Electricity Failure. Help Please.

[Tilly2]

Earlier this morning I put on my oven and set the pyrolytic cleaning mode.
About an hour later the oven, the second oven, hob, and switches in the kitchen all lost power.

I looked in the consumer unit and one of the RCD switches was off. I switched it back up and the power was restored. There must be a fault somewhere though. Any ideas as to what I can do to find out?

I hate messing about with electricity.

[Zacs-Master]

I’d call an electrician, Tilly. It’s usually a short or simple overloading which causes a trip. What is the RCD labelled as (‘downstairs sockets’ / ‘cooker’)?

[Prudie]

Honestly? With the amount of power that goes to an oven get a qualified electrician in. Even if you get suggestions on here you wouldn't do them yourself would you?

[Tilly2]

Zacs, the switches next to the big RCD say 'spare, upstairs lighting, garage and sockets.'

No Prudie, I am not going to be doing anything myself. I am looking for reassurance, I suppose, in that I don't want it to happen again and if someone says d to me ...'don't switch the oven on again'...that's enough for me.

[bhg481]

What do you mean by "Switches in the kitchen"? The cooker (both ovens + hob) should be on its own circuit with, possibly, a single socket set in the oven-outlet box.
I tend to ignore single occurrences of an RCD tripping and treat it as "One of those things"; if it occurs again soon, get an electrician to look at it.

[-Talbot-]

How many times has it tripped?
If once why the panic?

I plugged the fridge back in here at the digs and it tripped the power (twice) but it is fine now.

[Zacs-Master]

And what do you have switched on, on those circuits? (Trying to establish if it was overloading)

[bhg481]

Having seen your reply to Zacs I would add that no-way should the oven tripping affect the lighting or garage circuits. The oven circuit should have its own RCD - if turning that off affects any other power outlets or lighting, you have a problem.

[KARL]

It is possible that you have experienced what is called a "false trip", the circuit breaker tripping without there being any undesirable cause. This can be anything from an inherent weakness/bias in the circuit breaker to it not having been fully/properly set. My suggestion would be to carry on as if nothing had happened and if this happens again then call in an electrician. If it comes to that then be prepared for him/her not finding anything untoward. If you are altogether unhappy with the do-nothing approach then call in an electrician now.

[Prudie]

In my RCD box the cooker is on its own dedicated switch and it has a separate switch socket on the wall.

[Tilly2]

Nothing but the cooker was switched on, carrying out a pyrolytic clean at super high temperature.

[vulcan42]

When you switch on the pyrolytic cleaning mode, the oven goes to its highest temperature, it sounds as if this has been detected by the RCD unit as a fault. Have you used the cleaning system before? Anyway it does need to be checked out by a qualified person.

[Zacs-Master]

Yes, it really should be on its own breaker.

[Tilly2]

I have used the cleaning function many times Vulcan. I'll get someone out to look at what's going on.

[bhg481]

Worth risking ignoring the one episode, Tilly; you know the safety mechanism is working properly since it tripped, so no danger.

[Tilly2]

Thank you. I'll try it again later after I've cooked the joint in the other oven.

Thanks for reassuring me that there's no danger. I don't like using the pyrolytic clearer, it always scares me. I won't buy another oven with that function

[woofgang]

send it to me! I would love one.

[Tilly2]

You can have it when I have finished with it, Woof. I'll put it on Freegle.

[Old_Geezer]

I don't believe one is obligated to have a dedicated oven residual current detector. Nice if it does but the house may be off just the one trip. Ignore the issue unless it occurs again.

[The Builder]

Og's right. RCDs (2 of them in a modern box) usually cover several circuits. Each circuit will have its own circuit breaker (switch in place of the old re-wireable fuses.)

If it was your RCD, then there's no reason to suppose there is any overload. RCDs don't operate on overload - circuit breakers do that.)

RCDs operate on Earth Fault. Cookers/hobs/immersions/washing machines etc all give a small amount of "earth leakage" in normal operation. When this all adds up to around 24 milliamps, then the RCD will trip out.

Cookers are fickle things. Their earth leakage can fluctuate. I guess, in this case, it went over the top.

As long as your breakers and RCDs operate, Tilly... you're completely safe. It may not happen again. If it does repeat, an electrician can check things over very easily. He may even do a "ramp test" on the RCD to make sure it's not tripping at too low a current.

Don't forget you should have a complete system check every 10 years. If it's due, that would justify the electrician's time.

[Ryzen]

TB ..spot on ..as always..to put your mind at rest Tilly..the RCD will not allow a re-set if the fault is still in circuit.It only needs a few mA over threshold..usually (24 mA) to operate.Monitor the situation..if it happens again get it tested.