Replacing Gas Hob With Electric Hob

[Shutpa]

Over the past six months there has been a smell of gas coming from the drawers below our gas hob. Three times we have called the emergency line and three times they found no trace of a gas leak. Over the past week the flame in the large ring has been turning yellow and the flame can go out. Tonight when my wife went to light the ring there was a loud bang and the whole hob lifted out of its seating and then fell back again.

Wife now wants to replace it with an electric hob and I have two questions:
1 Are the cut-outs standardised in hobs (the gas hob is 580 x510mm), and,
2 as there is only a 13amp socket available would new wiring be required?

 

[ColJack]

flames turning yellow just means that there's salt in the air..

1. refer to manufacturer data for hob sizes, find one that fits..
2. yes, almost definitely..

 

[Steve]

1 Are the cut-outs standardised in hobs (the gas hob is 580 x510mm), and,
2 as there is only a 13amp socket available would new wiring be required?

1. No standard as such
2. Yes new wiring would be required.

In all seriousness, if YOU smelt gas, YOU should have taken action even if they couldnt find a leak. If they only inspected the pipework perhaps the HOB itself was faulty. They add the smell to gas for a reason.

If I smelt gas I'd look for a leak myself. I know how, its common knowledge. Gas is perfectly safe if its installed and used properly and with some common sense.

 

[Steve]

flames turning yellow just means that there's salt in the air..

It also means its not burning very efficiently - gas appliances mix the gas with air in certain amounts (its usually fixed) before its burnt. A bunsen burner is a very good example of this - you can vary the amount of air being mixed by opening or closing the valve at the bottom of the tube, and the flame changes its characteristics as such. An efficient flame is all blue, no orange.

 

[flameport]

Tonight when my wife went to light the ring there was a loud bang and the whole hob lifted out of its seating and then fell back again.

So there was a gas leak, and when attempting to light the burner, gas which had leaked out ignited instead and caused a small explosion.

If you haven't done so already, please get the gas disconnected from that hob. It is clearly unsafe.

An electric hob will require a separate circuit from the fusebox/consumer unit. They cannot be plugged in to a normal socket.

 

[Tipper]

You may already have an electric cooker point in the kitchen.....connect it to that.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Get the leak found and fixed.

It'll probably cost less than buying a new hob and possibly new wiring, and you'll end up with something better to cook on.

 

[Shutpa]

Thanks for the replies guys - the gas to the hob is turned off. Now to the replacement. OH has decided the she wants a gas replacement after all. The present hob is an Diplomat (MFI). Any ideas who made these? Perhaps they make others that will do the job.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The present hob is an Diplomat (MFI). Any ideas who made these?

Tomy?

Hobs Я Us?

 

[Shutpa]

Transferring this thread to plumbing since OH is definitely going for a gas hob replacement.