Is my oven element on its way out?

[RichD1]

The electrics tripped out over the weekend, but not sure what caused it. The cooker was on at the time so I'm suspecting that to be the problem.

When I turned on the oven today, after about 20 minutes when the oven was hot a loud clicking noise started to come for the cooker. But the electrics didn't trip out.

Anyone know a reason for this noise and could it be the element breaking down.

Richard

 

[blup]

Sometimes elements go to earth as they heat up, that could be your problem.

Blup

 

[terryplumb]

What exactly tripped , RCD, MCB ??
Show us a pic if your unsure.

 

[RichD1]

It's a split load main box and the RCD with the cooker on it tripped.

 

[Taylortwocities]

It's a split load main box and the RCD with the cooker on it tripped.

Hmm. Does the RCD with the cooker on it have a test button?

 

[RichD1]

Yes for the whole load but not the individual MCB which the cooker is wired to.

 

[opps]

In my (very) limited experience, the circular element in a fan oven either works or doesn't.

I am not an electrician but a mate's wife rang me the other day to say that none of the sockets had power. I discovered that the RCD had tripped whilst she was using a countertop steamer/slow cooker, which she had washed earlier. I concluded that it was likely that water in the cooker had made its way in to a part that it shouldn't. She left it (unplugged) for half a day, it was, and has been, fine since.

 

[RichD1]

I just can't imagine what will cause the loud clicking/banging noise though. And that when it was doing this the MCB didn't trip.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

In my (very) limited experience, the circular element in a fan oven either works or doesn't.

I am not an electrician but a mate's wife rang me the other day to say that none of the sockets had power. I discovered that the RCD had tripped whilst she was using a countertop steamer/slow cooker, which she had washed earlier. I concluded that it was likely that water in the cooker had made its way in to a part that it shouldn't. She left it (unplugged) for half a day, it was, and has been, fine since.

That experience doesn't really translate to how oven elements behave, because the elements can fail due to local over heating, where the outer casing can become perforated which subsequently can cause RCD's to trip intermittently. A close inspection of the element might reveal some damage to the outer casing of the tubular element.

 

[opps]

Thinking aloud...

My mum's built in microwave combi oven started tripping the RCD when cooking food with high water content. The Siemens engineer turned up and discovered rust holes in the top of the oven that were caused because the kitchen fitter didn't bother to RTFM which said that the kickboard needs an air vent.

 

[RichD1]

Not a problem with our cooker as it's a free standing range type.

 

[opps]

That experience doesn't really translate to how oven elements behave, because the elements can fail due to local over heating, where the outer casing can become perforated which subsequently can cause RCD's to trip intermittently. A close inspection of the element might reveal some damage to the outer casing of the tubular element.

Fair play. I have never seen an element that was close enough to the earthed body to cause a problem if they bulge outwards.

Again, as I said my experience is very limited.

 

[opps]

Not a problem with our cooker as it's a free standing range type.

It might help others more knowledgeable that me if you mention the model number.

As much as I love this site, I occasionally post appliance related questions on

https://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/forums/search?q=oven&searchJSON={"keywords":"oven"}

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Fair play. I have never seen an element that was close enough to the earthed body to cause a problem if they bulge outwards.

Again, as I said my experience is very limited.

The outer metal tube is earthed. The element passes through the centre of a metal tube, with L on one end, N connected to the other, insulated in the tube by magnesium oxide, with the outer tube earthed. What happens with wear and tear, is that a hot spot develops, which works its way through the insulation to the outer tube. It eventually burns a hole in the side of the tube, which also allows moisture in. The owner then suffers regular and annoying tripping of the RCD.

 

[RandomGrinch]

insulated in the tube by magnesium oxide,

Just to add, the insulation itself is hygroscopic.
Which means, it isn't just a case of moisture getting in to the insulation; once a hole is made, the insulation will actively absorb any moisture!