Need advice regarding electric oven replacement please

[Breils]

Hi,

My current oven is a whirlpool 2.3kw hardwired to a 13amp switched spur.

The oven I’m thinking of buying is 13amp and requires a 2.1kw connection.

Can I use the cable from the existing oven and connect it to the new oven?

If so, is it legal to do it myself?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

Yes you can use the same cable as long as it is in good condition. Obviously it would be advisable to check that the cable is on a correctly rated circuit.

 

[Breils]

Thanks for your reply. How do I check that the cable is on a correctly rated circuit? At the consumer unit?

 

[The Ghost]

It is legal to replace like for like. I imagine your new oven would come with a plug. The temptation maybe to remove the plug and put it in the spur. However that may void the manufacturers guarantee. So you may have to change the FCU to a single socket outlet. There is of course the testing one would need to do. If you have any recent certificates for that circuit you may well be ok. In your case as you can't do testing then you would be on the basis of close your eyes and hope for the best.

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

Thanks for your reply. How do I check that the cable is on a correctly rated circuit? At the consumer unit?

yes. at the consumer unit. I expect the circuit would be properly rated but it is worth a check. It would tend to be a 32a ring final circuit or a 40amp radial in 6mm cable.

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

or perhaps a 20amp radial in 2.5mm

 

[Breils]

According to the AO website the new oven will not come with a cable.

Can we not assume it’s correctly rated as there is an existing oven?

I have attached photos of the consumer unit and fused switch in cupboard next to oven

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

well on the cu it is labelled as cooker socket so i presume it is referring to that fcu you attached a picture of. and that appears to be not correctly rated unless there is another fcu that downrates that fcu - as it appears to be a 2.5mm radial on a 32A breaker - and that is a no-no

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

Also the flex running out of the fcu to the cooker might not be the correct rating. if you could find out what size that flex is that would be helpful. it should faintly say on the flex itself.

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

Also the flex running out of the fcu to the cooker might not be the correct rating. if you could find out what size that flex is that would be helpful. it should faintly say on the flex itself.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - just going from the picture, the existing flex might be damaged. It might just be a mark but if the insulation is damaged it should be replaced with a new length of 1.5mm.

 

[Breils]

We’ve only been in the house 10 months and already suspect that the previous owner was a bit slap dash with the electrics. I was hoping it would be a simple swap given the similar amperage and kw rating of new oven. I think it best to get a professional in just in case what’s already there is insufficient (a c*ck up! ).

Thank you all for your quick replies!

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

no problem. your main problems are the size of cables. also i dont think any of the circuits are rcd protected so the sparky will probably recommend you install a rcd

 

[pirate]

Don't poke anything into the JB beside the coat hook, or in the hole in the box beside that

 

[Breils]

This is the cooker/hob switch so I assume the oven fcu is a spur off that? The fact that there is a circuit in place and say it’s all correct, can the electrician replace the oven even if there isn’t RCD protection? Or is it a case of no rcd protection no work on any kind of electrics - existing and new?

 

[Breils]

Hi - just going from the picture, the existing flex might be damaged. It might just be a mark but if the insulation is damaged it should be replaced with a new length of 1.5mm.

View attachment 49323

Hi, I checked. It was just a dirt mark. The cable looks perfect now I’ve wiped it down

 

[Wilko]

Hi - you can test if the existing oven is in fact powered from that oven circuit. Just turn on the oven light and then switch off the cooker isolation switch on the splash back.
If there’s no change to fixed wiring the oven may be replaced “like for like” without having to update to RCD etc. Personally, I would think about it though.

 

[Breils]

ok So oven not powered through cooker isolation switch. I turned off the switch labelled kitchen sockets on CU and oven went off. Is that good or bad?

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

if the electrician simply wires the new oven in then he doesnt have to install an rcd but I expect you will find he recommends that. to check that that circuit is on a ring main you need to take the cover of the consumer unit and see how many cables run out of that mcb. but that might be a job for your sparky if you dont feel confident doing that.

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

ok So oven not powered through cooker isolation switch. I turned off the switch labelled kitchen sockets on CU and oven went off. Is that good or bad?

well its good that the cooker went off but as I have already said I think overall its 'bad' or unsafe because I think it should be on a 20 amp mcb not 32 amp mcb but you would need to check.