Zanussi, oven, grill, light & fan not working hobs are??

erv77 · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 4:15 pm

Hi,

Next door has a zanussi electic cooker ZCE 531, of course he knocked on my door when it stopped working!!

The hobs work, the light by the 'oven setting' comes on, but

The grill element, oven element, fan, light and thermostat don't work - am I being thick!

If the thermostat is gone, then the oven light would still come on?

Haven't taken it apart yet to have a look at the elements and check they haven't burnt out, but would seem odd that both elements, fan, etc. would all stop working at the same time?

Any help much appreciated

rocks1 · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 4:17 pm

could be stuck on auto cook ,tell them to read the manual first .

stephenf8542 · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 4:19 pm

Is a time set on the clock,some ovens need the timer set before they'll start to heat

erv77 · Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 4:22 pm

jeez, you guys are quick - I was only having a look around the site.

Checked that - I learnt that the hard way when an engineer was called out cos we had our cooker set on timer and not manual - he found it very funny!

stephenf8542 · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:05 am

Are the clock lights flashing?

erv77 · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:27 am

thanks Stephenf8542,

No, it doesn't have a clock light. the timer is the manual type which rings like a metal bell on a bike. I've spun it around, and back, it clicks and rings, and still doesn't work when set on 0 or manual.

The only lights are the oven setting one (grill, fan, etc.), that comes on, and the other light is for the thermostat, that doesn't come on.

I had a similar problem with our indesit, but the oven light still came on. It turned out it was the timer switch. When it's on manual, or it's counting down on the timer, a small plastic box on the switch has a spring loaded metal contact plate, which pretty much keeps the contact, or the circuit closed, except when the timer rings where it breaks the contact to stop the oven.

On my switch the contact plate had taken a few too many power surges (I think) and had burnt out part of the plastic housing, so it wasn't closing the circuit. Luckily the timer switch had two of these housings (depending on which side you wire it up). I used this spare housing and the problem was solved - hope that makes sense!

I'll check this switch today and let you guys know, cheers

stephenf8542 · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:30 am

Yeh let us know how you get on

erv77 · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 5:42 pm

I did think it couldn't be the thermostat, as when that goes the oven tends to heat up but not switch off when the desired temp is reached.

Took the back off the oven, and the thermostat had been fried so badly that the wires had come off, thus the circuit wasn't complete, and so no oven, etc.

I'm no expert so I hope it's just that! Have ordered thermostat, though I now think I should start manufacturing and selling thermostats - what a mark up for a bit of plastic! 35 squid!!

Will update with progress, thanks again for all the help!

erv77 · Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 4:44 pm

It was the thermostat, but not the normal one (coiled wire with a probe) - turns out this cooker has an 'oven protection overheat thermostat'. I didn't see one of these on my cooker! Anyway, we did get the wrong part, but now have the right one on the way - hope it all works when I plug in the new one!