Range hood: Shorted out?

[Jane Doe]

I have a relatively new (about 2-3 years) range hood like this:

It has 3 light settings (halogen) and 3 fan settings. The middle light setting was on and the fan was not. I bumped it (BARELY!) and the light shut off. I tried pushing the light buttons but the lights didn't come back on. If I press any of the fan buttons, the green indicator light above the button(s) does light up, however the fan does not start.

I'm no electrician, but this sounds like a short to me. If that's the case, should I be concerned--from a safety standpoint--about it? I mean until I can get someone out to look at it. Electricity scares me because I don't know anything about it, so sorry if this sounds like a really dumb question but I just want to be sure that there's no risk of fire leaving it in its current state. There's no way to unplug it, and the only way I can shut the electricity off to it is to flip the circuit breaker that controls everything on that entire wall.

On a separate note, what the heck could've caused a short? It's not like it gets moved around a lot! It just sits there.

Thanks in advance!

[Tim Fischer]

A "short" is when the hot wire is touching a neutral wire (or ground). This would cause the breaker to trip immediately (and usually a small flash-up with charring and black carbon at the source).

You don't have a short, you have an open. Either an internal connection is loose, or you have a bad component, probably a switch.

Opens *can* be dangerous, but if you switch off everything it's probably ok for a short time (the real danger of opens is of there's partial contact under load). I would get it looked at, though.

-Tim

[Jane Doe]

Thanks for the explanation, Tim. So am I correct that what I need is an appliance repair person and not an electrician?

Also, I wonder if you can clarify something for me. After I posted my message last night, and before reading your reply, I got to wondering about shorts. It occurred to me that if there's a short, wouldn't the entire appliance be affected by it? In other words, using the range hood as an example, wouldn't a short prevent ALL of its features from working? Recall that the fan's indicator lights -do- come on, while the fans and halogen lights do not.

[Tim Fischer]

Yes, particularly since you say part of the appliance is still working.

But remember, we are NOT talking about a short. We're talking about an 'open'. Basically, some wire connection has come loose inside (or a component is broken causing the same symptom).

-Tim

[spamTHISbrp]

I have that range hood. I had that problem. I think its a defect.

The center bulb contacts get flattened and need to be pulled away from the base a little so that it will make contact with the bulb. I have a small flat-head screwdriver with the end bent 90deg. just for this!

I also had a problem because the bulb sockets pop out of the sheet-metal housing very easily. I had to take the hood apart to put them back in.

Treat it gingerly! And kill the breaker before fixing the contact.

Dave

[spamTHISbrp]

Hmm, they both shut off? Could still be the same thing... I've seen stranger co-incidences in my time!

Dave

[Jane Doe]

Yes, I know, but I'm just saying in general, if an item has a short, is it possible for some features to work while others don't? I mean once power has been restored after the initial breaker-tripping that you described. It doesn't SEEM like it'd work that way, but like I said I'm no electrician! :-)

Thanks again for your input.

[Jane Doe]

Really? Wow...that's a little disconcerting. I wonder if Sears knows about this and, if so, if they're willing to do anything to remedy the problem.

But that just begs the question: How the heck does that HAPPEN? It's not like anyone's touching or moving any of the internal parts.

Thanks for the tip! Maybe I'll bend one of mine like that.

I don't know much about electricity, but that's one thing I DO know! :-) Thanks for your help, Dave.

[Tim Fischer]

If the short still existed, the breaker wouldn't reset (it would immediately re-trip). If it had cleared, it could have caused other circuit problems (including an open), or maybe things would appear normal. The real question is what caused the short?

My kid was playing with a remote control car the other day, and was whipping the antenna around. it happened to hit an outlet with a plug in it -- and POOF. The antenna evidently hit both prongs at once -- short circuit time. The breaker actually didn't trip, instead the antenna acted like a fuse and broke into 3 pieces (one break at each prong). No other damage, though, except some nasty char on the outlet...

-Tim

[Sam H]

replying to Jane Doe, Sam H wrote: Mine shorted out also. Mine is a Nutone Allure, first one light and then the other, literally burned out with smoking from the light sockets.

[Clare Snyder]

What bulbs did you have installed? Most are limitted to 40 watt appliance bulbs. 100 watt bulbs WILL cause damage. 60 watt bulbs are LIKELY to cause damage - particularly if the hood is not kept clean.

[Tom]

I have the same issue with the contacts flattening on that range.