Isolation for under worktop appliances ?

[Soulsurfer]

Hey all,

Quick ask,
Client has say larder fridge or dishwasher under worktop in kitchen or in unit. Do you fit a d.p. switch or sfcu above worktop on wall to isolate without needing to pull out appliance ? or is it to belt & braces ? I thought that it was regs or OSG listed but not sure. I've always done it but client would rather no extra switches on kitchen wall above counters or Bunker as my Scotty wife calls em ;-)

 

[Had8Lives]

Hey all,

Quick ask,
Client has say larder fridge or dishwasher under worktop in kitchen or in unit. Do you fit a d.p. switch or sfcu above worktop on wall to isolate without needing to pull out appliance ? or is it to belt & braces ? I thought that it was regs or OSG listed but not sure. I've always done it but client would rather no extra switches on kitchen wall above counters or Bunker as my Scotty wife calls em ;-)

Reg 537.2.1.2 states "Suitable means shall be provided to prevent any equipment from being inadvertently or unintentionally engergised" Page 154 in the Big Yellow Book ;-)or have a look at page 54 in the OSG.

I think you'd struggle to argue that the circuit breaker or fuse in the consumer unit was suitable, as it affects the rest of the circuit.

If the customer really refuses to have isolation switches get them so sign an agreement that says "I will not be ringing any electrician to rush out and deal with any tripping fault caused by any of my under counter kitchen appliances" lol :20:

 

[Soulsurfer]

Ha ha brilliant, I'm good then.

 

[Welchyboy1]

Put a socket in the next cupboard with a round hole underneath it big enough to fit the plug in, why mess about

 

[Octopus]

If its a built in appliance, just point out to the customer that you will need tools to remove the appliance and therefore the socket will not be accessible - and thats why you can't do it!

 

[Midwest]

Hey all,

Quick ask,
Client has say larder fridge or dishwasher under worktop in kitchen or in unit. Do you fit a d.p. switch or sfcu above worktop on wall to isolate without needing to pull out appliance ? or is it to belt & braces ? I thought that it was regs or OSG listed but not sure. I've always done it but client would rather no extra switches on kitchen wall above counters or Bunker as my Scotty wife calls em ;-)

Some customers are adamant that they do not wish to have above worktop DP sw, wanting a 'minimalist' look. A socket in an adjacent cupboard is an option, at least they can access it for isolation and deal with a blown fuse, which is not the case if the socket is behind a built-in appliance (if there's room anyway).

 

[DPG]

Unfortunately these days kitchens are not functional rooms, but fashion accessories owned by shallow insecure people to try and impress other shallow insecure people. Daz

 

[a1guvner]

I had customers like that in the past and sold them on the idea of a remote grid switch system to house switches and fuses

 

[Midwest]

Unfortunately these days kitchens are not functional rooms, but fashion accessories owned by shallow insecure people to try and impress other shallow insecure people. Daz

Take you're not a minimalist materialist, then Daz? :biggrin:

 

[telectrix]

my missus' idea of minimalistic is if you can see some worktop under all the clutter.

 

[Midwest]

my missus' idea of minimalistic is if you can see some worktop under all the clutter.

I thought worktops were designed to put things on!

 

[telectrix]

yeah. normal people put toasters and kettles on. apart from them, my better half adds ornaments, junk mail, clothes catalogues, and countless other bits of tat.

 

[PEG]

yeah. normal people put toasters and kettles on. apart from them, my better half adds ornaments, junk mail, clothes catalogues, and countless other bits of tat.

...That's playing at it...i've had an injured badger,in a childs' car seat,on mine...:smartass:

 

[Richard Burns]

...That's playing at it...i've had an injured badger,in a childs' car seat,on mine...:smartass:

Very surreal

 

[edexlab]

I did a job a few years ago in which the customer wanted no visible sockets etc
Power was via pop up sockets and a couple behind a roller shutter cupboard
She wouldn't have grid switches or anything in the lower cupboards most of which were drawers anyway

So with no other option that seemed feasible ,Sfcu's were positioned above the high level cupboards so they weren't visible
So at least they were accessible albeit via steps!

 

[Welchyboy1]

I did a job a few years ago in which the customer wanted no visible sockets etc
Power was via pop up sockets and a couple behind a roller shutter cupboard
She wouldn't have grid switches or anything in the lower cupboards most of which were drawers anyway

So with no other option that seemed feasible ,Sfcu's were positioned above the high level cupboards so they weren't visible
So at least they were accessible albeit via steps!

Wow, customers like that i walk away from, what a pain!

if she is that fussy about a socket in a cupboard u know shes going to be a nightmare