Hi, I'm new here and hope this is the right place to ask for some advice? Last night, my main 'trip' switch was thrown in my fuse box. It took me some time to work out what had casued it (none of the independant switches had tripped) but it wouldn't re-set. I went round the house turning everything off and finally identified the culprit - my gas hob! I turned it off at the isolator switch above the worktop and then I was able to re-set the main switch in the fuse box. I assumed there must be a problem with the electric igniter? This morning I contacted an electrician who said I needed to contact an Appliance Repairer. I contacted an Appliance Repairer who said he only fixed electric appliances and I needed to contact a 'gas safe' appliance repairer. I contacted another Company (who said they fixed gas appliances), but they no longer have any gas engineers.... Gah, I appear to be going round and round in circles.... However, in the meantime, a friend suggested that as I have now isolated the electricity supply, I could just carry on using the gas hob and light it with a piezo electric igniter or a match? As I am looking to replace my whole kitchen later in the year, this sounds like a great option! But, is this safe? I'm just a bit worried that it might be something more sinister? Do I need to get an electrician anyway? Or should I persevere with trying to get a gas safe engineer? Many thanks in advance.
hi, for piece of mind you could ask an electrician to investigate up to the isolator and if the fault is downstream of that (the hob itself) have it disconnected (the electrical side of it). Can you upload a photo of your consumer unit and highlight the bit that went off last night?
Thanks for your reply. I think I am going to worry if I don't get it checked. I'm not at home at the moment, but will try to post a photo later. Many thanks
This isn't mine, but if I recall it looks pretty much like this and it is the switch in the middle with the 'test' button near it that tripped?
Hi And. When you say you isolated the hob, do you mean by an individual plug or FSU in the kitchen that supplies that hob? Or did you have to isolate a whole circuit by flicking off a MCB in your consumer unit? I'm hoping the former. Ie - all you have isolated is the hob sparking thingie. In this case, you can be pretty sure that the earth leakage fault that made the main RCD trip is caused by chust the hob itself. In which case it's perfectly ok to keep on using it, lighting it with a match or lighter, and wait for a new one to be fitted later one. Out of interest, a pan didn't boil over and possibly allow some liquid to get in around the spark igniter button or anything?
Hi, I have just turned off the switch (above the kitchen worksurface) to the hob? I pulled out the kitchen drawer which is under the built in hob and it would appear the hob is just plugged in with a conventional plug (not hard wired), but the switch is above the counter. Im not sure what an FSU is? Sorry. You're right - my mum was 'cleaning' the hob and I rather suspect sloshed a whole load of unnecessary water down the burners..... Thanks very much for your reply. I was rather hoping that I could just use one of those clicky things to light the burners as I will be replacing whole unit later in the year. I just wanted to make sure it was safe to do that as I really don't have much clue....
Hi. Everything to the left of the RCD (the device that tripped on you last night) is protected (cooker, sockets and water heater) by it. This device will isolate the supply (as you found out last night!) when there is an imbalance in the line conductors (the power supply) on the basis that what goes around should come around! If i were you, keep the cooker unplugged (RCD back on) and allow it a few days to dry out and reconnect. You might find it will be fine from there onwards, if not, time to get the hob checked (assuming the RCD does not go again with the hob unplugged)
Good news! I tried switching it on again when I got home from work and it seems ok now! It didn't trip the switch and the ignition appears to be working again. I presume it has now dried out... Thanks for your advice.
Oops, I think I was writing at the same time as you Fats... Thanks so much for your explanation - that's really helpful for the future. It all seems ok, but I'm going out tonight so I might switch it off again just to be on safe side.
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