The IET is carrying out some important updates between 17-30 April and all of our websites will be view only. For more information, read this Announcement

Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 39 replies
  • Subscribers 31 subscribers
  • Views 9415 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

Electric cooker switches

Arran Cameron
I hope that this doesn't come across as a daft question...


Why do most electric cooker switches have an in-built socket? Do analogous cooker switches exist in other countries that use different types of mains sockets?


I used to think that the socket was for plugging in a gas cooker electric ignition, but there is no real reason for having a separate circuit from the ring main for this.
Parents
  • 0

    David Strachan:

    I`ve always understood it was for occasional use of a kettle. At a time when sockets were few, i.e. one per household or one on ground floor and one on first floor. It made sense to fit this scoket by incorporating it to a cooker circuit. That`s why we diversify the kettle to 5amp because it aint running for long.


    Now a washer or dryer is a whole new ball of wax and best not allowed.




    A cooker switch with an in-built 5A socket for a kettle might have been acceptable in the mid 20th century, but I find cooker switches with in-built 13A sockets where the socket can be used at the same time as the cooker as a very dubious design. I have never seen a cooker switch designed in a way that enables either the cooker or the socket to be switched on, but not both at the same time. 



     

Reply
  • 0

    David Strachan:

    I`ve always understood it was for occasional use of a kettle. At a time when sockets were few, i.e. one per household or one on ground floor and one on first floor. It made sense to fit this scoket by incorporating it to a cooker circuit. That`s why we diversify the kettle to 5amp because it aint running for long.


    Now a washer or dryer is a whole new ball of wax and best not allowed.




    A cooker switch with an in-built 5A socket for a kettle might have been acceptable in the mid 20th century, but I find cooker switches with in-built 13A sockets where the socket can be used at the same time as the cooker as a very dubious design. I have never seen a cooker switch designed in a way that enables either the cooker or the socket to be switched on, but not both at the same time. 



     

Children
No Data

Join us to get the best from IET EngX.

Joining EngX lets you personalise your experience so you stay up to date on the topics that interest you, plus you’ll be able to make connections who are looking to collaborate, exchange ideas and more.

Join us Not now

Community Rules & Guidelines