either side, so I don't really have any alternative layout options. There would be no cord length issues if the sockets are directly behind each machine.

I might give myself more flexibility on the location of the 13A sockets if I use the following recessed box I have just discovered:

Sync-box solves slim TV wall-mounting blues - Inside CI - http://www.insideci.co.uk/news/sync-box-solves-slim-tv-wall-mounting-blues.aspx

I've seen the Sync-box before, but not used it myself. The only issue with them is the back box required, which I believe is about 47mm? Just bear that in mind in your install. It still has the issue of fuse behind appliance. I would check with the manufacturer to see if they will supply a longer lead.