You’ve found the right oven, fryer or dishwasher. The size is right, the price is right – and then you reach the electrical specification:

13amp. 16amp. 32amp. Single phase. Twin phase. Three phase.

What does it all mean, and will the appliance actually work with the electrical supply you have?

You don’t need to be an electrician to buy commercial catering equipment, but knowing a few basics could save you delays, additional costs and a nasty surprise on installation day.

This guide covers UK electrical connections and standards – if you’re buying for premises outside the UK, plug types, voltages and phase conventions will differ, so check with a local qualified electrician instead.

13amp – The Familiar UK Plug

A 13amp appliance is the simplest to recognise. It uses the familiar three-pin UK plug and, where a suitable socket is available, can generally be plugged straight in.

This is one reason 13amp equipment can be attractive when adding new appliances without wanting to install a higher-powered electrical supply.

What About 16amp and 32amp?

More powerful commercial catering equipment may require a 16amp or 32amp connection. These often use the larger round industrial plugs commonly referred to as Commando or Ceeform plugs.

You’ll frequently see blue or red versions, but don’t choose equipment based on the colour or size of the plug alone.

Some higher-power equipment isn’t supplied with a plug at all – it needs to be hardwired directly into your electrical supply by a qualified electrician, rather than simply fitted with a bigger plug. Always check whether the model you’re buying is supplied with a plug or requires hardwiring, as this affects what installation involves.

And remember:

32amp does not automatically mean three phase.

A 32amp appliance can also be single phase, so you need to check the exact electrical specification of the machine you’re buying.

Single Phase, Twin Phase or Three Phase?

Alongside the amp rating, you’ll usually see the electrical phase specified.

Single phase is common across commercial catering equipment and isn’t limited to standard 13amp appliances – some 16amp and 32amp equipment is single phase too.

Three phase is commonly used for higher-powered commercial equipment and requires a suitable three-phase supply.

You may also occasionally encounter twin phase. This uses two phases and should not simply be assumed to mean three phase – it’s a genuine configuration used on some accelerated cooking equipment, so it’s worth checking for by name rather than assuming an appliance is either single or three phase.

You don’t need to understand the electrical theory behind it. You just need to make sure the phase specified for the appliance is suitable for your premises.

Check Before You Buy

This is the important bit.

Before ordering, check the manufacturer’s specification sheet for the exact model you’re buying. Look for:

• Voltage
• Amp rating
• Phase
• Connection required

 

Don’t assume every version of the same model has identical electrical requirements – some manufacturers vary configuration within a range.

A couple of minutes checking beforehand could save restocking fees, delays and a nasty surprise on installation day.

If you’re buying equipment requiring something other than a standard 13amp connection, don’t guess. Have the suitability of your electrical supply and any installation requirements checked by someone competent to do so, such as an appropriately qualified commercial catering engineer or electrician.

Not Sure? That’s Where We Come In

Some customers already have a commercial catering engineer or electrician they can ask. Plenty don’t.

At Anglia Catering Equipment, we sell this equipment day in, day out and we’re very happy to help you work out what a particular model requires – but the actual suitability of your electrical supply and any installation work will still need to be confirmed by a qualified electrician or commercial catering engineer.

If you’re unsure whether the appliance you’re looking at is 13amp, 16amp, 32amp, single phase, twin phase or three phase, give us a call before ordering. We can check the manufacturer’s specification with you and explain what the particular model requires.

You don’t need to understand all the electrical jargon – you just need to make sure you’re buying the right machine.

And we’d much rather help you get it right beforehand than have you discover a problem on installation day.