Moving Oven off RCD

[gstonian]

Hi after experiencing the same issue as a lot of people and reading a lot of questions around ovens tripping the RCD. I want to move the oven off the RCD to see if I can start to use my oven normally again instead of having to keep the temperature under 150degrees (to prevent the RCD from tripping)

It's the first to the right of the orange looking trip switch.

I presume once all the power is cut off I would have to unscrew the oven circuit and move it over to the lefthand non protected side. However as I was searching what to do I saw a post which says to move the neutral over and wasn't sure what that entailed.

Is this something that is obvious once I attempt to move the circuit over as didn't want to poke around too much until I posted here

I've attached a picture of my box if you can help me out

Cheers Everyone!

Untitled

• gstonian
• 23 Feb 2010
• 2

Untitled

• gstonian
• 23 Feb 2010
• 2

Untitled

• gstonian
• 23 Feb 2010
• 2

 

[Spark123]

I can't recommend moving it across as that will make the circuit less compliant with the current regulations.
How hard is it to fix the oven? A good place to start would be to replace the element.

 

[Adam_151]

You dont have a socketout on your oven switch do you? and how is the cable run?

Not withstanding that this is notifiable work, and at the very least the Zs of the circuit should be tested afterwards...

Switch the power off* unscrew the MCB, unclip it from the din rail, move it to the other side, make sure to tighten it onto the bus as well as clip it in, and connect the outgoing circuit, and yes, you will have to move the neutral to the non RCD neutral bar... see the two neutral bars at the top... left is non-rcd, right is RCD (get the wrong one and you'll trip the RCD every time), the order of cables in teh neutral bar should follow the order of the breakers, the terminals are numbered to help you... but be aware that depending on who installed the board, you cant rely on that being correct!

*Yes... commercial electricians do it with the busbars live all the time, but a DIYer certainly should not try it!!

 

[mfarrow]

Do what Adam says, but chuck the MCB and install a 32A 30mA RCBO instead. This will retain RCD protection to that circuit, as is required by the regs (unless you know the cables aren't buried in a wall or installed in earthed conduit?).

You'll still get tripping, but it's the only way to stay within the regulations. But hey, at least you won't lose the whole house at once!

Or... buy a new element from fleabay for £15, unscrew the panel at the back of the oven and fit the new one.

 

[Steve]

*Yes... commercial electricians do it with the busbars live all the time, but a DIYer certainly should not try it!!

Aw, spoil all my fun!

 

[DCC]

Thats quite a neat CU compared with some that are posted but why so much bare copper?

 

[ccam108]

Is it just me that sees a sliver of black on the tail in the live, and a sliver of red on the tail in the neutral?

Colin C

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[aptsys]

Is it just me that sees a sliver of black on the tail in the live, and a sliver of red on the tail in the neutral?

Colin C

Slither perhaps?

It looks like black in the live, but the I think the red you're seeing is just colouration of the copper - They're probably both black.

Any chance of a picture of the CU and meter together to see if the polarity is correct?

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[aptsys]

slither, is what a snake does.
sliver, is a small narrow piece of something.

I have always thought sliver was a mis-spelling. Durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Sorry Colin C

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ccam108]

Is it just me that sees a sliver of black on the tail in the live, and a sliver of red on the tail in the neutral?

Colin C

Slither perhaps?

It looks like black in the live, but the I think the red you're seeing is just colouration of the copper - They're probably both black.

Any chance of a picture of the CU and meter together to see if the polarity is correct?

slither, is what a snake does.
sliver, is a small narrow piece of something.

D'oh!

 

[mikeybowler]

I'll just state i'm not a qualified electrician.

I've just had problems with my oven randomly tripping the RCD after 2yrs fault free operation.

I must state the RCD is tripping for a reason! Fix the oven... The oven must have worked in the past above 150c? So why isn't it working now?

I checked the elements, remove the oven and check the connections inside. I found that where the flex entered the back of the oven there was a choc block that connected the Live and neutral to the internal wires of the oven (by manufacture design), I discovered that the live wire must have been loose (when the oven was made) and has generated heat, melting the choc block connector which in turn was shorting out on mounting screw that was earth through the casing.

I was so tempted to more the oven off the RCD and replace the oven wall switch to one with out a socket. So glad I didnt! The RCD was doing its job.