Utility Room Sockets

[kingeri]

My house had all sockets on a 16A MCB for long enough, and tbh I can't recall having many trips.

 

[Octopus]

Why do you need isolators.

Presumably the sockets are going to behind the white goods...... So isolators are needed if you ask me...

 

[westward10]

Presumably the sockets are going to behind the white goods...... So isolators are needed if you ask me...

Personal preference I would say.

 

[Octopus]

Personal preference I would say.

A socket behind a Washing machine is not accessible ......

 

[hightower]

A socket behind a Washing machine is not accessible ......

But the mcb should be accessible to isolate if needed

 

[Octopus]

But the mcb should be accessible to isolate if needed

But when the RCD starts tripping you need accessible isolation to eliminate such appliances.....

 

[Wilko]

I can't find a 7671 regulation and my IET builders guide says if the appliance can be pulled out then the plug and switch behind is ok. So common sense applies ? (not make life tough )

 

[Midwest]

Why not put the sockets in an adjacent floor unit, as been advised millions, well quite a few times on this forum before.

 

[westward10]

But when the RCD starts tripping you need accessible isolation to eliminate such appliances.....

I don't believe BS7671 define accessible.

 

[DPG]

I don't believe BS7671 define accessible.

They don't, but if they did then I'm pretty sure they wouldn't deem a socket behind a washing machine as being accessible. Daz

 

[Wilko]

For the area under the bath to be outside zone 1 it must be "only accessible with a tool" (701.32.3). So this means if I don't have to use a tool to get to something, then perhaps it's accessible. Clearly a gorilla could get access to pretty much whatever it wanted

 

[westward10]

I wouldn't say a socket behind a washing machine, assuming it is not built in is inaccessible.

 

[Octopus]

Another glaring omission from the regs.

Having to move a white goods item weighing about 35 kg is not accessible, moving some cans of beans is imho

 

[westward10]

Tis certainly grey, the definition of accessible is very open.

 

[HandySparks]

Another glaring omission from the regs.

Having to move a white goods item weighing about 35 kg is not accessible, moving some cans of beans is imho

But if you're a good boy and eat all your beans, you'll grow big and strong and be able to move the washing machine.

 

[kingeri]

I remember my dad ripping our washing machine out and throwing it through the back door when I was a kid. It was on fire at the time. I wonder if he managed to isolate it first. I just remember being in awe of his seemingly super human strength!

 

[Midwest]

My Mum used to do that every Saturday, when she did the weekly wash (cutting edge technology then, tin bath before). She'd manhandle the thing from the shed into the kitchen. The thing was louder than Concorde taking off.

 

[Rpa07]

Ah the 'Toploader' - preferred the noise the band made than those clacking away. My mum used a pair of wooden tongs, metal sprung end that were so old that the wood was like velvet in texture (they saw some action) - a phenomenon as a child.

 

[westward10]

Ah the 'Toploader' - preferred the noise the band made than those clacking away. My mum used a pair of wooden tongs, metal sprung end that were so old that the wood was like velvet in texture (they saw some action) - a phenomenon as a child.

That has taken me back, my ma had tongs just the same they were always slippery and sleek on the wood.

 

[Midwest]

Yep and there was a little plastic perforated lid, to cover the wet clothes as they were spun dried, with the metal lid closed.

As it's Xmas, I can also remember my Mum using metal quadruple stove steamers, to cook the veg & Xmas pudding.