Hob fuses?

[towen]

I have a Bosch free standing electric cooker including four hob plates.

Now I have a problem: one of the hotplates has stopped working completely – the check light has gone out and the plate generates no heat whatsoever.

Two of the remaining hot plates continue to work, but each only works when the knob for the other is turned on. Almost as if they were wired in series?

The fourth hot plate, I don’t know whether it works or not cos the knob fell ages ago.

The oven works too, but on what appears to be reduced power, and it only runs when the switches for the hobs are turned on.

My instruction manual, tantalisingly, says before calling a service engineer out, the prob may just be a “trifle” and says to do a “thorough check on the fuses for the hobs”.

But it gives absolutely no info on where to find these fuses. I’ve taken the back and the front of the cooker off and I can’t find anything that looks to me like a fuse.

NB I am in Germany, although can’t see that would make much difference.

Thanks guys.

 

[Kenbo]

Never known fuses inside a cooker but if you supply make and model number......well who knows.

PS where in Germany are you?( have family in Uberlingen)

 

[bernardgreen]

Is this by any chance a cooker with a 2 or 3 phase supply ?

It is not unknown to have 3 phase in domestic premises in Germany, (first saw this when a friends 18 Kw electric shower unit burnt out) .

If so then the chances are the neutral has gone open circuit.

Hobs would be phase to neutral but shared between phases to equalise the loading. Without the neutral the two hobs will be in series across two phases when both are turned on.

The oven elements may also be shared between phases which would make them in series across two phases.

Bernard Green
Sharnbrook
UK

 

[towen]

Kenbo:

Am in Munster. Serial number not to hand, but I'll get it when I'm at home.

Bernard - your diagnosis sounds suspiciously accurate!

Sorry to say that I don't know whether it is 2 phase or 3 phase. How do I tell?
And is this a problem with the supply or the cooker itself?

Crucially, how is it fixed?

NB I can still cook from 2 of the hobs. Is this dangerous?

Many, many thanks guys.

Tom

 

[Diyisfun]

Cooking from 2 rings is ok, not dangerous. I think you should call an electrician in. It may be that an element has blown & therby blown 1 fuse, so you nee the fuse replaced & to find out why it blew.

 

[bernardgreen]

Bernard - your diagnosis sounds suspiciously accurate! Sorry to say that I don't know whether it is 2 phase or 3 phase. How do I tell?

The rating plate where the serial number is should provide the number of phases needed.

The connection from wall to cooker is the other source of information.

Single phase will have Live Neutral and Earth connections to the oven ( 3 wires)

Dual phase will have Phase1, Phase2, Neutral and Earth ( 4 wires )

Triple phase will have 5 wires.

And is this a problem with the supply or the cooker itself? Crucially, how is it fixed?

Most likely a fault in the supply to the cooker. So get a local electrician to check it out.

NB I can still cook from 2 of the hobs. Is this dangerous?

Tom

Probably not too dangerous to cook as nothing is getting hotter than it should. But it does need to be checked.

NOTE If it is more than one phase there will be voltages up to 440 volts in the system so no testing with a 230 volt test lamp.

Are you connected with British forces ? REME chaps used to be very helpful with "helpless British females" ( Dusseldorf 1970's )

Bernard
Sharnbrook