Do gas cookers have a safety mechanism?

gerdo

Hi all,
We're thinking of getting a gas cooker soon. We've always had electric cookers previously and with having small children in the house, we've been able to turn the cooker off at the wall to stop the kids turning the cooker on when playing with the knobs.

Do gas cookers / hobs have a similar function whereby fiddling with the knobs wont turn on the gas?

Thanks.

robotrobo

gerdo wrote: »

Hi all,
We're thinking of getting a gas cooker soon. We've always had electric cookers previously and with having small children in the house, we've been able to turn the cooker off at the wall to stop the kids turning the cooker on when playing with the knobs.

Do gas cookers / hobs have a similar function whereby fiddling with the knobs wont turn on the gas?

Thanks.

.

ours turns the gas off, if no ignition in a short time of operation,

also you can purchase a oven with a fold down top , it will not work untill the lid is lifted back as a safety precaution.

with children we prefer gas!", but its what you are used to , & gas is our first choice everytime.

gerdo

That sounds just what we want, where the gas doesn't flow if not ignited. I wonder if all new gas cookers are the same.

Ebe_Scrooge

gerdo wrote: »

That sounds just what we want, where the gas doesn't flow if not ignited. I wonder if all new gas cookers are the same.

As far as I'm aware they should all have this safety cut-out. Just double-check when you're looking around, but I was under the impression that all gas cookers had to have this. It's a safety feature - not only to stop kids turning the gas on, but also for instance if the flame gets blown out by a draught or something, it'll stop the flow of gas.

If buying second-hand, check that the cut-out still works. They work by sensing the temperature ( always used to be a bi-metal strip, don't know if that's still the case ). But the sensor can wear out over time, so be sure to check.

wiogs

I can turn the gas on and if it doesn't light then it stays on pumping out gas! So not all cookers have a cut off.

Ebe_Scrooge

wiogs wrote: »

I can turn the gas on and if it doesn't light then it stays on pumping out gas! So not all cookers have a cut off.

Thanks for that, I stand corrected.

OK, I'll revise my earlier answer to say "some cookers have this cut-out facility" I must admit, every one I've ever used has had it, I assumed it was a standard thing.

wiogs

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

Thanks for that, I stand corrected.

OK, I'll revise my earlier answer to say "some cookers have this cut-out facility" I must admit, every one I've ever used has had it, I assumed it was a standard thing.

I have never come across it in any gas cooker I have used or seen but just goes to show that the OP will need to check what best suits their needs.

ariba10

Gas cooker taps are not as easy to turn as are electric ones.

Always have had gas cookers and never had a problem or worry about children, G children or G G children.

Mankysteve

gerdo wrote: »

That sounds just what we want, where the gas doesn't flow if not ignited. I wonder if all new gas cookers are the same.

Never seen a oven without safety cut outs. Hobs on the other hands most don't have safety cuts outs, but I have seen some with them.

If you kids can't be trusted in the kitchen lock them out.

gerdo

I've just checked the technical specs of one of the cookers we're interested in and it says it has a "flame safety device" which sounds like what I'm after, I'll maybe give their help line a ring and confirm it.

Thanks for all your replies

Ebe_Scrooge

gerdo wrote: »

it says it has a "flame safety device" which sounds like what I'm after

That sounds like the thing.

Just one thing to be aware of ( though I'm sure it'll say in the instruction book ) - when you light the oven or hob, you usually have to keep the gas regulator button pressed in for a couple of seconds after it's lit. Otherwise, the safety device doesn't have a chance to warm up, so it thinks the flame has gone out, so it cuts the gas. If you've never come across one before you might think it's faulty as it keeps going out the moment you've lit it, but it's actually doing its job.