I saw a job today involving a cooktop replacement and I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on it as im wondering if it ever complied, the house would have been built just before 2000.
The cooktop is above drawers and is fed off the same switch as the oven (no problems there)
The unprotected TPS comes into the back of a cupboard, and then behind the drawers to the cooktop, and the switch is in the pantry.
The new cooktop has a sticker on it saying that the bottom of the cooktop can reach 95 degrees.
Im just wondering as a swap can we rely on the original installation as complying as most of us appear to struggle with the current standards let alone remembering the old ones as well.
Last question is how much of the manufactures install instructions do we need to follow for a replacement eg airflow gaps, barrier between the drawers and cooktop etc.
Im starting to wonder if im overthinking what should be a simple replacement as im sure most people would just stick the TPS in and head to the next job
Cooktop Replacement
Re: Cooktop Replacement
I don't believe we can rely on existing installations being compliant.
Just that it's not our problem unless / until we start to modify what's there - and at that stage our responsibility is limited to what we do resulting in (a) a safe (part of) installation that we worked on; and no reduction in safety for any other part [ESR 13]; and
(b) the work we did was compliant - for replacing a fitting, under one of the three paths provided by ESR 59 (3).
One of those paths is following MIs; in which case we have to follow ALL of them.
Even if taking one of the other 2 paths, can't ignore MIs completely.
So if the replacement hob requires larger airgaps than are there, it can't be installed without changes to the furniture.
And yes you'd have to consider the effects of 95 C on whatever is close to it - may need a heat barrier to be installed.
The cabling may well be OK anyway unless likely to be damaged by drawers opening & closing.
Either way you didn't install it, so you're not responsible for the non-compliance.
Same for the switch in the pantry ; it's non-compliant - but that's not down to you.
You could, and arguably should, advise the owner of the non-compliance; and suggest options
- but as soon as you do anything to alter the situation, it becomes your responsibility
Just that it's not our problem unless / until we start to modify what's there - and at that stage our responsibility is limited to what we do resulting in (a) a safe (part of) installation that we worked on; and no reduction in safety for any other part [ESR 13]; and
(b) the work we did was compliant - for replacing a fitting, under one of the three paths provided by ESR 59 (3).
One of those paths is following MIs; in which case we have to follow ALL of them.
Even if taking one of the other 2 paths, can't ignore MIs completely.
So if the replacement hob requires larger airgaps than are there, it can't be installed without changes to the furniture.
And yes you'd have to consider the effects of 95 C on whatever is close to it - may need a heat barrier to be installed.
The cabling may well be OK anyway unless likely to be damaged by drawers opening & closing.
Either way you didn't install it, so you're not responsible for the non-compliance.
Same for the switch in the pantry ; it's non-compliant - but that's not down to you.
You could, and arguably should, advise the owner of the non-compliance; and suggest options
- but as soon as you do anything to alter the situation, it becomes your responsibility
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