Extractor hood not working

[Dannyg78]

Hi guys,

I have a similar problem her.

My hood has stopped working, lights / fan. i've done a little investigating myself and found out that the problem isn't the hood, its the power supply from the spur. I've plugged the hood into another socket with an extension to confirm this.

At my consumer unit / fuse box the fuse marked extractor is shared with a couple of sockets which are both working ok. I have tested the socket/spur for the hood with a power detector screw driver and i'm only getting a reading from the live wire.

Can anyone help ? what is the problem i've got and is there anything i can do to sort?

cheers

 

[Taylortwocities]

Did you check the fuse in the FCU?

Power detector screwdrivers are hopeless at finding faults. The problems may be with the neutral & you will need a two-probe voltage test device or a multimeter to find where the problem might be.

 

[psmk2]

Probably better buying a new one

 

[delmel]

a new one will not resolve a power issue. You need to track back to the FCU then where ever that is fed from and keep going. Are you sure the circuit has not tripped although it is unlikely to be on its own circuit.

 

[Dannyg78]

a new one will not resolve a power issue. You need to track back to the FCU then where ever that is fed from and keep going. Are you sure the circuit has not tripped although it is unlikely to be on its own circuit.

Hi thanks for the replies guys. I have traced the hood power cable back to the FCU and the switch has not tripped. As described the hood shares it's fuse on the FCU with a pair of sockets that are working. That's what's confusing me.. Do i have to unscrew the individual fuse from the FCU and check that? - although if there was a problem there surely the sockets wouldn't work as there is only 1 wire going into that individual fuse on the FCU

Did you check the fuse in the FCU?

Power detector screwdrivers are hopeless at finding faults. The problems may be with the neutral & you will need a two-probe voltage test device or a multimeter to find where the problem might be.

I'll invest in a multimeter, again do i have to unscrew the fuse in the FCU to check in some way? I take it if the fuse is shared with the sockets, and there is only one wire going in to that socket, the hood will be spurred off the double socket in the circuit?

Probably better buying a new one

Buy a new what?

 

[delmel]

The very first thing to have checked is the fuse in the fcu as that is what tends to blow, especially the cheap lamps blowing can take them out.

I thought you already did that. It will be a low amperage in there, make sure you do not just throw a larger fuse in. The FCU fuse will not affect the sockets working.

Betting it is the FCU fuse and a lamp is also blown.

 

[Dannyg78]

Hi delmel

By FCU are you meaning the consumer unit or the Fan Coil unit in the Hood? if the later the hood is working, i've plugged it in to a extension on another plug and have it working through the alternative power source. - both fan and lights are working fine.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Fused Connection Unit.

Likely on the wall somewhere nearby.

 

[Taylortwocities]

No, an FCU is a fused connection unit, it will look a bit like this
//www.diynot.com/pages/el/el024.php

 

[Dannyg78]

Hi thanks guys, this may be my problem, it looks as though it hasn't been wired with one. It is a direct feed from my hood to the consumer unit.

After realising this i have disconnected it from the junction box it was connected to, stuck a plug on the hood (so i can use the extractor via an extension) and then i have put a socket on the wall for the hood to be plugged into....

My problem is that on only seem to have a live current running from the consumer, however the sockets it shares / or is spurred from work.

 

[delmel]

if the sockets work it has power at that point, if you then go directly to the hood (which you shouldn't) and power is not getting power at the hood, you have a damaged cable or its not connected.

Are you sure that the cable does not go to a Fused spur that may not be in view or the obvious location. Try looking behind or above the hood or kitchen units, or even behind the cooker.

 

[Dannyg78]

ok cheers I'll have a good rummage. it's definitely not on show