New oven trips breakers

[Sugna]

Hello
First things first - I know there are some other threads on this, but I simply don't understand the replies. My knowledge of anything to do with DIY or electrics ends at wiring a plug.
Anyway...
Just put a new oven in (actually, a newish one from my old house where it worked fine). Anyway, I wired up a regular cable with a 13A fuse to it and plugged it into the socket that sits under the work surface that the previous oven was plugged into, and it trips my circuit breaker as soon as turn it on.
Here's where I get technical...
It trips a black switch with a yellow test button next to it.
It appears that this is some master switch for the two "socket" switches next to it - all the socket powered devices in the house go off but the lights stay on. There's no separate switch labelled "oven" or anything like that. Anyway, I'm guessing that an electric oven socket under the worktop must just be connected to the general socket circuit and the oven just draws way too much current.
Suffice it to say, I'm going to get a proper electrician in to sort it out (anyone know a good one - i.e. cheap - in the Streatham area of London?) but I don't want to get ripped off by appearing too clueless!!
Any advice as to how big a job it is to put the oven on its own circuit (there are spare places on the breaker) if, indeed, that is what is required?
Thanks in advance and sorry for being so clueless.

 

[Steve]

If its a single oven, it wont overload the socket circuit. That switch that trips is called an RCD. It is a VERY sensitive device and detects earth leakage. Chances are your oven has developed an earth fault on its element. Has it been out of use for some time or stored in a damp area?

 

[Adam_151]

That switch that trips is called an RCD.

I wouldn't put money on it, could be an old Voltage operated ELCB!

 

[Steve]

It trips a black switch with a yellow test button next to it.
It appears that this is some master switch for the two "socket" switches next to it - all the socket powered devices in the house go off but the lights stay on.

Nope, Definitely sounds like an RCD in a split load board.

 

[JohnD]

two points:

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

Do you have a gas hob, or electric?

Can you post a pic of the consumer unit?

 

[Sugna]

Thanks for the help guys.
It's a built-in Hotpoint electric oven that I bought about 2 years ago.
It's not exactly the same but almost identical to this one:

http://www.hotpoint.co.uk/macro/product.d2w/report?typeref=16&prnbr=SY36

It was working fine until I moved it into my new house. Maybe I've used the wrong flex at the back? I have just used the flex from the previous oven that I threw out (a regular flex just like you'd get on a lamp or something, with a 13amp fuse). The digital display comes on fine, but as soon as you turn the thermostat knob to switch the oven on, it trips the circuit breaker. In my old house, it had a much fatter wire connecting it to the mains - is this the problem?

 

[JohnD]

Tell us what sort of a "circuit breaker" it is

Does it have a Test button on it?

What are all the letters and numbers on it?

 

[Sugna]

I took a photo of it - anyone know how to attach images?

 

[JohnD]

much guidance in //www.diynot.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=6

 

[Sugna]

And while I'm trying to work out how to attach images...

There is a test button - yellow with a big T on it.
There's a black switch next to that.
Above both of them it says RCCB (with an arrow towards the socket switches) and "63A 30mA TOTAL LOAD NOT TO EXCEED 63A"

Then there are 2 grey switches to the left of it, both labelled as "sockets" on spaces 6 and 7 - there are some spare spaces 8, 9 and 10.

On the right hand side, there are two brown switches labelled "MAIN SWITCH TOTAL LOAD NOT TO EXCEED 100A" and to the left of that, two green switches both labelled "Lights", then three blank spaces.

Got that?!

 

[JohnD]

OK.

It sounds like your oven is supplied from the ordinary Socket circuit (not a dedicated cooker circuit) and that the circuit is protected by an RCD. the RCD detects earth Leakage currents and cuts the power before they become dangerous.

Oven elements are notorious for having slight earth leakage from their heating elements, especially as they get older. It is usually very slight and not a danger. However it tends to cause RCD trips. this is a nuisance so many people advise that cookers are supplied from a non-RCD circuit.

If you have a Cooker circuit that is not controlled by the RCD, it would be best to supply your oven from that. You might be able to cure the leakage with a new heating element, but there is no guarantee that it will not start leaking again in a few weeks or months.

As you do not appear to have a Cooker circuit you could get an electrician to install one for you. try to get a recommendation for someone local from friends or neighbours. Phone first and ask if they are a member of a self-certification scheme; which one; how long they have been a member, and what is the trade name they are registered under (you can check all that). it is not a foolproof way of finding a good electrician, but someone who is not qualified as a member of such a scheme is unlikely to be qualified and up-to-date. you are required by law you have a certificate for a new circuit in a kitchen and a member of a scheme is authorised to issue it.

Another possibility is that you have wired the oven flex and plug incorrectly. Open it and check.

Alternatively, you could get a gas cooker.

 

[baldelectrician]

could be something simple like n+e reverse

if you get someone in have them check the connections on the oven (make sure the live, neutral and earth are in the correct places)

the plug top at the end of the oven flex may be wired wrong.