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Installing a microwave oven that has a 16amp fuse rating?

Emmanuel Yohannes

Hi All,

I had my kitchen re-wired and there was something that I failed to pick up which has caused me problems so far. Basically, I have a Zanussi ZVENM6X1 microwave oven that has a fuse rating of 16amp, but the problem is that I hadn't put it on its own dedicated 16amp circuit breaker, there is only the single socket outlets available but I don't think its safe and I don't think I can hard-wire the appliance to a 13amp plugtop. I had a few suggestions from others telling me to hard-wire the appliance to a Fused connection unit and then put a 16amp fuse in the FCU. Is this a feasible way to do it, or can there be another way to hard-wire the appliance without having to chase and introduce a new cable from a newly put 16amp circuit breaker from the board

Many Thanks

  • 0 in reply to Chris Pearson

    and in terms of the 5 or 6 Ps, not one of them is 'plug' at least in the fairly robust version I know.

    The hacker solution to needing more than 13A could be these

    20 amp BS1362 UK plug fuses  as

    a step up from a length of 1/4 inch drill rod

    Arguably one is Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action, a kind of C1

    The other is only Potentially dangerous – urgent remedial action kind of C2.

    The correct approach is a dedicated radial !!

    Mike.

  • 0 in reply to mapj1
    mapj1 said:
    20 amp BS1362 UK plug fuses  as

    May exist as a product, but they don't comply with BS 1362 as claimed ... the scope of BS 1362 is limited to 13 A.

    And of course to fit one in a BS 1363 plug or fused connection unit would exceed the strength and capability of that equipment.

    mapj1 said:

    Arguably one is Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action, a kind of C1

    The other is only Potentially dangerous – urgent remedial action kind of C2

    A major reason the drill in the plug is C1 is accessibility of live parts. Otherwise, both are classed as inadequate protection against overcurrent for the plug in the socket-outlet (you couldn't say there was none unless the circuit supplying the socket-outlet also didn't have overcurrent protection).

  • 0

    Curiously if you got back a few editions of the regs, the options included a 15A or 16A circuit breaker as an alternative to a 13A fuse to create a fused spur from a ring circuit. (I did actually use that option once to be able to feed a socket plus other equipment from an existing spur).

       - Andy.

  • 0 in reply to AJJewsbury

    Maybe, but that is simply because 13A is the highest rated fuse that can be used in an FCU.

    A 2.5mm² spur (method C) could, CCC-wise, theoretically be protected by a 25A MCB  or -

    just use 4mm² cable for the spur like a branch from a 32A radial.

    Yes, I know all the pitfalls previously mentioned with regard to a ring circuit.

    It is time the UK ring circuit (with its regulation still written for 30A BS3036 fuses) was done away with - there really is no need for it since the introduction of MCBs.

  • 0 in reply to gkenyon

    I am not suggesting that it makes any difference to the installation method, but if we are typical, the oven will be used either as a microwave or a conventional oven. Ours is free-standing and on a 13 A plug. The instructions limit the full load to 5 minutes, but it can cook a baked potato with crisp skin in under 10 minutes.

    gkenyon said:

    Please be aware that the ZVENM6X1 is NOT simply a microwave oven: https://www.zanussi.co.uk/kitchen/cooking/compact-built-in-range/compact-oven/zvenm6x1/

    It's a combination grill/oven.

  • 0

    Now here is an interesting point: Any consumer product in this country must have a 13A plug fitted with an appropriate fuse. If it is to be fixed and of too high a rating it must have full instructions. This product appears to have neither, and in fact is not destined for the UK. Perhaps this chap is somewhere outside the UK? However with a 3kW rating a 13A plug should be just fine.

  • 0 in reply to David Stone
    David Stone said:
    Any consumer product in this country must have a 13A plug fitted with an appropriate fuse.

    Untrue.

    David Stone said:
    If it is to be fixed and of too high a rating it must have full instructions.

    They are available to download from Zanussi's web-site. Being fixed wired, or "hardwired" has nothing to do with product rating.

    David Stone said:
    This product appears to have neither, and in fact is not destined for the UK.

    This product has instructions for hard-wiring, and is clearly intended for sale in the UK, and available from UK outlets.

    David Stone said:
    However with a 3kW rating a 13A plug should be just fine.

    But that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do, as discussed above.

  • 0

    IET On-Site Guide H2.5 page 211.

    Connect it to the circuit with a B16 MCB.

  • 0 in reply to Sparkingchip

    Could also produce high leakcurrents and require a high integrity earth of some form. Merrychef produce similar appliances and can be plug socket of 16A variety, but have to keep in mind the high integrity earth requirements. 

  • 0

    check the weather detail tag it should have struck the back side of the oven,it gave operating details power consumption by watts after that we can decide normally microwave  oven  power capacity is  2ooow  /230v  =   8 to 9 Amp, after that, we can go to next step

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