Electric socket too close to the 'hot zone'?

[Jamestiger150]

Hi guys

We need a new replacement gas cooker and were thinking of AO, but looking at their installation guidelines the socket on the left seems too close to their 'hot zone'. We've had the cooker serviced before with no problems, any advice?

Thanks for your help.

James

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If that socket clearance is nearer the hob than their guidelines it is good odds that when their installers arrive they'll refuse to install. And possibly land you with a bill.
Required clearance is a bit nebulous, common suggested clearance is 300mm horizontal. Talk to your supplier/installer BEFORE you place an order, get a written confirmation that they will install given that cooker point location

 

[Taylortwocities]

Or don’t opt for AO install and do it yourself.

 

[johnny2007]

I wouldn't want that wire so close to a hot pan.
If you have a few spare tiles you could easily move that socket in the cabinet below or add one (electricians please confirm)
BTW, why do you have flying wires in the kitchen???

 

[Taylortwocities]

Probably that wire is the power feed for the cooker (spark etc).

i guess that there’s a cooker connection plate on the wall behind the cooker? Just change that plate to a single socket outlet and plug cooker in there.

 

[BlueLoo]

AO recommend 90mm lateral, which yours clearly isn't.
That lead is lethal. I'm surprised you think nothing of it being where it is.

Remove the lead and plug in somewhere else 1st.
I don't think its lateral distance thats the problem tbh. it is the height which is encouraging long leads which is dangerous.

I'd remove the plug. Its a double socket so a 2gang switch only in the horizontal will work until you chose to move it.

 

[BlueLoo]

Probably that wire is the power feed for the cooker (spark etc).

i guess that there’s a cooker connection plate on the wall behind the cooker? Just change that plate to a single socket outlet and plug cooker in there.

Its a gas-only cooker?
Well spotted.

Better still, extend the lead to a remote plug somewhere else away from the cooker and blank off that dangerous socket.

 

[JohnW2]

I wouldn't want that wire so close to a hot pan.

As has been said, "that wire" is presumably the fed to the gas hob (igniters) - if so, the wire will inevitably get very close to (actually come in contact with) the hob, no matter how far away the socket is.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Better still, extend the lead to a remote plug somewhere else away from the cooker and blank off that dangerous socket.

As has been said, "that wire" is presumably the fed to the gas hob (igniters) - if so, the wire will inevitably get very close to (actually come in contact with) the hob, no matter how far away the socket is.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

Probably that wire is the power feed for the cooker (spark etc).

i guess that there’s a cooker connection plate on the wall behind the cooker? Just change that plate to a single socket outlet and plug cooker in there.

I think that's the best and easiest solution

in a similar position, I left the under-counter cooker connection plate in place, and added a surface socket beneath it, fed from the plate. Easy to swap back when I got an electric cooker. The flex was obv under the counter so not in a hot place.

 

[JohnW2]

... The flex was obv under the counter so not in a hot place.

Is not 'under the counter' (i.e. in very close proximity to the oven) a fairly 'hot place'?

Kind Regards, John

 

[johnny2007]

As has been said, "that wire" is presumably the fed to the gas hob (igniters) - if so, the wire will inevitably get very close to (actually come in contact with) the hob, no matter how far away the socket is.

Kind Regards, John

A pan on the gas could easily touch that wire and melt it.
Couldn't that happen?

 

[JohnW2]

A pan on the gas could easily touch that wire and melt it. Couldn't that happen?

Although I agree it's not ideal, unless it contained 'boiling oil' a pan would usually not reach a temp above about 100°C (often appreciably lower), and that wouldn't 'melt' a cable, particularly if (as one might hope, for the flex of a hob or oven) it was 'heat-resistant' cable.

However, my point was that, no matter how routed ()and even if totally 'below counter, hence not visible at all), it's very likely that the cable could be and/or come into contact with the underside of the hob, which could get similarly hot (possibly hotter).

Kind Regards, John

 

[johnny2007]

Although I agree it's not ideal, unless it contained 'boiling oil' a pan would usually not reach a temp above about 100°C (often appreciably lower),

Kind Regards, John

I'm not sure about that.
Water boils at 100⁰C.
The pan must be at or above 100⁰C to keep the water boiling.
Also, frying pans get a lot hotter than 100⁰C, surely.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Although I agree it's not ideal, unless it contained 'boiling oil' a pan would usually not reach a temp above about 100°C (often appreciably lower), and that wouldn't 'melt' a cable, particularly if (as one might hope, for the flex of a hob or oven) it was 'heat-resistant' cable.

However, my point was that, no matter how routed ()and even if totally 'below counter, hence not visible at all), it's very likely that the cable could be and/or come into contact with the underside of the hob, which could get similarly hot (possibly hotter).

Kind Regards, John

I suspect it is not so much heating of cables, so much as reaching over a hot stove to isolate in an emergency, which is the cause of concern.