electric oven problem

[EddieCurrent]

Hello ricicle,

Does the socket have to be RCD protected if it is not expected to be used for outside portable equipment, or should you presume that all ground floor sockets could be used for this purpose ?

Maybe the electrician has mixed up the 'shower' and 'cooker' neutrals ( they may be the same size) ??

 

[PePPer83]

If this is the case If I trip the RCD would the cooker be cut off or would that not make a difference? The socket wont be a problem soon as a kitchen makeover will see it replaced by 1 shiny new cooker switch only.

 

[Spark123]

If the neutrals were mixed up the RCD would trip whenever the shower or cooker is used, hence is unlikely.
Is it a range cooker, the RCD tripping when you turn just the oven off?

 

[Pensdown]

Eddie, your right, it doesn't, in fact by putting it on the RCD side of a split load CU it would compromise the overall design because cookers are known to have high earth leakage. It would be a bit like knowingly under sizing an MCB feeding a shower.

The easiest solution (assuming the ground floor is RCD protected) is to label the socket "not suitable for outside use" or words to that effect.

 

[JohnD]

The cooker should not have any effect on the RCD unless there is a fault
=> I think you need the electrician back to trace it.

BTW my opinion is that a cooker circuit should not be on the RCD => the cooker switch should not have a socket but if it has, I would (reluctantly) look for other sockets nearer the ground floor doors and windows to justify the claim that it could not reasonably be expected to be used for portable outdoor equipment. If necessary I would attach a label saying "this socket is not suitable for use with outdoor equipment"

Edited: bah, too slow

 

[securespark]

Does the RCCB trip when you switch the Main Switch off?

 

[Pensdown]

I feel so good. That's the first time since I joined that my fingers have been faster than yours

 

[PePPer83]

Its not a range just an oven but will soon be replaced by a range. I was hoping it was just the oven broken and would mean problem solved with the new range but as I discovered It still trips the RCD when I turn off the oven at the MCB so I guess the prob is not with the oven?

The few times I have flipped the main switch Its been fine.

 

[JohnD]

When you say "oven" do you mean "oven" or "cooker" ?

It still trips the RCD when I turn off the oven at the MCB so I guess the prob is not with the oven?

that means it could be a Neutral to Earth Fault, still at the oven. But the big Cooker Switch is Dual Pole so should stop it tripping the RCD (provided the oven is controlled by that switch?)

 

[PePPer83]

It is just a single oven, separate gas hob with its ignition plug on the main ring circuit.

Yes when the big cooker switch is off the oven doesn't start.

 

[Pensdown]

I recently had a new consumer unit installed and the electric oven trips the RCCB when you turn it off

Did this problem only start after you had the new CU fitted and how long ago was that?

 

[JohnD]

The few times I have flipped the main switch Its been fine.

Then you probably have a Neutral/Earth fault in the cooker BUT it should not trip the RCD unless you have a wiring fault, or a general low level or earth leakage from other circuits which are close to the tripping point of the RCD. (try uplugging the washine machine, kettle, dishwasher and any other watery appliances; and switching off the immersion heater and Central Heating, and see if the nuisance tripping stops). I think you need to get your electrician back.

 

[JohnD]

I feel so good. That's the first time since I joined that my fingers have been faster than yours

You deserve a (bronze) medal

 

[PePPer83]

Yes it only started when new CU was fitted, the old one was fuse wire and they never blew. It was fitted july, been putting up with it with the new kitchen on the horizon. Yes I need some extra sockets fitted so the sparky can have fun finding the fault!

Thanks all for your words, I will try unplugging those things tomorrow.

 

[securespark]

What are the test readings from the certificate the spark did when he changed the board?

The reason I asked about the main switch was that when I fitted a S/L board once, the RCD kept tripping when I switched off the main switch on the board.

I traced the fault to N/E reversal in a fridge plugtop.