Electric hob blowing fuses, second opinion?

apeshape

In the house I have an el-cheapo Tesco 4 burner electric hob. Unfortunately, it's now blowing fuses with increasing regularity. The electrician has told us that it's due to it being plugged into an extension socket, and not a main socket.

I also have the electric oven connected to the same wall socket and that's been seemingly OK.

Been quoted @ 300-500 to fix the socket. Is this a tad high even for greater London?

Alternatively, what about replacing the hob with a lower power one, would that be a cheaper work around?

brightontraveller

apeshape wrote: »

In the house I have an el-cheapo Tesco 4 burner electric hob. Unfortunately, it's now blowing fuses with increasing regularity. The electrician has told us that it's due to it being plugged into an extension socket, and not a main socket.

I also have the electric oven connected to the same wall socket and that's been seemingly OK.

Been quoted @ 300-500 to fix the socket. Is this a tad high even for greater London?

Alternatively, what about replacing the hob with a lower power one, would that be a cheaper work around?

Hobs typical load 30 as opposed to plugable oven 3kw
Never ever come across a hob that’s plugged in? Are you saying it came with manufactures fitted 13 amp plug ??? Typically hard wired on dedicated (radial) circuit ? e.g. Cooker Outlet, feed 6mm / 10 mm cable, 32A, 40A MCB dedicated circuit etc If not dedicated (cooker )circuit running new cable adding MCB etc could well cost prices you have quoted not so much materials as labour

apeshape

brightontraveller wrote: »

Hobs typical load 30kw as opposed to plugable oven 3kw
Never ever come across a hob that’s plugged in? Are you saying it came with manufactures fitted 13 amp plug ??? Typically hard wired on dedicated (radial) circuit ? e.g. Cooker Outlet, feed 6mm / 10 mm cable, 32A, 40A MCB dedicated circuit etc If not dedicated (cooker )circuit running new cable adding MCB etc could well cost prices you have quoted not so much materials as labour

Ok thanks.

Yeah, it's not a free standing one though it's just four hot plates and has a 13 amp fused plug that plugs into an extension socket behind on the wall. I guess I should just get the electrician to connect up a socket that can handle the electrical load? Was just thinking if I swapped it for a more efficiency perhaps a halogen unit wouldn't be putting so much strain on the circuit and causing the fuse to give way.

Grenage

Which fuse is blowing - the hob's, the extension cable's, or the main board's?

apeshape

Grenage wrote: »

Which fuse is blowing - the hob's, the extension cable's, or the main board's?

It's the plug due to the inadequate extension, so I'm told. But apparently the main fuse board is really old. Pre 70's. Can believe that. Might be worth replacing that anyways>?

Grenage

I'm not an expert, but I don't see why the hob fuse would blow due to the extension cable. Would have thought the hob was on the way out. Admittedly extension cords are not ideal.

A more modern consumer unit with rcds/rcbos is no bad thing for safety.

jbainbridge

So the fuse in the plug is blowing? Sounds like a fault with the hob. Making wiring changes isn't going to fix that.

Lorian

Do you have a smoke detector?

Heedtheadvice

You seem to be missing the point identified by Brighton and the rather tongue in cheek comment about smoke alarms!!

Appliances like you hob that probably (as you have not given details) draw at times very high power levels when several rings heat at the same time typically say 30 amps current from the 240volt mains for the smaller ones ( approx 8kW). This is far too much for a ring main or spur 13amp socket. (The presumption here is that your plug is a typical domestic 13amp one rather than an industrial type). Sometimes the power is much more up to the levels Brighton suggests.
Not surprisingly the fuse will blow as your hob will sometimes draw a lot more than 13amps! You are fortunate that the particular fuse blows and provides some unplanned protection for your ring main otherwise you would be replacing those on your consumer unit to protect the ring main wiring from overheating and the risk of fire........smoke alarm????
Hence the main reason for a dedicated radial circuit with much higher rating for hobs, cookers and ovens.
So yes, it may well cost you a few pounds to get a circuit installed and a new consumer unit at the same time!

Which begs the question who installed the hob in the first place? Can you get them back to do a competent installation instead of an unsafe bodge?

Heedtheadvice

On second one thoughts, do not get them back. Better to get in touch with trading standards or any trade body they claim to be certified by!

Grenage

There are plenty of hobs designed to connect up with a 13A plug. They're probably not as fast, but they're certainly out there.