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Electrical

gas hob and electric oven - could not wire oven in as have 32 amp mcb in fuse box

Anonymous user 14/03/2024 - 2.34 PM

I have just had a gas hob and an electric oven delivered, the person that installed the gas hob said he could not wire my oven in because i have a 32 amp mcb in my fuse box and it should be a 16 amp, is this correct? in the oven spec it says min13amp. can i just wire my oven into the same socket as the old one came out of?

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1 Answer

Anonymous user

There are a few unknowns here that would affect the solution. It's not clear if the 32A circuit to the existing/old socket is on a ring circuit. It's also not clear if the existing/old socket is a standard 13A socket outlet. Furthermore, it's not clear what electrical supply requirement the new hob has - I presume it's just for the ignitors? So, assuming that the socket is a standard 13A socket, and the circuit it's connected to is a ring circuit (a 32A circuit breaker would be the norm for this), and the gas hob is fitted with a 13A plug and requires no more than 13A (although, to be honest, it shouldn't normally need anything more than a 3A fuse in the plug), then all will be ok. However, you said "can i just wire my oven into the same socket". This suggests that you have a cooker connection point rather than a 13A socket outlet. If that IS the case, then that connection plate will almost certainly be on its own circuit (i.e. NOT a ring circuit). Remember that a fuse or circuit breaker is there to protect the cable from overload/overheating; it's NOT there to protect an appliance. So if your new hob has a 13A fused plug on it (probably with a 3A fuse in it); then if you cut off the plug and wire the hob directly into the connection plate, you're removing that 3A fuse that protects the cable to the hob. That leaves just the 32A breaker as the circuit protection. If a fault were to develop with the hob, then the hob cable (probably rated at just 5A) may catch fire long before the 32A circuit breaker operates. Not good. Get an electrician (registered with NAPIT, NICEIC, ELECSA or other approved body) in to take a look and show the right way forward.
Answered30 October 2014
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