Electric oven fault finding.

[Paul Drawmer]

I have just installed a second hand oven.

Turn on supply with all off on oven - OK

Turn on top oven to grill and base heat (max drain), adjust thermostat until oven light comes on - all OK.

Adjust bottom oven to max drain, raise 'stat unitl it turns oven on. - all OK

Ovens both start warming up.

Then - Consumer unit trips (not the oven circuit breaker)

all off - restart.
This time with no temp selected (ie the heating element isn't being asked for heat) the trip goes as I use the element selector.

Is there a guide to fault finding for electric ovens? How should I best check this out?
Am I right in thinking that as the consumer unit has tripped, rather than the circuit breaker, that it's more likely to be an earth fault than a short?

The oven is a Rangemaster twin oven inbuilt, and it's green and they aren't available like this any more.

[R1 Indy]

I assume you mean the RCD that is tripping, then yes that is earth leakage.

Most likely the element. Have a close look around the element, if you can see a split, it's deffinatly the element.

You really need some test equipment to diagnose otherwise.

[Raverbaby]

As above, more often than not its the element.
For the price of them I'd buy a replacement and hopefully it'll be a cheap fix.
Normally a relatively straight forward job if you're handy with a screwdriver.

[Paul Drawmer]

Thanks for the tips - I'll try isolating which element does the tripping, when it's light!

I've been looking up the availablity of elements - they appear to be as common as rocking horse poo for model 58680.
Bother.

[hairyben]

Paul Drawmer said:

Thanks for the tips - I'll try isolating which element does the tripping, when it's light!

I've been looking up the availablity of elements - they appear to be as common as rocking horse poo for model 58680.
Bother.

Yeah you got it try them one-by-one to isolate which is the faulty one.

model numbers are a funny thing and can often be bespoke to a retailer/distributer/market (hinders price-hunting); you can try manufacturer tech lines for assistance, or get out your measuring stick try a site like the below for one that "measures up":

http://www.elementreplacement.co.uk/rangemaster-fa...
http://www.elementreplacement.co.uk/rangemaster-gr...

I've used an almost-fit in the past - perhaps the attachment lugs in different places etc - but do make sure it's the correct power rating

If it's the fan element make sure that fans running too as if the fan stops this can overheat the element.