Changing a blanked oven socket to a useable one

[PinkSquash]

I'm in a HA property temporarily and the socket where the oven would be plugged into has got a blanking plate on (if that's what they're called).

I need to change the socket to one that I can plug my oven into, can I do it myself or do I need to get an electrician?

The HA have said I have to sorted which I'm miffed about but hey ho..

I'm having a real panic about it that I won't be able to sort it or it'll be too expensive and I'll have an expensive ornament instead of a working cooker

cookers usually have their own socket as the house wiring is more heavy duty, so I'd be wary of fankling about. And also I cannot see the HA being too happy about tenants interfering with wiring, probably you will need a proper sparky,

Is the blanking plate at low level behind the oven? If so, is there another switch above the worktop?

There might be a simple connector block behind the blanking plate to connect your oven to. Can you post a photo and I could provide more guidance. Regards

Thanks! Hopefully the picture will upload, there's the main electric switch above the counter as well

oh, i was imagining a more old fashiond sort of thing

that looks like you would wire your cooker flex into that, and then the switch above will do the on/off. Is there a hole for the flex to go in the bottom?

...if so, then Power off to the socket (whole house if you prefer) ...do this at the circuit breaker/fuse box and then just wire your cooker in as you would a plug, remembering that house wiring is black/red/green+yellow or copper for neutral/live/earth and your cooker will be blue/brown/green+yellow for neutral, live and earth.

simples!

I was warned by a qualified electrician that socket isn't for the plug. I'm confused now!

Ohhh it's for an electric cooker, mines gas I just wanted it for ignition which is electric

You need to be careful cutting your plug off and simply connecting your oven to the connectors behind the blank plate. Whilst it will work, it may not be electrically safe. Put another way, your circuit breaker protecting the wiring might be too big for the small flex that is normally protected by the 13Amp fuse in your plug top.

You could buy a single socket from B&Q and connect that to the cables behind the blanking plate - replacing the blanking plate with a single socket, then simply plug your oven into that. This would be the safest and simplest option.

Will a normal single socket be okay to use behind there or is there a specific type I should look for? I have an electrician coming out tonight and he said if I can source the right parts he can fit them today

look for the switch. It will be above the worktop so easily accessible, and to one side of the cooker so you can turn it off without searching, or reaching through the smoke and flames of a burning chip pan. Incidentally it is very bad practice to hide switches, for that very reason.

Circuits for electric cookers usually have an unusually big switch in a big switchplate (at least the size of a double socket on end). Sometimes it is a normal sized switchplate but the lever is very big and red. If there is a cooker circuit then in your consumer unit ("fusebox") one of them will (should) be marked "cooker" and have a breaker marked "B32" or "B40". Photograph it please.

If it is an outlet for the ignition of a gas or dual-fuel cooker, then the switch may be an ordinary-sized square one. Photograph it please.

As you have an electrician coming he will probably recognise what you have with ease anyway.