On 31/12/2011 11:58, Judith wrote:
Someone posted the following picture on another newsgroup.

http://www.swldxer.co.uk/kitchen.jpg


(Note the white cable coming out of the LHS of the supply point above the
cooker)

Whilst it is obviously potentially unsafe and stupidity to have something like
this in a kitchen; has the person who did it broken any regulations?

I suppose if it was the owner of the property who did the wiring, then it
would be their own stupid fault if someone gets an electric shock - or would
the person who made the connection be liable in anyway?

As others have said more information is required to be absolutely
certain as to the safety/legality of the wiring. However, the picture
shows a 13A double socket mounted in a surface mount box with an
apparent connection from the rear of the socket that may, or may not, be
supplying the cooker. The cable from the rear of the socket appears to
be no thicker than the two heavy flexes presumably supplying the kettle
and microwave, i.e.13A flex. If on a ring main the cabling behind the
socket should be 30A with 30A fuse. If an isolated socket, or spur off
the ring main, the cabling behind it should be at least 20A. Either way
a 13A flex connected behind the socket is not adequately protected and
is therefore unsafe. It also is not adequate to supply the cooker,
which should be on its own separate 30A circuit.

The only interpretation that I can see which might meet the IEE wiring
regulations is if the socket is on a ring main and that cable is at
least 20A cable (not flex) supplying a single or double 13A socket
permanently fixed to the wall (a spur). Even then that cable should be
fixed to the wall at the specified intervals between the two sockets to
comply with the regulations.

--
Old Codger
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