Kitchen ring main safety

[johnbuckley]

Had a scour through the forum and I'm a bit bamboozled by the varying opinions and rules etc, so forgive me if this is answered elsewhere.
Just decided to gut and replace my kitchen and took interest in the electics as the house was built in 1983 and still has the old fuse box which I will be getting replaced later this year.
The kitchen has a ring main all of its own going to a 15amp fuse at the fuse box, there are no FCU's for the appliances. there are 3 double sockets above worktops and the 4 other sockets, which are included in the ring and below worktops, are for appliances namely dishwasher, w-machine, fridge freezer, gas hob electric ignition. The only socket on a spur is for the above hob extractor.
The oven has it's own 30amp supply.
I will be getting the fuse box changed and an electrical safety check later this year but in the meantimeI would appreciate an opinion as to whether this appears a safe setup or not.
Thanks for any help
John

 

[securespark]

Sure it's a ring final?

At 15A it could be a radial.

How did you ascertain the way the hood was wired?

 

[Iggifer]

Is it definitely a ring final on a 15A fuse? Are you sure it's not a radial?

If it is a ring in 2.5mm² then on a new board it could go on a 32A breaker and that would be fine.

Other than that it sounds perfectly normal and exactly how kitchens used to be wired. You now might think about having a dedicated radial for the washing machine & dishwasher but it's not dangerous to have them on the ring.

If you did want to have them on their own circuit(s) now would be the time to get someone in to at least first fix them, and have him connect them into the new board when it's done (this would require you use the same guy for both jobs though)

 

[deadshort]

Hi, sorry, do you mean 3 sockets on a 15a fuse and the 4 on the 'house ring' ?

Thanks,

DS

 

[EFLImpudence]

Why do you doubt that it is safe?

Why do you mention that there are no FCUs for the appliances?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Because he's been scouring the forum and has seen people talking about having FCUs upstream of inaccessible sockets.

 

[chivers67]

Sounds like to me at sometime it probably had a 15amp radial for a immersion heating element somewhere and maybe this has been removed and then someone's renewed the kitchen and used this to make a radial or ring.

I would not of thought in 1983 an electrician would have designed it like this?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I would not have thought in 1983 an electrician would have designed it like this?

You are assuming a lot, including but not limited to:
1. It was done by an electrician in the first place
2. It was designed properly, or at all
3. Even if it was designed and installed by a competent person, an awful lot can happen in a kitchen in 30 years. Changes, additions, etc are done by all sorts of sundry work people - including the much loved kitchen fitters.

I have seen recent appalling work done less than a year ago.

 

[johnbuckley]

Sure it's a ring final?

At 15A it could be a radial.

How did you ascertain the way the hood was wired?

I have the plasterboard down so I can see the cable route, it runs from the 15amp fuse around the sockets and back to the fuse. The fuse box is right next to the kitchen so it was easy to see.
Hob extractor is 13amp plug into a socket that is spurred from one of the closest ring sockets

 

[johnbuckley]

Is it definitely a ring final on a 15A fuse? Are you sure it's not a radial?

If it is a ring in 2.5mm² then on a new board it could go on a 32A breaker and that would be fine.

Other than that it sounds perfectly normal and exactly how kitchens used to be wired. You now might think about having a dedicated radial for the washing machine & dishwasher but it's not dangerous to have them on the ring.

If you did want to have them on their own circuit(s) now would be the time to get someone in to at least first fix them, and have him connect them into the new board when it's done (this would require you use the same guy for both jobs though)

Thanks for your reply.
It is definitely a ring and using 2.5mm cable and the fuse is 15amp.
Good idea about getting first fix done

 

[johnbuckley]

Hi, sorry, do you mean 3 sockets on a 15a fuse and the 4 on the 'house ring' ?

Thanks,

DS

No all of the kitchen sockets run in a ring (apart from one spurred) to and from the 15amp fuse

 

[johnbuckley]

Why do you doubt that it is safe?

Why do you mention that there are no FCUs for the appliances?

I just wondered whether it was safe as I had gotten a bit confused with the various electrical posts on the forum, just got me wondering so wanted to check.

 

[johnbuckley]

I just wondered whether it was safe as I had gotten a bit confused with the various electrical posts on the forum, just got me wondering so wanted to check.
Regarding the FCU's I wondered why there weren't any because the appliance plugs are not easily accessible and from what I've read on here there should be FCU's in that instance.

 

[Taylortwocities]

all of the kitchen sockets run in a ring (apart from one spurred) to and from the 15amp fuse

It is only a ring if you have tested it elecgtrically and confirmed that it is a ring final circuit. It is unusual for it be a (physical/apparent) ring and for teh fuse to be only 15amps.

It could be that there is a break in the ring. somewhere, and an electrician has reduced the fuse size to 15A for safety purposes.

Do you have a low-ohm continuity tester?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Regarding the FCU's I wondered why there weren't any because the appliance plugs are not easily accessible and from what I've read on here there should be FCU's in that instance.

No. FCUs are unnecessary and should not be fitted for this purpose.
You have a fuse in the plug.

You can fit switches - if you wish.