geoffsparks

i,d like comments about sockets behind appliances in kitchen, i like to have trailing lead so that all one needs to do in case of faults is to remove the kick board and not take out the appliance, more so if its intergrated,, what are the rules

chrisb271

Hi bud,we try to cover these things now on first fix on new builds,we have a switched fuse connection unit above the worktop for isolation,it runs down to a single socket outlet below the worktop.

A method i still use a lot is to place the socket outlet in the nearest cupboard to the appliance,drill a 2 inch hole(whoops showing my age there !! 50mm hole ) somewhere near it out of sight and plug the appliance in there.

Trailing leads are ok bud but they are usually laid on the floor,if the washing machine chucks up on the floor then it gets wet.
I have never seen any laws governing this sort of arrangement.

It good practice for isolation.

Regards

Chris

geoffsparks

hi, chris yes i also do switched fused spurs above, but sometimes there too many appliances together to be able to put sockets in next cupboard i just wonered if there were any rules on this subject cheers Geoff

chrisb271

You will just have to keep an eye on loading geoff,a lot of the older houses didn't cater for kitchen loads,especially 2007 kitchen loads.

Regards

Chris

geoffsparks

i agree with swicthed fused spurs above to each seperate socket but i,m on new house build right now where some applainces are next to each other,plus i,m working with another spark who insists on fused spur behind unit this is fine till the fuse blows ,, are there any rules about trailing leads i appreciate your coments cheers

chrisb271

No geoff,there is nothing in the regulations Bs 7671 ( for our m8s across the water,this is our code book) covering the use of trailing leads,the only time i haver come across them is when i have done an inspection and found them by getting strange results,

I see what your getting at as 3 or 4 appliances next to each other would make quite a mess on a wall.

One your electrician friend should think about is inspection at a later date,in the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contractors , A UK governing body concerning inspection and testing of domestic and other buildings ) and Bs7671 it does state that provision should be made for inspection of all terminations after the elapsed period,they should be made ACCESSIBLE

So hiding them behind cupboards and the like is not very accessible.

Regards

Chris

chrisb271

Ps trailing leads for the use that you intend to use them for.

The only one that springs to mind is that if an extension lead is over twelve meters long then it should be fitted with an RCD (GFCI)