Oven Electrics and Lights

[battersea]

I recently got a house built and kow want to install an oven. Is there anything i need to be wary off....i remember the cooker in UK had a special plug in the wall ...is it the same here ?

also i have bought dimmer lights but the electrician has installed them as just normal lights that do not DIM ???

what can i do ?

[delgarcon]

Find a dimmer electrician?

[Crossy]

For the oven it should have a dedicated circuit, if it's just an oven (not a full cooker with a hob) then it will be fine with 4mm² cable on a 30A breaker or even 2.5mm² on a 20A, but read the manufacturers instructions.

I'm not sure what the issue is with your lights, do you have dimmer switches, what kind of lamps?

If your sparks has installed regular light switches these can be replaced by dimmers, visit your local HomePro or other electrical emporium.

Our dimmers work "backwards", come on at full brightness then dim down as you turn the knob.

Note that if you are not using normal incandescent lamps then any compact fluorescent or LED lamps have to be special "dimmable" ones.

[battersea]

thanks for your reply I will check the lamps.as for the oven I will explain it to the sparky when I find him.

I have a separate gas hob and I wanted to put the oven underneath it.

I enclose a photo of the space where i want to put it...

do you think this space will be okay or will it require some insulation around the oven as the cupboard space is slighty bigger and if so what?

[bankruatsteve]

The oven shouldn't require insulation. But an oven practically sitting on the floor wouldn't work for me. I prefer oven at counter-top level. Suggest you find the model you like, check dimensions for fit and also put the oven at the level you are showing and see how convenient it will be to check and load/un-load.

[Crossy]

Assuming the oven is intended to be built-in (normally in an oven housing unit) then it won't need venting. Oven housings are only slightly bigger than the oven, so if it fits in the space it should be fine.

As always read the instructions.

[battersea]

Apparently the Smeg oven i am getting has a 13a plug ?

Does that mean i just plug and bake or do i have to have a new separate circuit ?

[Crossy]

Apparently the Smeg oven i am getting has a 13a plug ?

Does that mean i just plug and bake or do i have to have a new separate circuit ?

Although it will be fine on the kitchen circuit you may find that operating it and the kettle together will open the breaker, I would run its own circuit, 2.5mm cable, 20A breaker.

[battersea]

Thanks a lot for your help. I have no clue about such things and i appreciate your advice...

[battersea]

so make a new plug socket just for the oven running to the fusebox with

with a 2.5mm cable and a. 20A breaker. ?

sorry mate i am not savvy with the terminology and neither will my jungle sparky !

[Crossy]

so make a new plug socket just for the oven running to the fusebox with

with a 2.5mm cable and a. 20A breaker. ?

sorry mate i am not savvy with the terminology and neither will my jungle sparky !

Yup.

If you retain the 13A plug on the oven try to get a proper BS1363 13A outlet, not one of the 'universal' ones, they just won't do the job with an oven on the end.

Failing that cut off the 13A plug and use one of the round 'Schuko' plugs and matching outlets which are readily available and rated at 16A http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuko

The normal Thai plugs although theoretically rated at 15A are marginal for that sort of load.

[bankruatsteve]

Just to say... my oven didn't have any plug - just hook up the wires. Which, if that's the case for the OP, can just remove the receptacle and join the wires inside the box. IE: there is no need or requirement to have a plug/receptacle for appliance like an oven.

[battersea]

Thanks everyone .. are those Schuko plugs available in Thailand ?

Or where can i get a proper BS1363 13A outlet ?

[Crossy]

Yes, Schuko plugs and outlets are readily available here, take photos to your local electrical emporium.

I've not seen pukka BS plugs and outlets here. But Malaysia and Singapore use them if you need to do a visa run or have someone there who can send you a couple. Note you'll need the back box too, not the same size as the Thai ones.