Can I add an earth cable to a two core (live and neutral) from another source?

[StuBerg]

Hi all, I'm a newby here and would like some advice please.

I have a fused switch on my kitchen wall for my cooker hood extractor.

The extractor broke so I am replacing it. After purchasing a new one and removing the old one I discovered the supply cable to the old cooker hood is two core live and neutral.

However the new cooker hood extractor has a fused sealed plug on it containing earth.

Because my existing switch and cable are buried in the wall, would it be acceptable/safe to take a separate earth cable from a socket on the other side of the kitchen where access is more accessible and wire all three into a socket for the new cooker hood extractor plug.

Note: the reason I'm not thinking of taking twin and earth from the other side of the kitchen is because I wanted to utilise the existing switch and also didn't want two cables at the back of the cooked hood.

Also I didn't want future owners of the property thinking they've isolated the cooker hood from the adjacent switch when it's being supplied from a switch in a cupboard.

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[terryplumb]

Are you sure your new extractor needs to be earthed ? How do you know the plugs cable is 3 core ?

 

[StuBerg]

Hiya, it has a sealed three pin plug on it which show L N and the earth symbol. The cable seems thicker than the two core cable that is available. Also inside of the cooker hood extractor there is an earth cable coming from the switch box and attached to the metal casing if that is relevant.

 

[StuBerg]

Unfortunately there isn't any information about wiring up the hood I assume because it has a plug supplied with it?

 

[terryplumb]

As there is a fused switch supplying the extractor, there should be an earth conductor there ,why can't you pick up from there ?

 

[StuBerg]

It's behind a tiled wall, up behind a cupboard, then horizontally to the extractor hood.

 

[terryplumb]

Is the fused switch part of the same circuit as the socket that you intend to connect an earth wire to ?
How would you route the wire from it to the extractor ?
I would be inclined to just buy a different extractor .

 

[StuBerg]

It is on the same circuit but from another fused switch (which now you've mentioned it might cause an issue).

The earth wire was going to come from a socket in another cupboard.

I might have to run a cable from this cupboard through the back of the coving to the extractor hood and put a socket there for the extractor.

I've fitted the cooker hood so probably can't send it back.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Are you sure your new extractor needs to be earthed ? How do you know the plugs cable is 3 core ?

I don't suppose the 'earth' pin on the plug is all plastic, is it?

 

[StuBerg]

Unfortunately it is metal!

 

[EFLImpudence]

That's a pity.

 

[terryplumb]

It is on the same circuit but from another fused switch (which now you've mentioned it might cause an issue).

Not sure what you are describing?

 

[StuBerg]

On the other side of the cooker hood, I have another fused spur which I've attached sockets too in a cupboard for LED lights.

I was asking if it was safe to attach an earth cable from this socket box to join up with the two core from the other fused switch into a socket for the new extractor hood?

 

[terryplumb]

Yes ,you can . And you would need to check the earthing integrity / continuity.

 

[StuBerg]

Thank you terryplumb and EFLImpudence for your time and patience.