Cooker Wiring. Is this safe?

[JimLad]

Hi,

I’m replacing the cabinets in my kitchen and noticed a wiring issue I’d like a professional opinion on. The cable for the electric cooker comes out of the wall behind a cabinet on one side of the kitchen with no isolating switch. The cable then runs around the edge of the kitchen wall, just loose on the floor under the cabinets and behind the plinths. On the opposite wall, the cable is chased in up to an isolating switch above the worktop, then down and out of the wall below the worktop where it goes into the cooker.

I don’t intend doing anything with the cooker, but I’m concerned about the 7 metre open run of cable under the cabinets. Is this safe/legal? Would it pass an inspection or be considered good practice now? If not is there anything I can do to improve this? I was thinking about fixing the cable to the wall behind some kind of cover.

Thanks.

 

[littlespark]

Has this been an extension to the circuit at one time? The cooker being in a different position to where it is now?

It MAY be that the old isolator switch has been used as a joint box to extend the cable, so should be accessible for maintenance. However, there are maintenance free connectors on the market now.
Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found a jointed cable buried in plaster and then tiled over.

as far as the loose cable run under the cabinets.... would be better clipped or in trunking... but it depends if all the cabinets were in place before the cable was run.

I can’t see it getting damaged under there.

 

[JimLad]

Thanks littlespark. The cooker has almost certainly been moved from its original position. You make a good point about the old isolator switch being used to extend the cable and then being plastered over. So no access for maintenance then...

 

[Midwest]

Bit like this:

Without the bit under the floor units.

 

[telectrix]

Bit like this:
View attachment 56806View attachment 56807
Without the bit under the floor units.

is that in your own pad?

 

[Midwest]

is that in your own pad?

Don't be daft, mine has the new harmonised colours.

PS, they did this on the other side of the kitchen.

 

[radiohead]

Exactly where does the cable come down the wall? A buried cable must be either in line with a point or accessory, or be within 150mm of the angle formed by two walls, ie, in a corner. It could be argued however that if the cable is visible where it comes out of the wall then that would meet the requirement despite the lack of an accessory/point. As far as the cable laying on the floor is concerned, it would be good practice to secure it by clipping or trunking, but not essential as under the units it is relatively safe from mechanical damage. There are hundreds of thousands of houses in the UK with loose cables under kitchen units which would not even warrant a mention on an electrical report (EICR).

 

[telectrix]

i can say in all honesty that the only loose cables under our kitchen units are ELV leads to the LED plinth lights.

 

[pirate]

I can honestly say that the only loose cables under my kitchen units are:
A 4-way socket serving the fridge freezer, the shower pump and some lighting
The two sockets serving the oven and hob
The dishwasher
The washing machine
and the cooker hood has a socket installed behind the chimney, so covered in ----
However, there are 3 off-peak outlets available for other accessories as thy are wired into the non offpeak side

 

[JimLad]

Exactly where does the cable come down the wall? A buried cable must be either in line with a point or accessory, or be within 150mm of the angle formed by two walls, ie, in a corner.

The cable comes out 350mm from the floor through a faceplate. As all the cabinets are coming out, I'll clip the cable to the wall. At least it will stop it running alongside the plumbing for the dishwasher.

 

[radiohead]

The cable comes out 350mm from the floor through a faceplate. As all the cabinets are coming out, I'll clip the cable to the wall. At least it will stop it running alongside the plumbing for the dishwasher.

If the cable comes out of a plate that would suggest a low level cooker connection point, which likely means an isolator above. Isolate the circuit and remove the plate, if it is a connection unit then I'd be worried there is a buried joint where the original isolator might be expected as per post 2&4. Would be worth checking out as if originally altered by a kitchen fitter it will be a botch.