Electric Sanity Check...

[domejunky]

Hello All

I'm about to complete my brewery upgrade - moving from 2.5 V to 3 V - never had an HLT before...

I brew in a room that was an upstairs kitchen. I use 3kw elements. I used to have one pot and connected it to a domestic socket. I have now removed a fan oven and electric hob and plan to wire my Kettlle and HLT to these supplies. The Kettle and HLT won't be on at the same time. They use what looks like 2.5mm T&E - maybe bigger.

I use 2.5mm Immersion heater cable, and 40A SSRs

I'm aware of Part P Building Regs, and I think from studying the table I'm OK...?

So my questions are:

1. Am I OK with Part P?
2. Am I OK wiring 3kw elements to the Hob and Oven supplies
3. I need to extend the supplies to my elements can I use 1.5mm heat resistant rather than 2.5mm - it's cheaper...?

Pete

[Jocky]

My thinking - I'm in no way an electrician.

You're not changing the wiring of the house, so I think you're ok for Part P, although you need to make sure that your fuse board is updated with the right labels. Wire in two stand alone sockets - one to each of the hob and oven supplies - rather than wiring direct to the supplies.

If you need to extend the cord to your elements, I'm really not sure if you need heat resistant cable at all. The cable itself shouldn't be undergoing any kind of heating. Personally I'm a belt and braces man, so would end up using the 2.5mm heat resistant flex.

[domejunky]

Thanks Jocky.

I like the rubber coated cable - don't know why.

I would have thought the act of adding sockets would contravene Part P - but I suppose I could just replace the wall switches with sockets...

[Jocky]

To be honest, I'm not sure now... I thought that Part P required an electrician if you are changing the circuit itself. Simplest thing is to phone up the local planning department and ask about replacing the oven connection with a socket.

On the other hand I'm pretty certain that permanently wiring two 3kW appliances to a single 20A circuit would fail a Part P inspection as you're overloading the circuit.

[domejunky]

I followed your advice in the end Jocky. Fitted MK sockets. Short lengths of 2.5mm.

I checked the fuse box - I have a 16A and a 32A circuit, so should be fine.

In the process of identifying which trip switch was which I fried one of my elements. Kind of glad I hadn't invested in MrLard's...

Pete

[Stu The Brew 2]

As far as I am aware, if you are having to remove a socket cover etc it will need to be certified. A way round if you want to extend a 13a socket is to wire the socket up with a plug on the other end and just plug it in. You are restricted to 13a though, a quick calc of VxA = 3120 watts.
If you do need to remove covers and hard wire, you are also confident of doing the work, you can legally do it but must get it certified by an electrician (with the ability to certify, not all do).
Hope this is of help.

[Belter]

Oops

[Jocky]

Think you've cross posted there Belter