When it comes to kitchen disasters, nothing throws a culinary spanner in the works quite like a temperamental oven.
If your cooker is tripping out more than The Beatles in their ‘60s heyday, the results can be more than a little frustrating.
Keep your oven from blowing hot and cold with this handy guide, guaranteed to help you bring your oven back down to Earth and your cooking back to reality.
Reasons My Cooker Keeps Tripping
If your oven is on the blink worse than the three-eyed fish from The Simpsons, getting to the bottom of the issue can be akin to looking under the car bonnet at a steaming engine. To the untrained eye, knowing what to look for can be virtually impossible.
That being said, for most electric ovens that trip when turned on, the issue is usually related to either the circuit or the wiring. Unfortunately, neither is remedied with a sharp love tap to the side or a simple reset at the mains and, chances are, you’re going to need expert help to resolve it.
Nevertheless, when it comes to fixing a tripping oven, knowledge is most certainly power. To help you get on the right track to ovenary nirvana, here’s a rundown of the most likely causes of your cooker’s triptastic tendencies.
The Circuit
If your oven is causing the electric to trip faster than a drunk on ice, the most likely culprit is the circuit. Sadly, the intricacies of the oven circuitry will almost certainly require a pro in its restoration.
If multiple devices have been linked to the same circuit as the cooker, a professional technician will simply unplug the other devices to identify the issue. This should stop the oven from tripping the RCD (residential current device) and an upgrade may be necessary.
The Wiring
When the oven is off, the power current of the oven should be zero. However, if the current is greater than 0.3A, then there could be a problem with the oven wiring.
Additionally, there may be an issue with the terminal blocks, which are present in most European installations. If these are misplaced or positioned incorrectly, this could also be what’s causing your oven to trip.
Meanwhile, terminal blocks are also prone to deterioration, so it could simply be a case of the blocks needing replacement. A qualified technician will be able to identify this and assist you, if this is indeed the case.
The Components
If the circuit and the wiring are perfectly fine, the components may be the problem and are the next logical feature to investigate.
Once it’s been confirmed that no additional devices are connected, turning on the oven to a low temperature will allow you to identify whether or not it’s the components that are the issue.
If it trips immediately, the issue likely resides in the fuse; however, if it doesn’t instantly trip, it confirms that the fuse is in working order.
From there, if the electric trips when you raise the temperature, the problem is most likely the heating elements and you will require a replacement element. Once again, a qualified tech will be able to arrange this for you easily.
Out of the components, the four most likely elements to break are:
- Thermostats
- Switches
- Fan Motor
- Lamp
Expert Assistance
The world of oven repairs can be a minefield for anyone not well-versed in the art of electrics and any attempts at a DIY solution can leave you cluelessly staring at hardware and exposed wires like Riggs and Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon 3…hopefully with less fireworks.
If your oven does keep tripping the mains, it’s strongly recommended that you consult a professional for their assistance and expertise. While it can be tempting to tackle the problem yourself, attempting to take on any electrical task without the know-how can be extremely reckless and cost you more than just the price of an oven.
For more information on oven repairs or if your technician recommends a specific oven part you need to find, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 02920 452 510 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.
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