[Opinion] Stove couplers

[Alfred M]

I have never seen n stove couplers installed according to regs. The stove repair i done this week had 2 x 2.5mm surfix connected to stove from isolator.
SANS 10142-1, Edition 2, requires that free-standing cooking appliances be connected via a stove coupler and that a switch-disconnector must be installed.

[Alfred M]

This client had a valid coc

[skatingsparks]

Jo'burg - went 7 suppliers - None could get a stove coupler for me and all looked at me like I was mad.

[Derlyn]

I have never seen n stove couplers installed according to regs. The stove repair i done this week had 2 x 2.5mm surfix connected to stove from isolator.[ATTACH=CONFIG]8488[/ATTACH]
SANS 10142-1, Edition 2, requires that free-standing cooking appliances be connected via a stove coupler and that a switch-disconnector must be installed.

Stoves do not need to be connected via a stove coupler anymore. They can be wired directly to the isolator through a flexible arrangement.

I remove the stove connector on the wall.
Rewire from the isolator with 4mm house wire leaving 2 metres of slack out the wall.
Fit a dome lid where the plug was and use spraque ( flexible conduit ) between the dome lid and the stove.

[GCE]

Stoves do not need to be connected via a stove coupler anymore. They can be wired directly to the isolator through a flexible arrangement.

I seem to have a different set of regulations to you , or my understanding of 6.16.3.3 is different .


SANS 10142-Ed3
6.16.3.3 Stove connection
6.16.3.3.1 A stove designed to be a free-standing appliance rated above 16 A
shall be connected through
a) a stove coupler which shall comply with SANS 60309-1 and of dimensions
as given in SANS 337 (a maximum of 45 A single-phase and 16 A per
phase for three phase), or
NOTE 1 Earth leakage protection is not required for the stove circuit when a stove
coupler is used.
NOTE 2 For a three-phase coupler, the earth connection needs special
consideration.
b) a socket-outlet that complies with SANS 60309-1 (industrial type) with
30 mA earth leakage protection, however, the use of industrial type socketoutlets
is not recommended for stove connections.

[GCE]

Jo'burg - went 7 suppliers - None could get a stove coupler for me and all looked at me like I was mad.

I will ask the question form a supplier we use but was under the impression that it is no longer a problem as somebody bought the molds from procast and continued manufacturing

[GCE]

I have never seen n stove couplers installed according to regs. The stove repair i done this week had 2 x 2.5mm surfix connected to stove from isolator.[ATTACH=CONFIG]8488[/ATTACH]
SANS 10142-1, Edition 2, requires that free-standing cooking appliances be connected via a stove coupler and that a switch-disconnector must be installed.

You are working on a set of regulations that was superseded in July 2020 , have stated that you are supposedly qualified in electronics , not a licensed electrician and also not an electrical contractor.
I find it difficult that you would then be working in a legal contracting environment which is maybe why you have not come across a stove installation done to regulation

[Derlyn]

I seem to have a different set of regulations to you , or my understanding of 6.16.3.3 is different .

6.16.3.3.3 The stove connections may be wired directly between the isolator
and the stove terminals, by means of a flexible arrangement, which are
mechanically secured and be terminated on either end. When the stove is
removed, the final section of hard wiring to the stove terminals has to be
removed and made safe. Amdt 1

Glad I'm not the only person that interpreted the above as meaning that a stove coupler is not necessary.

[GCE]

I went and purchased the lastest addition to ensure that I am on the latest edition even though the changes appear small and the price over the top whereas they should just be issuing amendments to insert on loose pages

I have to disagree that a stove coupler is not required

I read the regulations to say that if the stove is a free standing unit it shall have a stove coupler

6.16.3.3 Stove connection
6.16.3.3.1Stove connections shall be connected by either 6.16.3.3.2 or
6.6.3.3.3. Amdt 1
6.16.3.3.2 A stove designed to be a free-standing appliance rated above 16 A
shall be connected by means of the following:
a) a stove coupler which shall comply with SANS 60309-1 and of dimensions
as given in SANS 337 (a maximum of 45 A single-phase and 16 A per
phase for three phase), or
NOTE 1 Earth leakage protection is not required for the stove circuit when a stove
coupler is used.
NOTE 2 For a three-phase coupler, the earth connection needs special
consideration.
b) a socket-outlet that complies with SANS 60309-1 (industrial type) with
30 mA earth leakage protection, however, the use of industrial type socketoutlets
is not recommended for stove connections.
6.16.3.3.3 The stove connections may be wireddirectly between the isolator
and the stove terminals, by means of a flexible arrangement, which are
mechanically secured and be terminated on either end. When the stove is
removed, the final section of hard wiring to the stove terminals has to be
removed and made safe. Amdt 1

[GCE]

Jo'burg - went 7 suppliers - None could get a stove coupler for me and all looked at me like I was mad.

