Domestic repairs: guaranteed how long?

If a bod comes out and as it might be repairs our AEG hob or AEG oven, what is the warranty period? So, by law, what's the minimum they are allowed to offer in terms of labour/parts if the work is poor or the new part fails PDQ?

Q2: is an electric stove/hob/oven in the kitchen supposed to have its own breaker? Our oven seems to be faulty: if you try to set the clock the main house breaker trips.

Reply to
Tim Streater
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Might do better to ask a legal newsgroup.

I suspect you mean the house RCD, since there is not normally an overcurrent device for the whole house; it's a switch! It is perfectly normal to have a single RCD in a house. The cooker will likely be on its own circuit with its own breaker (MCB). The MCB protects the cable against overheating due to excessive current flow. The RCD is designed to protect you (but not small children) against earth leakage. If the RCD is tripping when you set the clock, then current is leaking to earth. It goes through the path of least resistance, which is the (presumably) earthed metal case of the oven, rather than you, which is why you haven't noticed any tingling in your fingers. However, this is still a serious problem!

Reply to
Ben Blaukopf

See that bit of string over there? Measure it...

It should have it's own fuse/MCB but what you say implies that it is a RCD that is tripping. Is this a 17th Edition electrical installation or something older? With 17th it's nigh on impossible to not have everything through an RCD, older installations could be split load with a non-RCD and RCD side to the consumer unit. Big fixed wiring loads like a cooker ought to be on the non-RCD side. Or with some supply types there is a 100mA timed delayed RCD for the "whole house".

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Good suggestion, ta.

Ha, yes, it is the RCD. Trouble is this 30s house was extended about 6 years ago - joined-on garage was turned into accommodation and 2nd storey added on top. All of that got its own breaker box and our sparks shakes his head in dismay every time he looks at the whole setup. I think he feels there should be an RCD for each section of the house.

SWMBO also thinks the oven is not heating up now either. I may speak to the sparks to be sure this is an oven repair and not electrical repair issue.

Reply to
Tim Streater

:-)

Prolly about 7 years old.

60A house fuse -> Meter -> RCD -> Connector block -> off to three CUs
Reply to
Tim Streater

Hmmm.. our oven can't be turned on if the clock *hasn't* be set. If for example, after a power cut the clock is flashing zeros, you can't turn the oven on until it's set. I think it's a safety feature to stop an unattended oven coming on unexpectedly after a power cut when there might not be anyone around to turn it off.

Anyway, I guess setting the clock must close some relay (or solid state equivalent) and you have an earth leakage fault somewhere in the oven. Chances are it's the oven element as these can be a wee bit "leaky" at the best of times and the earth leakage worsens as the element deteriorates.

Tim

Reply to
Tim Downie

And it's the RCD as shown above that is tripping not one in one of the CUs? That oven has an earth leakage fault of some sort that needs to be sorted out. It could be a leaky element that has now gone open circuit due to repeated trips of the RCD and why it no longer gets hot.

Hopefully a simple change of the element will cure the problem. Interesting comment about the clock needing to be set before the oven will do anything on some models.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

But the main switch would be called a circuit breaker if it incorporated an RCD:-)

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Erm yes, ours is like that. Each time I reset the RCD, SWMBO went off to set the clock and off went the RCD again.

Well, of course, now it's not doing it is it!? Bloomin' typical. But the thermostat must be well and truly gone as the oven won't go above 100C now, if that. SWMBO now thinks that setting the clock was coincidental - it restored the power and the going, going, gone thermostat may well have done the trick.

Reply to
Tim Streater

I would still suspect the element first given that they generally fail more often than thermostats. Perhaps it's developed a partial break giving a very high resitance point.

Can you remove the oven back to access the element easily enough? ("easily enough" being a relative term). If so, you may notice a bulge or hot spot. You could even turn it on briefly and feel it to see if one part of the element is getting hotter than the rest.

Tim

Reply to
Tim Downie

Was she setting the clock with the oven turned on?

A dual element and one of the elements has failed would be more likely.

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Well we have a blurk coming out on Thurs to fix it.

Built-in oven, so I aint touching it :-)

The woman at the repair place seemed to think element more likely, too.

Reply to
Tim Streater

Yes, as a matter of fact, cos it was on when the RCD tripped. Does that matter, in fact? Unfortunately we never got a manual for it from the previous owners.

Let's hope so - SWMBO was happy enough with the thermostat as it seemed to be quite accurate.

Domestic & General Services is who we went with - they have a two tier service, "Repair & Protect", or "Repair & Protect Basic". Looks like they push the first one (£180 or so) but it does give you 12 months of unlimited repairs (or replace) on the unit. We went for the cheaper option (£120) which gives 3 months of cover. But I had to ask for that.

So far I'm not that impressed with AEG.

Reply to
Tim Streater

To be fair it's not much of an element if it does not fail at a crucial moment say Xmas dinner or a dinner party:-)

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Nothing so exciting - she was heating up some gratin for lunch.

Thanks to all for your comments.

Reply to
Tim Streater

I think a 'reasonable' time would be the legal definition.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

In message , Tim Streater writes

AIUI Warranties are entirely voluntary on the part of the supplier However once offered they are part of the contract and legally bounding. In case of dispute you can always fall back on Sale of Goods Act.

Reply to
hugh

You might find the Citizens Advice web site useful.

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consumer affairs. Electrical repairs would be a service but you might be bound by the terms of the contract / small print you signed when the work was done.

Phil

Reply to
Phil B

And the house would probably be a flat!

Reply to
Ben Blaukopf

The part which was replaced will have a warranty. However, if something fails again it would be difficult to prove it was the same part that had been replaced before.

I'd say that would be an easy enough fault to find.

Whole house RCDs are a pain. IMHO, there's no need for something like a cooker to be protected by an RCD anyway.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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