Kitchen Electrical Wiring Part 2: Homework

Our electrical works for the kitchen was put on hold due to the reasons stated in part 1. We also felt that we did not know enough on electrical wiring and wanted to do some homework first:

1. Local Guidelines for Electrical Wiring

I read up Guidelines for Electrical Wiring in Residential Building by the Suruhanjaya Elektrik 

Electric Commission  (Malaysia):

‘ Electrical cookers exceeding 3kW to have its own dedicated circuit connected to a 30A circuit breaker or in a cooker control unit. 2 or more cooker appliances may be installed in the same room within 2 meters.’

2. Guidelines for Electrical Wiring (Other Countries)

I read up other guidelines for electrical wiring on renovation websites.

National Electrical Code (US):

‘ No further than 4 feet for countertop outlet spacing’

The Spruce (US):

 ‘Separate circuits for kitchen appliances including dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave ovens, electric ranges.’

BHG (US):

‘At least 2 circuit for countertop receptacles based on the electrical code.’ 

NICEIC & ELECSA (UK):

‘Electrical socket and switches fitted at least 1 feet distance from sink.’ 

3. Common practices in Malaysia

Scroll through lowyat.net to find out what the others in Malaysia are doing with their electrical wiring

Forum 1: ’Some do a sub distribution board in kitchen’

Forum 2 : ’Not too many loops’

Forum 3 : ‘Good quality wire with appropriate thickness’

We had also discussed with friends and family. A friend who had recently renovated his kitchen had a dedicated circuit (20A each) for his oven, hood, hob and two sets of 32A for his power tracks.

4. Go through the distribution board

We wanted to find out how electrical circuit works for the whole house (especially the kitchen) and went through the distribution board.

It wasn’t provided with the house manual when we bought the house.

We connected table fans, work lamp, extension cord with neon light switch to the plugs and switched off switch at the DB box to identify every single plug in the house.

MCB		Plugs	Location
R12	20A	13A X1	Dry Kitchen Left Wall
Y2	6A	Fan & Lights	Dry & Wet Kitchen
Y5	20A	13A X2	Wet Kitchen Original Wall
Y12	20A	15A X1	Dry Kitchen Left Wall
B4	20A	13A X2	Dry Kitchen Right Wall

We figured out what the subcontractor’s electrician meant from Part 1:

First suggestion: ‘Looping’

MCB		Points	Location
R12	20A	13A X1 + 13A X2	Dry Kitchen Left Wall
Y2	6A	Fan & Lights	Dry & Wet Kitchen
Y5	32A	13A X5 + Fan & Lights	Wet Kitchen Original Wall + New Wall + Backyard
Y12	32A	Oven 15A + Hob 20A + Hood 13A +13A X4	Wet Kitchen New Wall
B4	20A	13A X2	Dry Kitchen Right Wall

Second suggestion: Hacking the wall and ‘pulling’ two circuit from the DB box

MCB		Points	Location
R12	20A	13A X1	Dry Kitchen Left Wall
Y2	6A	Fan & Lights	Dry & Wet Kitchen
Y5	20A	13A X2  + 13A X2	Wet Kitchen Original Wall + New Wall + Backyard
Y12	20A	13A X2	Dry Kitchen Left Wall
B4	20A	13A X2	Dry Kitchen Right Wall
New	32A	Oven 15A + Hob 20A + 13A X2	Wet Kitchen New Right Front Wall
New	32A	Hood 13A + 13A X2  + Fan & Lights	Wet Kitchen New Left Front Wall

We worked out that we wanted:

•  Separate circuits for the hob and the oven.
• To leave the original wet kitchen circuit (2X13amp power point in 20amp circuit) as it is.
• 1 circuit for the fan and lights in wet kitchen.
• To move and extend the dry kitchen power points. 
• Max of 3X13A plug to one circuit of 20A.
• Thicker wiring for the hob if I upgrade from a 2 zone (3200W/ 20A) to 4 zone induction (7400W/ 32A).

I discussed with the contractor and requested 6 circuits for my extension. We were advised that it would be safer to do a sub distribution board in the kitchen although it would cost us RM1k extra.

Installing a single phase subdistribution board?

Pros: Safer, If any issue with water leakage, can switch it off conveniently.

Cons: Electric source from one phase instead of three phase, more expensive.

We went along with his suggestion and was fine with same electrician.

We also went back to the Distribution board and chose the Blue phase for the subdistribution board as it supplied mainly the top floor aircons that are hardly used. 

The contractor had arranged for the concrete subcontractor to be present when his own electrician is doing the electrical wiring. There were two cancellations subsequently. A few weeks later he was planning to change electrician and was still searching.

I then decided that I would look for my own electrician and the contractor was agreeable with that.

Next up: Kitchen Electrical Wiring Part 3: Hiring an electrician