Kitchen Grid/Isolation switches

[Spinny]

Please can I get some advice on fitting grid/isolation switches into a kitchen. We did discuss this with our kitchen company and the plan is to fit the switches inside a suitable kitchen cupboard. So now I am wondering how exactly this is best done. The kitchen company have said the electrician should fit a surface box onto the backboard inside of the cupboard, which is a 3mm back board.

 

Is this the common approach and does anyone have any photos of this achieved in practice ?

Fitting an electrical box onto a 3mm board doesn't seem that robust, neither does it seem great aesthetically, a 47mm box would be 2 inches of box obstructing the back of the cupboard for example. It may be too late to do that much about it given the wires are in place. But what is normal, does anyone mount the box onto the wall behind the cabinet and then cut an opening around it ? Or reinforce the board from behind with timber ?

 

We have one wall run of cabinets with Oven, Microwave/oven, Warming Drawer, Induction Hob, Extractor Fan, fridge freezer, and a smart switch for opening the rooflight.

And a kitchen island with D/washer, wine cooler, quooker.

 

Would be really good to see photos of what others have done. I will discuss again with the sparky, but sometimes trades have no criteria other than quickest for them, whereas we will be living with it, and looking at it for 10-15 years.

 

[Russell griffiths]

If the wires are in place then that’s that, unless you want to move them. 
most of our isolation is in the pantry all flush fitted. 
however the isolation for the two oven is as you describe a 47mm surface box in the back corner of the cupboard. 
cut a square of osb and fit it behind the cupboard where the switch is going. 
47mm in a 600 deep cupboard isn’t exactly taking up a lot of room. 

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Spinny said:

Please can I get some advice on fitting grid/isolation switches into a kitchen. We did discuss this with our kitchen company and the plan is to fit the switches inside a suitable kitchen cupboard. So now I am wondering how exactly this is best done. The kitchen company have said the electrician should fit a surface box onto the backboard inside of the cupboard, which is a 3mm back board.

 

Is this the common approach and does anyone have any photos of this achieved in practice ?

Fitting an electrical box onto a 3mm board doesn't seem that robust, neither does it seem great aesthetically, a 47mm box would be 2 inches of box obstructing the back of the cupboard for example. It may be too late to do that much about it given the wires are in place. But what is normal, does anyone mount the box onto the wall behind the cabinet and then cut an opening around it ? Or reinforce the board from behind with timber ?

 

We have one wall run of cabinets with Oven, Microwave/oven, Warming Drawer, Induction Hob, Extractor Fan, fridge freezer, and a smart switch for opening the rooflight.

And a kitchen island with D/washer, wine cooler, quooker.

 

Would be really good to see photos of what others have done. I will discuss again with the sparky, but sometimes trades have no criteria other than quickest for them, whereas we will be living with it, and looking at it for 10-15 years.

 

Just DO NOT let them fit them down low, as you'll bash the crap out of them taking things in /out of the cupboard. Get then as high up as you can, plus then you pretty much cant see them.

 

1 hour ago, Spinny said:

Or reinforce the board from behind with timber ?

This. Install a piece of 15mm MDF or PLY behind, screwing it into place where the sockets etc will hide the screws.

 

One I did a few years back. Howdens kitchen.