New electric cooker causing power to trip at fuse. The fuse is reluctant to flick back on after.

[Stephen]

The two switches are probably a bit wider than a standard accessory plate, and the back box is a twin-1-gang, rather than two separate 1-gangs spaced apart. Hence something has to sit on top of something else!

Don't know what this means sadly but.... all I know is it was an oversight when we put patress boxes in

 

[Toneyz]

As post 20. You need an electrician to do an insulation resistance test. There could be a fault on one of the other circuits. Out of interest what was the power/current rating of the old oven?

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Don't know what this means sadly but.... all I know is it was an oversight when we put patress boxes in

So you've recently had work done... Anything involving the cooker circuit other than connecting cooker?

 

[Stephen]

As post 20. You need an electrician to do an insulation resistance test. There could be a fault on one of the other circuits. Out of interest what was the power/current rating of the old oven?

Hi pal. Sadly I don't know. Looks like an electrician is the way forward.

 

[Marcus Vaughan]

When you say ‘flick the fuse up’ I think you are referring to the Crabtree Unit between the meter and the consumer unit.

If so - that is also an RCD - not sure why it is there though, as the circuits in the photo are protected by the RCD in the consumer unit.

Maybe there are other circuits in the consumer unit that are labelled ‘non RCD protected’ and someone has put this Crabtree ‘upfront’ RCCB (RCD) in?

It’s not a great idea to have an upfront RCD - as you have found out - as one faulty appliace leaking to earth will take out the whole house.

I agree with others that you should call an electrician to test the circuit, check the connections at the cooker connection unit, check the wiring is of a
suitable size, check the RCD etc.

The same electrician may well be able to remove that upfront RCD as well, depending on what they find.

Maybe a stand off picture of the whole consumer unit?

 

[Stephen]

So you've recently had work done... Anything involving the cooker circuit other than connecting cooker?

Ok well there is something else. The old isolation switch before remodelling was a huge external patress box on the wall the other side of the kitchen.

In order to "extend" the existing wiring from that location to the new isolation sockets and then the cooker a large junction box was buried into the wall which was then plastered over.

 

[Stephen]

When you say ‘flick the fuse up’ I think you are referring to the Crabtree Unit between the meter and the consumer unit.

If so - that is also an RCD - not sure why it is there though, as the circuits in the photo are protected by the RCD in the consumer unit.

Maybe there are other circuits in the consumer unit that are labelled ‘non RCD protected’ and someone has put this Crabtree ‘upfront’ RCCB (RCD) in?

It’s not a great idea to have an upfront RCD - as you have found out - as one faulty appliace leaking to earth will take out the whole house.

I agree with others that you should call an electrician to test the circuit, check the connections at the cooker connection unit, check the wiring is of a
suitable size, check the RCD etc.

The same electrician may well be able to remove that upfront RCD as well, depending on what they find.

Maybe a stand off picture of the whole consumer unit?

 

[Stephen]

When you say ‘flick the fuse up’ I think you are referring to the Crabtree Unit between the meter and the consumer unit.

If so - that is also an RCD - not sure why it is there though, as the circuits in the photo are protected by the RCD in the consumer unit.

Maybe there are other circuits in the consumer unit that are labelled ‘non RCD protected’ and someone has put this Crabtree ‘upfront’ RCCB (RCD) in?

It’s not a great idea to have an upfront RCD - as you have found out - as one faulty appliace leaking to earth will take out the whole house.

I agree with others that you should call an electrician to test the circuit, check the connections at the cooker connection unit, check the wiring is of a
suitable size, check the RCD etc.

The same electrician may well be able to remove that upfront RCD as well, depending on what they find.

Maybe a stand off picture of the whole consumer unit?

And yes Marcus... that's what I thought was the fuse.... didn't know it was an RCD it's been there since prior to we bought the house.

 

[SJD]

Ok well there is something else. The old isolation switch before remodelling was a huge external patress box on the wall the other side of the kitchen.

In order to "extend" the existing wiring from that location to the new isolation sockets and then the cooker a large junction box was buried into the wall which was then plastered over.

Do you have a photo of this junction box, before it was plastered over (the insides, what connectors were used)?

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Ok well there is something else. The old isolation switch before remodelling was a huge external patress box on the wall the other side of the kitchen.

