With new gas connections being kicked to the curb, there are thousands of Induction Cooktops being installed nationally and throughout Victoria every year. We’ve installed dozens of these technologically advanced appliances in Croydon, Bayswater, CBD, Kew, and Lilydale just to name a few… The similarities to a gas cooktop make induction cooktops a popular choice – being that you can visually see the element intensity, the temperature changes are instant, and when turned off the surface cools very rapidly (when compared to an old style electric heating element).
PLUG AND PLAY, RIGHT?
Unfortunately nearly all induction cooktops will require a licenced electrician to perform the work. Being that your new induction cooktop will use a fair amount of electricity during use, you’ll find most of these appliances are ‘hardwired’ as opposed to plug and play products.
We’ve put together a quick list for you, so you can see what’s involved before you waste your valuable money on making inquiries with different companies and being given conflicting information.
DEDICATED CIRCUIT: Your new induction cooktop will need a dedicated circuit installed, to power it. This will allow your cooktop to have the power it needs to operate, without tripping a shared circuit used elsewhere in the home. The cabling used for your cooktop will also be much bigger than the normal power circuits in your home, to allow a higher current flow for your cooktop.
ELECTROCUTION PROTECTION: Your new induction cooktop will also need a Safety Switch (or RCBO) installed to protect you from being electrocuted in the event of a fault. This is very unlikely, but our industry doesn’t play with odds because you only get one chance to save your life! These devices are installed in your switchboard, and will trip (turn off) if a fault is detected, or if the cable is damaged. They massively reduce the chances of an electrical fire, as well as protect users from harm.
ISOLATION SWITCH: Your new induction cooktop will also require an isolation switch to be installed within close proximity of the new appliance itself, so that you can safely turn the appliance off in the event of a cooking fire or appliance fault. This isn’t due to added risk from this type of appliance, but more a matter of the cooktop controls being on the same glass surface that is… well… on fire. So it pays to be able to isolate the appliance separately!
BENCH ALTERATIONS: Your kitchen bench may need to be altered to fit your new appliance in, although many induction cooktops do match the size (or close to) of older gas cooktops for this reason. If you do need your bench altered, consider this when choosing a product, and when finding someone to alter the benchtop.
We can alter the benchtop for you if it is made of any type of timber, but if your benchtop is marble, concrete or stone you’ll need an expert – and we know a few!
NOTE: Make sure you check your cookware is compatible with your new cooktop. You may need an entirely new set of pots and pans, but we all need some retail therapy at times…
Mains Supply Capacity: The biggest concern some homeowners will have, is just how much power their home can even be provided with. Most existing houses in the Ringwood, Croydon, Bayswater and Boronia general area have old consumers mains (in many cases, not all cases). This means that although the powerline to their house can handle a 63A single phase supply, it’s the homes electricity meter panel and consumers wiring that can only handle 25A, 32A or maybe 50A.
To fix this problem, you’re going to need to upgrade your consumer mains (the wiring from the fascia, to the switchboard. Or the wiring from the meter to the switchboard). This may kick off a chain reaction of compliance needs, with one thing leading on to another and another. But worry not, we’ve got you covered. Moving into the future, you’ll need to do all this work at some stage anyway so it’s definitely not a wasted expense.
CASE STUDY: We installed an induction cooktop in Kilsyth recently, and the house only had a 32A supply for the whole house. Not only did we install a dedicated 32A circuit for the new cooktop, but we also had to perform a consumer mains upgrade and meter panel replacement due to compliance issues with the Kilsyth address.
The client knew this was going to happen, as we had conducted a provisional assessment on site. We actually did this all on the same day, so by the time they got home they had a new cooktop and an entirely new switchboard and meter panel capable of powering their home, cooktop AND a new EV Charger with a 63A single phase supply.
WHAT NEXT:
If you’re ready to buy your new induction cooktop, give us a call on 0428 862 963 for a quick chat and some free advice. We can help you check where you stand regarding any of the above points, so you can shop with ease knowing what the entire process will cost you.
Once you’re ready to book an install, we can sort the entire process out for you with minimal stress – regardless of whether it’s just the cooktop install or even the whole mains upgrade, and cooktop installation. We’ve got you covered with years of experience and plenty of ideas on how to get this done as safely and efficiently as possible.
Let’s get cooking!