adding an extra fuse box

[losaki]

installing an oven but no spare fuses in the fuse box.does this mean i ahve to add an extra fuse box to supply the oven.if so how do i get the supply to the new fuse box?

[BillyNoMates]

You will need to contact your local electricity supplier or a qualified Electrician who is authorised to work on the supplier's equipment.

Two ways of doing it - have a stand-alone breaker dedicated for the oven or replace the fusebox for one with more capacity.

If you go for a separate breaker, a second set of connections will be required from the meter.

If a new fusebox is installed, the existing connections from the meter will need to be re-connected. Hence the need for involvement from the supplier of someone authorised on their behalf to break the main fuse seals etc.

[peanut]

What about changing one of your single breakers for a double? Then you will have a free space for another one.

[stanleyman]

Are you installing just an oven or with a hob? If only an oven you may find the load is low enough to run from an ordinary ring main via a fused spur. The hob takes about four times the current so needs a cooker point, you may already have one that can also run the oven.

[Buenchico]

It's illegal to add a power circuit in a kitchen (either on its own or as a spur from an existing ring) without the consent of the local authorty's Building Control Department. Installations which fall within the scope of Building Control must either be carried out by a registered competent person (i.e. a qualified electrician who has registered under the approval scheme) or you will have to pay Building Control charges to check that your work is OK. These regulations came into force on 1st January, 2005:
http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1130907

Additionally, any work which involves alterations or additions to the existing consumer unit (i.e. your fuse box) requires the consent of the electricity supply company.

Leave it to the experts!

Chris

[stanleyman]

Connecting a cooker etc. to an existing supply can still be done by yourself but it is always best to get it done professionally. You do not need the consent of the supplier to have your consumer unit altered or add a fusebox but they can refuse to connect it if it does not comply with regulations and you can be charged if you overload the supply and blow their fuse. You still need to inform building control before starting work.

The connection is also often done live but can be highly dangerous and must be done professionally. Most like me, have done this countless times when we can't wait half the day for the man from the board to arrive to pull the fuse so that we can then start work without power and then wait the rest of the day for him to come back to put it back in.

[Salamander]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4048371.stm

[qapmoc]

Hi stanleyman, Yes you can do it live and I have loads of times and where I am its almost normal practice, the only problem is you need to have the thought in the back of your mind of what your answer will be one day when there is an accident and the judge asks "did you know this was dangerous, then why did you do it''

[stanleyman]

I had a system that was reasonably safe but the times I had my head in someones understairs cupboard doing live connecting while children ran passed and sometimes bumped into me did make me sweat a bit.

"Yes your honour I knew it was dangerous but this was just another extreme sport, will my eyebrows grow back soon"?