6 Easy Steps: Installing and Connecting Your New Electric Cooker

Understanding the electrical regulations

While dealing with gas and electric cooker installations, it is important to understand the existing electrical regulations and their importance. Chances are high that your new cooker is more powerful than the existing one. Thus, your old circuit is insufficient to power the new appliance and a new circuit needs to be installed. According to the existing legal requirement, only a Part P-certified electrician can install a cooker circuit. But if you make use of your own electric circuit and cooker control unit, then you can do the wiring for the new gadget. It is important to note that you must be very careful and cautious while doing the job. Else it may prove fatal any moment.

Last but nevertheless the least, you still have to hire a licensed electrician to inspect your job. The professional also issues you a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. If you fail to get your job inspected and certified by a qualified electrician, you may run out of cover from your property insurance. Selling the house at any time in the future also becomes much difficult.

Step 1: Check the power requirements      

Electric cookers generate a huge quantity of heat and they consume a lot of power or electricity. Therefore, the minimum requirement for this range of gadgets is 13 amp fuse although the newer models work on 32 amp fuses. There must be a separate fuse for it and so, you have to install the gadget on a different circuit. This system isolation ensures the cooker draws its required amount of power hassle-free every time it is switched on. This also ensures your home is safe and foolproof from electrical short-circuits and fire triggered by the cooker itself.

Step 2: The role of a double pole isolating switch

Cookers consume a lot of power. Thus, you need double pole isolating switches to supervise them. The role of the isolating switches is to ensure the gadget’s wiring carries no electric current in the event of a short circuit. This way the isolating switch also ensures you won’t get a shock if you touch the gadget after the short circuit.

A double pole isolating switch is different from a ‘switch’ or a ‘single switch’. Single switches only de-energize the live wire but in the case of cookers, as they use so much power, they can easily energize even the neutral wire. Double pole switches ensure complete safety by shutting both the wires off.

Step 3: Positioning of the cooker control unit

A thick cable connects the cooker with its control unit. Make sure the distance between the gadget and its control unit is no more than 2 meters. You should never place the cooker and its control unit directly below one another to avoid a potential fire hazard situation.

The modern range of cooker control units has a neon light installed. This indicates whether the gadget is turned on and whether the electric current is properly flowing through it.

Step 4: Use the right cable for cooking

The new range of cookers comes with a special cable. In case your one does not include the cable, there is nothing to panic. You can get the cable easily in the market. Pick up a 2.5 mm heat-resistant cable for the purpose. Make sure the cable includes 3 wires. According to standard products in the market, the brown wire carries live current, the blue neutral current while the exposed one carries the residual current to the earth below. This cable is popularly called ‘2 core and earth’ or ‘ twin and earth’.

Step 5: Consider the ‘hot zone’ of the appliance

Your cooker has a hot zone. It is the area that is directly placed above the appliance. Install the cooker anywhere you want but make sure there is not even remotely inflammable items around it like overhanging boilers, anything made of wood, wallpaper, and such other things.

Maintain a minimum gap of 300 mm between the cooker and any other kitchen appliances including dishwasher, sink, and refrigerator.

Step 6: Connecting the cooker to the power grid in your home

This is a very crucial step and you must be very careful.

First, connect the cable behind the cooker. Follow the steps below to make the job easier.

• Identify the terminal outlet box behind the cooker and carefully unscrew the plate.
• Connect the 3 wires ( brown or live, blue or neutral and earth or green/yellow) to their appropriate slots.
• Here’s an easy thumb rule – the neutral remains in left, earth at the center and the live one goes to the right.
• Tighten the screws to make sure the wires are fixed in place.
• Re-install the backplate.

Connecting the cooker with its control unit

• Double-check whether the cable that comes with the cooker is properly fixed to your appliance.
• Use a tiny padlock to lock the cooker circuit on the fuse box. This way you prevent people from accidentally flipping the switch while you are busy wiring the cooker.
• In order to de-energize the cooker completely turn the double pole isolator switch on.
• To avoid scratching the kitchen floor, place a scrap covering of vinyl or any other material beneath the cooker.
• Ensure the cooker control unit is completely dead and safe to work with by testing with a voltage tester. Then move ahead with removing the screws inside.
• Apply gentle pressure to place the wires in their respective slots and then place the screws back. Make sure not to cross-thread the screws.
• To secure the wires firmly in place screw the insulation bit under the wiring.

If you have followed the instructions discussed above correctly, now is the time to start cooking your favorite dishes. For more information, you are free to contact us. The easiest way to reach us is to search online anywhere from London using strings like “electric cooker fitter near me”.

Just remember to be careful, cautious and patient. Do the necessary research and be fully prepared before starting the DIY project. In case you do not feel confident enough, better hire a licensed electrician to complete the project.