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Disconnecting an electric cooker
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Hi, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice.
I'm having a new electric cooker delivered tomorrow as my current one has finally given up on me. They're collecting the old cooker, but it has to be disconnected first, they won't do this for me. Only I have no idea how to disconnect it
The wire at the back of the cooker runs in to a plastic panel attached to the wall with 2 screws.
The cooker has its own switch in the fusebox, if I switch this off (and check the cooker doesn't light up/work after, obviously!), would it be safe to unscrew the box at the back to disconnect the wires? Or should I turn off the main switch to be on the safe side?
The company delivering said to get a professional electrician in to do it, but I'm on a very tight budget as it is, I don't want to pay out if it's a straight-forward job that I could easily do myself. It was installed by a professional so there should be a problem with dodgy wiring or anything (at least I hope!)
Sadly nobody I know has a clue about it either so I don't have anyone to ask.
Thanks
I'm having a new electric cooker delivered tomorrow as my current one has finally given up on me. They're collecting the old cooker, but it has to be disconnected first, they won't do this for me. Only I have no idea how to disconnect it
The wire at the back of the cooker runs in to a plastic panel attached to the wall with 2 screws.
The cooker has its own switch in the fusebox, if I switch this off (and check the cooker doesn't light up/work after, obviously!), would it be safe to unscrew the box at the back to disconnect the wires? Or should I turn off the main switch to be on the safe side?
The company delivering said to get a professional electrician in to do it, but I'm on a very tight budget as it is, I don't want to pay out if it's a straight-forward job that I could easily do myself. It was installed by a professional so there should be a problem with dodgy wiring or anything (at least I hope!)
Sadly nobody I know has a clue about it either so I don't have anyone to ask.
Thanks
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Then try everything on the cooker...If your correct and nothing lights up then the cooker shoud be dead....Do you have a cooker switch in the kitchen..If so turn that of too.
Than open the box and take the wires out.
If you are unsure at any time then get someone in to do it.
Who is connecting your new cooker...?
Once disconnected DO NOT turn the power back on in the fuse box.
It sounds pretty straight-forward, I'm mainly worried about there still being a live wire in there even if it's switched off at the mains!
I'll have a look, if it looks too complicated I'll leave it and call a professional in.
The company delivering are connecting the new one, they just won't disconnect the old one for some strange reason!
Thanks
Probably because there could be all sorts of liabilities/repercussions if their man ends up blowing himself/your flat up due to someone else's dodgy wiring! Unlikely I know, but in this compensation/H&S-mad culture I'm sure it's a consideration!
ETA - if you choose to disconnect it and something goes wrong, then you're the only one who can be blamed. An electrician you pay for the job will (ought to) be suitably qualified and insured to undertake that job. The guys bringing your new cooker will only be insured to install it, not undertake any other electrical tasks.
What do you believe kneeling on a rubber backed mat would do?
Stop his knees aching on the hard floor
Failing that, turning off at the consumer unit will do it, then disconnecting.
Doesn't it stop you being electricuted if you're not touching the floor? Or maybe that's lightening?
I'm in a first floor flat... *wonders if that counts as touching the ground*
I'm a she, but that's a very considerate suggestion, thanks!
I checked the original manual that came with the cooker, it says it should be connected to a 'double pole control unit', I'll disconnect at the mains just to be sure though.
Okay, gonna have a go now... if I'm not back in a few hours send an ambulance please
Increase the impedance of the path to earth through your body, thereby hopefully limiting the size of any current which may pass to that which will not kill you. I'd recommend checking the power is off with a multi-meter though.
Here is an interesting little factoid from the Institution of Electrical Engineers which puts some numbers on these things (the article is discussing earthing plastic pipes but the idea of increasing impedance applies generally):
The Human body plus clothes, particularly shoes has an impedance of about 3,000Ω. At 230 volts this will result in a current of about 153 mA. This is not nice, but it is unlikely to kill you. If there are no shoes and hands are wet, the impedance falls to 500 Ω and the current at 230 volts is 460 mA. This is getting decidedly unpleasant. Immersion of the body in a bath, in effect halves the impedance of the body and current at 230 volts would then be as high as 1,000 mA. This is dangerous, and can kill.
electrisity finds it very had to pass through rubber / plastic so if you are standing or kneeling on a rubber mat then electrisity will not pass through you unless you are touching something else that is conductive. you will find it is a health and safty requiremant at places of work to have them
Pull out the cooker, cable should go in to a plate with two screws, undo them then you should see the wires, make a note of where each one goes, check that and only then disconnect the cable, reverse the instructions to connect the new cooker.
from an electrician
Behind the plate were screw-type of things (the technical term...) which I had to loosen to release the 3 wires. I'm not going near the thing now! I'm leaving it all switched off until they deliver and connect tomorrow.
Ah, but will the new cooker come with cables already attached / connected ?
They usually don't.
MCB off. Cooker switch on wall (if you have one) off.
After checking lights and rings dont come on...
Take a leap of faith with a bare live (off) wire. Brush the BACK of you knuckles quickly across the copper. Old electricians trick. If you get a belt, it's live. Don't do it if you have heart problems/pacemaker.
Check the old cooker rating label for kW and Amps at the back of the cooker.
Check the new one.
Old cookers maybe wired with 4mil cable or god forbid socket 2.5mil cable.
New ones may need 6mil or 10mil cable and that is a job for an electrician.
Even 4mil can be pretty stiff, its not quite like wiring a plug.
(mil=mm squared)
Red=Brown=Live
Black=Blue=Neutral
Breen=Green/Yellow=Earth
Read the new cooker leaflet for install and kW and cable size recommendations.
If in doubt, a local electrician should do it for £20-40, depending on which part of country you live.
Dont throw any 1metre connecting cables out till the new one is in.
You dont want to buy a whole reel.
Get a qualified electrician to do it.
The only mats at my place of work are carpet offcuts used by the Muslim workers for kneeling on.
The people delivering the cooker are just that - delivery men. They would have to be qualified electricians and Part P approved/certified to do any electrical work in your kitchen. If unqualified it would be illegal for them to disconnect any electrical appliance in your kitchen not fitted with a plug.
If fitting an electric cooker they would probably have to safety check it and your wiring installation and issue the appropriate certificate. This is not something that would come for free or be included in a nominal delivery charge.
you'll be fine just have a go flick the fuse check there's no power and undo the screws remove wires and tighten the screws up so they don't fall out
The OP has already wrote the company bringing the cooker will connect it, they just wouldn't disconnect it.