When installing powerful kitchen equipment (oven, hob), you should follow the principles of its safe connection - use special consumables and accessories for electrical wiring. One of the important elements is the oven socket. If you ignore this norm, household appliances will not last long.
What sockets are needed for powerful equipment
The cable and socket for the oven should be selected according to the power of the device. It is usually indicated in the technical documentation for the technique. Basically, ovens operate at a voltage of 220/380 V. The current strength here is 25/32 A. It all depends on whether the equipment is single-phase in front of the master or three-phase.
More often, such sockets for the stove and oven are used for powerful cabinets:
- For 16 A and 220 V. Designed for standard household appliances up to 3.5 kW.
- For 32A / 220 V. They are used with single-phase ovens with their power of 3.6-7 kW.
- For 20 A / 380 V. Designed for three-phase technology.
All power points for powerful equipment are grounded. Therefore, they have more terminals than standard elements. For single phase outlets, there are two supply points and one ground. Three-phase - 3 supply, one for ground, one for zero (5 in total).
The ability to connect the oven to a regular socket
It is not recommended to connect the oven to a regular outlet. Fire safety standards establish that separate power lines must be installed for powerful kitchen appliances. This is due to the fact that the oven, frying equipment consumes more power than standard appliances: a washing machine, hairdryer, kettle, etc. ...
The exception is ovens with a power of up to 3.5 kW. They can be operated from a standard outlet.
Power points installation locations
- on a wall in close proximity to hot equipment;
- in the area of wet objects: sink, drain, water pipes;
- at a height, much more than a working surface;
- near gas pipes - the sockets are removed from them by at least 40 cm;
- in the immediate vicinity of the floor - it is advisable to raise the feeding point 15-20 cm from its level, ideally 100 cm.
A good area to set up a food point is the wall under the countertop - under the built-in furniture. In this case, access to the outlet is always open, and the area of its location remains dry. It is very easy to connect the plug to the outlet here.
Masters recommend refraining from the decision to make an outlet behind the oven. The feeding point should be located in a dry place, accessible to the eye of the hostess. It should not be affected by temperature extremes. And in any case, it is inevitable when the cabinet is working.
Another point that should be taken into account is the operation of the combi steamer (steam supply to industrial installations). Even in small quantities, condensation can accumulate on the outlet located behind the appliance. This is already an assumption of an emergency.
The power point installed immediately behind the cabinet may prevent it from organically integrating it into the overall "ensemble" of the kitchen. The equipment will unsightly protrude beyond one common line with the furniture.
Determination of power
Power is the main parameter that determines the choice of the outlet to which you can connect in the future when installing the oven. To calculate it, you need to divide the amount of power consumption of the equipment (for example, 3.5 kW) by the mains voltage. Typically, the master receives a value of 16, 20 or 32 A. This indicator of the outlet will allow you to safely install, connect and operate the oven.
Parameters to consider
When connecting the oven and hob to the mains, it is important to pay attention to the type of appliance plug. More often it is presented in the European standard. Therefore, the outlet must be purchased from the same class. Otherwise the money will be wasted.
Additionally, it is advisable to pay attention to the material of the insides of the outlet. It is better if these are ceramic rather than aluminum components. Only under such conditions will the power point withstand a continuous operation cycle of 2-3 hours (standard mode for oven equipment).
In order to de-energize the kitchen as quickly as possible in the event of an emergency, it is better to provide 32 A machines in the switchboard.
Socket installation diagrams
Connecting a power point can be done in the following ways:
- Open mounting. Provides for the use of an overhead wall outlet. Openly mount food points without fail on wooden walls. This is regulated by the PUE. It is forbidden to cut both wiring and sockets into the tree. For concrete, brick, gas blocks, an open installation method is at the discretion of the master, if it fits into the general concept of the kitchen interior.
- Hidden way. Assumes a wall outlet. This method is often used when performing major repairs in the kitchen or before finishing, since the work is rather dirty. We'll have to pretty much damage the tiled kitchen apron. However, for a skilled craftsman, this is not a problem.
From the point of view of fire safety, the open method of mounting the sockets is more preferable. Plus, they can be easily integrated into kitchen cabinets or tables.
Possible mistakes
Sometimes craftsmen make such flaws when installing sockets under the oven:
- Lay a separate wire, grounding the power point to pipes and risers. It is life threatening.
- Other household kitchen appliances are connected to the power circuit of the oven. This provokes emergency situations.
- Connect three-phase models of equipment to a single-phase electric line. Some of the hotplates on the hob will be blocked, and their indicators will show the remaining heat.
In order to choose the right outlet for the oven, you must first familiarize yourself with the technical documentation for it. To connect the hob and oven at the same time, you cannot use the double combination socket. A separate powerful cable is pulled for each type of equipment. If both types of equipment are on the same supply line, this will trigger the machine.
In new buildings, the issue of supplying power lines for kitchen electrics has already been provided. Therefore, here it is easier for the master to connect with his own hands.