The old type cooker plug is still readily available along with the rings etc

Socket complete with plug top comes out at around R1K

[Derlyn]

I went and purchased the lastest addition to ensure that I am on the latest edition even though the changes appear small and the price over the top whereas they should just be issuing amendments to insert on loose pages

I have to disagree that a stove coupler is not required

I read the regulations to say that if the stove is a free standing unit it shall have a stove coupler

6.16.3.3 Stove connection
6.16.3.3.1Stove connections shall be connected by either 6.16.3.3.2 or
6.6.3.3.3. Amdt 1
6.16.3.3.2 A stove designed to be a free-standing appliance rated above 16 A
shall be connected by means of the following:
a) a stove coupler which shall comply with SANS 60309-1 and of dimensions
as given in SANS 337 (a maximum of 45 A single-phase and 16 A per
phase for three phase), or
NOTE 1 Earth leakage protection is not required for the stove circuit when a stove
coupler is used.
NOTE 2 For a three-phase coupler, the earth connection needs special
consideration.
b) a socket-outlet that complies with SANS 60309-1 (industrial type) with
30 mA earth leakage protection, however, the use of industrial type socketoutlets
is not recommended for stove connections.
6.16.3.3.3 The stove connections may be wireddirectly between the isolator
and the stove terminals, by means of a flexible arrangement, which are
mechanically secured and be terminated on either end. When the stove is
removed, the final section of hard wiring to the stove terminals has to be
removed and made safe. Amdt 1

Seems as if they added 6.16.3.3.3 to confuse the hell out of us. Still trying to understand the reason for adding it.

Yep. R1180 is a bit steep to find out that a geyser must now be on earth leakage.

I'm guessing that one only needs to wire the geyser through earth leakage if one does any work on same.
If not it can be left as is ? The same as new socket outlets.

[GCE]

Seems as if they added 6.16.3.3.3 to confuse the hell out of us. Still trying to understand the reason for adding it.

.

I would think 6.16.3.3.3. is there as you do not need a stove coupler if the oven is built into the kitchen cupboards . You could put a stove coupler onto a built in oven as well and it would pass the inspection - you could also leave it off for built in cupboards .

If it is free standing , you have no choice in my opinion.

[GCE]

Yep. R1180 is a bit steep to find out that a geyser must now be on earth leakage.

I'm guessing that one only needs to wire the geyser through earth leakage if one does any work on same.
If not it can be left as is ? The same as new socket outlets.

I have just bought Ed3.01 which was published at the end of 2021
ED 3 was published July 2020

ED2 was published in March 2017 and was the first time that earth Leakage on a geyser came into effect

[Dave A]

Are you sure you have correctly taken into account this bit?

[I]6.16.3.3 Stove connection
6.16.3.3.1Stove connections shall be connected by either 6.16.3.3.2 or
6.6.3.3.3. Amdt 1

Based on the "or", 6.16.3.3.3 is a stand-alone option and is not dependant on the content of 6.16.3.3.2

[GCE]

Are you sure you have correctly taken into account this bit?

Based on the "or", 6.16.3.3.3 is a stand-alone option and is not dependant on the content of 6.16.3.3.2

Looked at it and thought about it - If the stove is built in , I would say the or comes into play and you can use either method - If the stove is freestanding then it states that it shall use a stove plug and the or bit would fall away

Do we ignore the implication on the shall wording ?

I was always taught that if the word SHALL is used it is non-negotiable if the word MAY is used then it becomes negotiable


6.16.3.3 Stove connection
6.16.3.3.1Stove connections shall be connected by either 6.16.3.3.2 or
6.6.3.3.3. Amdt 1
6.16.3.3.2 A stove designed to be a free-standing appliance rated above 16 A
shall be connected by means of the following:
a) a stove coupler which shall comply with SANS 60309-1 and of dimensions
as given in SANS 337 (a maximum of 45 A single-phase and 16 A per
phase for three phase), or
NOTE 1 Earth leakage protection is not required for the stove circuit when a stove
coupler is used.
NOTE 2 For a three-phase coupler, the earth connection needs special
consideration.
b) a socket-outlet that complies with SANS 60309-1 (industrial type) with
30 mA earth leakage protection, however, the use of industrial type socketoutlets
is not recommended for stove connections.
6.16.3.3.3 The stove connections may be wireddirectly between the isolator
and the stove terminals, by means of a flexible arrangement, which are
mechanically secured and be terminated on either end. When the stove is
removed, the final section of hard wiring to the stove terminals has to be
removed and made safe. Amdt 1