In order to "extend" the existing wiring from that location to the new isolation sockets and then the cooker a large junction box was buried into the wall which was then plastered over.

How was the connections in that junction box terminated? Screwed? MF?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

It's a TT, the upfront RCD is a relic of the previous DB

 

[SparkyChick]

Ok well there is something else. The old isolation switch before remodelling was a huge external patress box on the wall the other side of the kitchen.

In order to "extend" the existing wiring from that location to the new isolation sockets and then the cooker a large junction box was buried into the wall which was then plastered over.

Who did the kitchen wiring? Did you get a certificate for it?

Can you remember where that junction box is?

 

[Stephen]

You need to have ALL circuits IR tested by an electrician, the cooker may be a red herring as if there is a N-E fault anywhere on your installation this can cause tripping only when a heavy load (such as your cooker) is on, misleading the uninitiated to assume the cooker is at fault. Of course it could be the cooker, but I recently attended a tripping fault where a perfectly good shower had been replaced because it only tripped when the shower was on.....and continued to trip when the new shower was used. Fault was on an outside light.

I will add we use a power shower which doesnt cause this to trip.... what would prevent this Crabtree rcd from flicking back on?

As I discussed in my OP when it trips this RCD is reluctant to trip back on.... takes sometimes 8 or more attempts. Wondered if you knew?

 

[Stephen]

You need to have ALL circuits IR tested by an electrician, the cooker may be a red herring as if there is a N-E fault anywhere on your installation this can cause tripping only when a heavy load (such as your cooker) is on, misleading the uninitiated to assume the cooker is at fault. Of course it could be the cooker, but I recently attended a tripping fault where a perfectly good shower had been replaced because it only tripped when the shower was on.....and continued to trip when the new shower was used. Fault was on an outside light.

I will add we use a power shower which doesnt cause this to trip.... what would prevent this Crabtree rcd from flicking back on?

As I discussed in my OP when it trips this RCD is reluctant to trip back on.... takes sometimes 8 or more attempts. Wondered if you knew?

How was the connections in that junction box terminated? Screwed? MF?

Yes screwed... it was a large round junction box... I can find a url for it from toolstation if needed?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I will add we use a power shower which doesnt cause this to trip.... what would prevent this Crabtree rcd from flicking back on?

As I discussed in my OP when it trips this RCD is reluctant to trip back on.... takes sometimes 8 or more attempts. Wondered if you knew?

A power shower is a relatively light load compared to a cooker, it's sounding more and more like a N-E fault, not necessarily on the cooker

 

[SparkyChick]

I will add we use a power shower which doesnt cause this to trip.... what would prevent this Crabtree rcd from flicking back on?

As I discussed in my OP when it trips this RCD is reluctant to trip back on.... takes sometimes 8 or more attempts. Wondered if you knew?

When it trips, do you leave everything on and just turn it back on?

If so, the next time it trips, turn everything off in the fuse box except the RCDs, turn the big RCD that trips back on and then turn them back on one at a time... do the cooker last.

It's possible the fault is in the element and as it cools down it goes away and allows you to reset the RCD, but following this procedure above should (if the fault is only on the cooker) allow you to get the power back on quicker.

You shouldn't really keep turning it on under load either as it will damage the contacts.

 

[Stephen]

Who did the kitchen wiring? Did you get a certificate for it?

Can you remember where that junction box is?

No other wiring was touched.... just extended original installation so we can move the isolation sockets.

I can remember where the junction box is buried but has been freshly decorated over.

 

[Stephen]

Who did the kitchen wiring? Did you get a certificate for it?

Can you remember where that junction box is?

And no certificate

 

[SparkyChick]

No other wiring was touched.... just extended original installation so we can move the isolation sockets.

I can remember where the junction box is buried but has been freshly decorated over.

Well I hate to break it to you, but you may need to do a bit of touching up as the fault could be in there.

You're going to need the assistance of a local spark with appropriate test gear I think.

 

['mr2'gd4u]

I will add we use a power shower which doesnt cause this to trip.... what would prevent this Crabtree rcd from flicking back on?

As I discussed in my OP when it trips this RCD is reluctant to trip back on.... takes sometimes 8 or more attempts. Wondered if you knew?

Yes screwed... it was a large round junction box... I can find a url for it from toolstation if needed?

If if buried 8t needs to be maintainence free.