Does An Electric Cooker Require An Isolation Switch?

I know this must have been asked many times before, but I cannot find a good answer. Despite reading around, I get mixed views. Does an electric cooker require an isolation switch?
 
For your information, I have a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit just for the electric cooker, but it has not isolation switch. The only switch available is the circuit breaker from the consumer unit located under my stairs, which in my opinion is fairly accessible and is approximately within 2m of the cooker.
 
I've recently had an electrician inspecting my electrics and have asked him this question, do I need one of those red isolation switches above the worktop for the electric cooker and he said not really because I can use the consumer unit as a mean of isolation.
 
So after reading around on the internet, who is right or wrong? My kitchen hasn't been fitted yet, but I would be gobsmacked if after fitting all the cupboards/worktop and then hiring an electrician to wire the cooker, he tells me that he refuses to wire it because I don't have an isolation switch. Last thing I want to do is rip my kitchen apart to get this isolation switch installed.

IMHO I think you may be opening yourself up to a bit of pain in the future......

If the oven/cooker is sharing RCD protection with other circuits and an element develops an Insulation Resistance fault then it could take out the RCD and other circuits until it has been isolated.

A MCB only isolates the L conductor whereas an RCD will detect L-E and N-E faults,,,, even on circuits which are de-energised

So.... why not fit a cooker isolator (double pole) in an adjacent cabinet?

If your kitchen hasn't been fitted yet then I'd definitely be putting one in, for what it takes to put one in at this stage it would be stupid not to.

As above I've wired a few cookers after the kitchens been fitted put it in a cupboard.

A lot of aspects of electrical wiring are not a specific regulation...

just common sense, good practice and natural application of guidance into a specific context...

i.e..

Wiring regulation 134.1.1 states that manufactures instructions must be followed when installing electrical equipment......

and...

Quite a few manufactures state that a double pole isolating switch with at least 3mm separation gap of BOTH live and neutral conductors should be installed....

such as this extract from a Hotpoint manual....

Electrical Connections

The installer must check that the voltage shown on the rating plate

corresponds with the house electricity supply.

The cooker must be supplied via a suitable double pole isolating switch, having a

contact separation of at least 3mm in all poles placed in a readily accessible

position adjacent to the cooker.

If the cooker is to be wired into a connector unit, this may be positioned behind

the cooker providing the following requirements are met:

i) The connector unit must not project from the wall more than 25mm.

ii) The top of the connector must not be more than 130mm above floor

Click to expand...

In the event of an emergency all electrical appliances should have an easily accessible and identified point for easy isolation, so that power can be manually removed for the appliance... Reg 132.15.1 refers.

What logical reasons is there for NOT installing a point for isolation????

Appendix H of OSG also gives guidance for cooker circuits...

where it naturally refers to a cooker control switch being incorporated...

It needs a local  isolator ..end of . 

well reasoned deke, 

Well if you get B&Q  and the like out to fit it they certainly won't fit one without an isolator. They won't even fit one without an outlet plate.

doubt you will find a regulation it breaks but as noz said could be a pain if you dont have one.

are wee talking about a freestanding cooker here? 

wozz said:

doubt you will find a regulation it breaks but as noz said could be a pain if you dont have one.

are wee talking about a freestanding cooker here? 

Click to expand...

This is a built under electric double oven.

wozz said:

doubt you will find a regulation it breaks but as noz said could be a pain if you dont have one.

are wee talking about a freestanding cooker here? 

Click to expand...

Local isolation , surely Wozz     I could look it up but thats down to Gocsan really.  

It goes without saying really ...

the fuseboard is pretty local and is lockable in the off position, covers all the local isolation you will ever need.  Im unsure local isolation is actually in the regs.

wozz said:

doubt you will find a regulation it breaks but as noz said could be a pain if you dont have one.

are wee talking about a freestanding cooker here? 

Click to expand...

:C    see post #5....

Wiring regulation 134.1.1 states that manufactures instructions must be followed when installing electrical equipment......

and...

Quite a few manufactures state that a double pole isolating switch with at least 3mm separation gap of BOTH live and neutral conductors should be installed....

Click to expand...

132.15.1 ????

:coat

Wozz,,, you know it makes sense; and it probably is in the regs or manufacturers instructions, which in effect puts it in the regs

yes i know it makes sense thats what i said in a previous post with advantages and that i would have one, just you may struggle for a reg number.    

And specs i see post five i dont see the word local in the manuf spec.  

wozz said:

yes i know it makes sense thats what i said in a previous post with advantages and that i would have one, just you may struggle for a reg number.    

And specs i see post five i dont see the word local in the manuf spec.  

Click to expand...

Double pole is there though....

or are you fitting double pole MCB's???

132.15.1   says...

"suitably placed for ready operation"

which to me .. is a long way of saying..  "LOCAL"

There is a double pole device in the fuseboard specs.  And 2m is pretty local in my eyes.  

Wozz,, it looks like you're looking for a reason not to fit one when there are plenty of good reasons to fit one

In the end its up to the op and whoever he gets to hook it up

If I were ding a PIR and it didn't have a local DP isolator I'd give it a C3,,,, but then again that's just my opinon

No im giving a different take on the regs, i know what i would have myself and i know what i would do.  Not looking for a reason not to fit one and i have said about the advantages of having one. We all know what we would do.

Im simply saying i dont think the regs require local isolation in this situation.  I could be wrong but never seen the reg myself but im open to suggestions.

So is it just a cooker you would give a C3 for not having local DP isolation?

Wozz,

There are many things that require DP isolation and there are also many ways of achieving DP isolation.

....and seeing as C3 is "Improvement recommended" I wouldn't have an issue with giving it a C3 in this case,,, partly because of the effect that an IR fault could have on the rest of the installation