Cooker catastrophe!

[smallblueplanet]

Big boo hoo!

Our mini-cooker has given up the ghost, nice timing just before Christmas an all....

When we originally moved in we'd put off buying a new electric cooker cos we were gonna get the kitchen done and so were gonna get a seperate hob and oven. Only we ran out of money so no kitchen and no cooker now.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone knew whether new electric cookers came with a plug or whether they had to be wired into a socket somehow? There is a cooker socket and its a newish one (about 4 years since the re-wire) but do new cookers just plug in?

[mandyballantyne]

HI SBP,

Sorry to hear about your cooker, you should try freecycle for one until you are ready to re-do your kitchen.

As far as I know all cookers need to be wired into that cooker socket thing beacuse the run a higher voltage/power (sure someone can explain better)

Good luck, Mandy

[scared55]

Cookers draw too much power to plug into the the circuit used for normal sockets. As far as I am aware they are always wired straight in to a switched spur and protected by a 30 Amp fuse.

If you buy it from a reputable dealer they should wire it in for you as part of the delivery. If not, it's not difficult, but obviously needs to be done right.

KK

[smallblueplanet]

Yep, its a proper cooker point, but I don't understand how it 'works'! I presume the previous owners had their electric cooker plugged into it. It has a seperate breaker circuit in the circuit box too. I just wondered whether I could just buy a cooker and plug it in. I do know a friendly sparky but he's always very busy and I didn't want to waste his time (thats if I could even get him to pop round just to look at the socket!).

Here's the socket but why has it two switches the big red cooker one and a 'normal' one (it works at present as an ordinary socket for our microwave)?

[mandyballantyne]

Hi SBP,

With mine the cooker wire goes in from the bottom under where the red switch is. When you take the cover plate off (DON'T) there is a bit to conect the cooker to.

As Scarred55 says if you but it from one of the big retailers they normally do this for you.

My Dad did fit a cooker in for me once (second hand) but he is good with things like that.

Or if you don't want any hassle what about a combi-microwave that actually works like an oven for roasts etc. Not sure how expensive they are though.

Good luck, Mandy

[smallblueplanet]

.....When you take the cover plate off (DON'T) there is a bit to conect the cooker to....

Too late Mandy! (Thanks though)

I flipped the circuit breaker off and had a quick peek....not a lot wiser, but I think I'll ring the previous owners - they're very nice - and ask how theirs was wired.

Looking at the cables and the ampage of the circuit breaker I think I'll have to get a sparky in to fit it, think it might need a higher amp breaker and there should be a 'terminal outlet box' that the wire from the cooker goes to and then a wire from that to the 'cooker switch' (I think) - hmmmm nothing's ever easy (I mean cheap of course as we're absolutely brassic!).

[mandyballantyne]

[QUOTE=smallblueplanet;146945] Too late Mandy! (Thanks though)

I am glad you flipped the circuit breaker first, my OH would have just ploughed in saying 'it's off at the wall it's fine'

[rustylady]

DO NOT TRY TO WIRE IN A COOKER YOURSELF!!! This is one of the jobs which has, by law, to be done by a qualified electrician. This is for very good reasons (you don't want to kill yourself by saving a few pounds). If you buy a new cooker, fitting is usually included in the price and if not you must have a local shop or electrician who will do it. Cost usually around £10 - £25, but well worth it.

[smallblueplanet]

ITS OKAY I WASN'T GOING TO WIRE IN THE COOKER! I just wanted to know if the cooker could be plugged into the socket, but it appears not. I can't say I've seen any electric cookers with fitting included in the price yet though.

Edit - thanks though, bit snappy cos I'm pennyless and our sparky only takes cash!

[jacob marley]

Too late Mandy! (Thanks though)

I flipped the circuit breaker off and had a quick peek....not a lot wiser, but I think I'll ring the previous owners - they're very nice - and ask how theirs was wired.

Looking at the cables and the ampage of the circuit breaker I think I'll have to get a sparky in to fit it, think it might need a higher amp breaker and there should be a 'terminal outlet box' that the wire from the cooker goes to and then a wire from that to the 'cooker switch' (I think) - hmmmm nothing's ever easy (I mean cheap of course as we're absolutely brassic!).

The switch on your cooker box is man enough for the job if you go and look in fuse box you will find one with cooker one it it is a thirty amp feed to the cooker box only there is a lead coming out of the cooker a big thick one that wire's straght in to the cooker box and is controled by the big reed switch if you buy new they will only take a few minuets to wire it in jacob

[smallblueplanet]

The switch on your cooker box is man enough for the job if you go and look in fuse box you will find one with cooker one it it is a thirty amp feed to the cooker box only there is a lead coming out of the cooker a big thick one that wire's straght in to the cooker box and is controled by the big reed switch if you buy new they will only take a few minuets to wire it in jacob

Thats what I thought jacob, but I could see no place for the wire to go in and when I 'peeked' behind the faceplate there was already a wire in and one out. Its a new re-wire so I wonder if there is a 'cooker cable outlet plate' somewhere behind the cabinets? See just near bottom of this link

I found a site that says this 'The basic circuit layout is as follows, the wire from the cooker is connected to a terminal outlet box (aka cooker cable outlet plate). This terminal outlet box is connected to the control unit (this is the switch on the wall by the cooker). The control unit is connected to the consumer unit.' Phew!

Here's the site - looks handy. DIY site