6mm or 10mm cable for cooker?

FlyByNight said:
I am looking at a new cooker for my self - I know the brand and looking at option for gas, induction or mixed. One of the induction hobs they have is rated at 11.1kW And that is with power limiting - using boost on all (which is not possible) would take power up to 15.8kW. Add in the ovens with around 5-6kw.
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Well if it isn't possible to use boost on all the zones then it isn't possible for it to get up to 15.8kW.

If we say 6kW for the ovens then you could have a hob "rated" at up to 13kW and be able to use a 32A circuit.

Your 11.1 + 6 load comes to 30A.


Allowing for diversity, it will require 10mm cable
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Can you show us your calculations? And tell us what the installation method of the cable is?
 
Nomenklatura said:
Well if it isn't possible to use boost on all the zones then it isn't possible for it to get up to 15.8kW.

If we say 6kW for the ovens then you could have a hob "rated" at up to 13kW and be able to use a 32A circuit.

Your 11.1 + 6 load comes to 30A.



Can you show us your calculations? And tell us what the installation method of the cable is?
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Personally I would install the 10mm if it was a new installation.
If there was a 6mm cable already installed thats when I would start looking at installation methods to check if the 6mm is suitable.
 
sparko69 said:
You have no idea what cooker will be bought now or in the future so its not a waste of time installing 10mm.Putting a 4mm cable in for a cooker circuit would be a waste of time and money because it would need to be replaced if a bigger cooker is bought. The 10mm won't need to be replaced.
So how is 4mm cable a better choice?
You haven't even asked about the installation method yet but you can claim to know 4mm cable will be big enough?
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It's true that we don't know the installation method.

But we do know that absolute worst case makes a 6mm² cable OK for a 12.kW cooker, and method 100 or 102 4mm² OK for a 15.2kW one.
 
Banallsheds said:
And a 32 amp circuit only requires 4mm cable.
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If the cable is installed under certain circumstances it will need to be de rated and before you can choose what size cable to install you need to check all the variables, you have only checked the design current...which is a good start :)
 
Nomenklatura said:
Without thinking?
I would automatically install 10mm for a new cooker circuit to avoid future upgrade issues and also it does away with the need to do any cable calculations

You should do that anyway. You're supposed to design the circuit.
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Nomenklatura said:
Without thinking?


You should do that anyway. You're supposed to design the circuit.
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If there is a circuit already installed then you won't need to design it,you would need to verify that its compliant thats the point I was making
 
That's true.

The point I was making is that if there is no existing circuit you don't just bung in 10mm² without thinking. You are not supposed to do away with cable calcultions, you are supposed to do the opposite. You are supposed to design it.
 
Nomenklatura said:
That's true.

The point I was making is that if there is no existing circuit you don't just bung in 10mm² without thinking. You are not supposed to do away with cable calcultions, you are supposed to do the opposite. You are supposed to design it.
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You are right and when you design it you consider the present and potential future requirements. Because the price difference between 6mm and 10mm is so small it is a better idea to install 10mm.
Its better for the homeowner who won't need to upgrade the circuit any time soon and its better for the next installer who comes to connect the new range cooker and finds a nice 10mm cable waiting :)
If you just install 6mm without considering future usage do you think you have designed the circuit correctly?
 
Banallsheds said:
And a 32 amp circuit only requires 4mm cable.
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There you go with your dangerous advice again. Clipped direct only.

Somebody will take notice of you one day and try to save a few quid, putting undersized cable in under insulation etc.

Stop it! Post sensible advice.
 
Gents, I think the point here is that the OP asked for advice and he got it.
To summarise, there is no issue in fitting a 10mm cable outside of a slightly higher initial outlay and possibly wasting little more than he could of gods creation!
The 10 mm cable will serve him and any future occupants for anything new that might come along also.
Everyone is happy and no hard feelings......
 
sparko69 said:
By installing 10mm and avoiding idiotic debates that just go round and round and its also 1 more benefit you gain from designing the installation appropriately :)
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It's OK - I get it.

You think that just whanging in big cables because you don't want to have to bother doing calculations counts as exercising reasonable skill and care.

I doubt that there's anything anybody can say to change your mind, so I'm not going to try.
 
I haven't read this all the way through, just got the jist. Don't bother with 10mm it's quite an effort to install it and also it's likely you will have issues with the terminations. It might be ok in a commercial kitchen but it's way OTT in a domestic. You will never need ~60a draw for a hob.
 
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