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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Cooker hood electrics stopped working

66 replies

CatAndHisKit · 13/01/2019 00:35

I wonder if I can avoid calling an electrician (hoping PJ can help)!

Hood stopped working this evening - neither the lights nor extractor works, seems sudden. I recently replaced the two bulbs that we use (two other ones expired ages ago but we don't need them(, one of the bulbs couldn't be fitted back very tight into the ring - the glass cover was a litlte wobbly, possibly that was contributing?

It seemed to coincide with the strong gusts of wind outside - it extracts to the side of he house and when it's gusty the sound 'rattles around'in the hood.

Finally because my mum is stayng and she cooks a lot - the lights and extactor have been on very frequently, and nore so than in the summer as kitchen isn't hugely light and we use the hood lights a lot when cooking.

Is it a short curcuit and fusehas blown? Is it anything to do with the general house fuse box -that's in the cellar so not keen to be going there if not, or can it be corrected on the wall where the switch is?

Any other solutions? TIA

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 20/01/2019 20:36

I can see the person on the utube vid is also finding it quite stiff.

I just put mine back, you have to push the fuse carrier in with your thumb, quite hard, until it clicks, and the screw just needs a few turn to retain it tightly.

Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 20/01/2019 20:37

thanks - I could find hte youtube vods for the non-screw model but not for this one.
Is 3amp fuse definitely fine?

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Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 20/01/2019 20:51

yes, it's great to be able to watch exactly what to do! I couldn't find any under 'changing fuse' - so thanks, PJ. They did have to make it so fiddly - imagine having to do this while reaching over a hood so everything gets done from above the unit.
Also he says it's best to have it 'dead' rather than live but probably because wires are exposed? I take it, you did it just with a switch off.

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PigletJohn · 20/01/2019 20:51

yes.

3A will supply an appliance up to about 700 watts

I can't find the load of mine but I'm sure it's much less.

PigletJohn · 21/01/2019 02:04

the person in the vid is showing how to install a new or replacement FCU onto the cables, for which you must turn off the power and test for dead (twice).

Changing the fuse is a householder activity and I'm not sure it's considered necesary to turn off the whole circuit. You must turn off the FCU switch at least, because inserting or removing a fuse under load will cause a flash or spark, which may damage the contacts and actually often causes injuries when people fall off the ladder in fright.

Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 21/01/2019 19:20

Phew after quite a bit of effort I've managed to get the fuse compartment to slide out, and have changed fuse! (Yes I have turned off the switch of course - but didn't turn off the circuit).

So i was pleased with that BUT as you can guess, I can't push it back in now! It was stiff and took a lot of tugging with the screwdriver, but what now? It's too fragile to use the hammer on (I've tried gently), and also due to positioning I can't equally press with all my force on the sides of fuse comp, can only use one hand. Did you manage to put yours back in easily, PJ? any clever tricks?

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PigletJohn · 21/01/2019 19:53

I just pushed mine with my thumb until it clicked.

try moving it with the fuse out, in case that is projecting and catching, and see if it makes any difference turning the screw in or out. When I eventually got mine back in in only took a few turns of the screw to tighten it, I suppose it might be projecting.

It seemed to me that after I'd pulled it out and pushed it in a few times, it got less stiff.

It will go far enough to click, and then the screw pulls it in further to tighten it when you screw it in.

In your position I wouldn't use a hammer, but I'd use whatever strength one thumb, or two, could muster.

Worst case is you break the fuseholder and have to get a sparky in, but you'll have to do that anyway if you can't refit it.

mumsy27 · 22/01/2019 03:10

the screw basically holds the fuse plate,once you unscrew it enough price out the plate and you will see the fuse, works out like a cartridge.

no more than 5amp as piglet said.
finger crossed.

mumsy27 · 22/01/2019 03:19

it is tricky, works out like a drawer if its too far out it wont go in
align the the fuse plate/drawer(forgive my analogy).
or take the fuse out,align and push the drawer enough to slide in and leave enough space for the fuse to get in and final push.

Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 22/01/2019 20:36

Well, I couldn't do it myself - as I said awkward angle and doing it with arm reaching over, but was so pleased that my gardener was free today and could come in to help out. He's taller and with stronger hands, so he manged to put it back after a few attempts. I was so pleased!

But what do you know? It hasn't helped! After all that effort, the sorry saga hasn't ended.

So it's either the wire or the switch unit that's faulty. If it the wire, as you suggested, PJ, is it reparable and how much might it cost? The switch unit would cost around 70 pounds (asked in a shop) but add the call out and work, who knows what that will be.

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PigletJohn · 22/01/2019 22:29

can't forecast well, it will depend on following the cable to see where it goes. might be half a day, might be more

chances are it connects to the socket circuit, it might run under the plaster in a somewhat downward direction to join the cables under the floor or in the kitchen wall, or it might run upward and join the kitchen lighting circuit. There's a fair chance that it is a bad connection at this point, or behind the FCU. But if nails or screw have been bashed into the wall, one could have damaged the cable, and this will entail digging it out. Sometimes you find what you think is the fault, and fix it, and the fault remains because there's another one in a less probable place.

Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 23/01/2019 21:02

oh dear - we are back to getting into ceiling/walls! I was hoping it might be damaged right by the appliance.
What about the switches being faulty? Isn't worth checking fthat first - or do you think it's unlikely to be that?

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 23/01/2019 23:26

you could take the FCU out and verify its connections, but why should they have been disturbed?

Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 24/01/2019 00:10

in any case, can't do without an electrician
It had to break down in cold weather of course, when windows can'y be open for long!

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mumsy27 · 24/01/2019 01:08

i think an electrician need to be involved.
you could ask the electrician(an expert) instead of going for a wild goose search where the wire is going.
maybe it is cheaper to connect it to another socket nearby.
only electrician will be able to tell you.
good luck

Original poster

CatAndHisKit · 24/01/2019 13:18

thanks, mumsy and PJ. Ugh sounds like it won't be cheap so have to postpone it.

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