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-   -   Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch (https://www.diybanter.com/uk-diy/271544-help-cracling-noise-flickering-light-cooker-switch.html)

DarkKnight February 17th 09 09:07 PM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
Hi,

- I'm no sparkie expert, but could do with some troubleshooting advice
-

I've had a Brittania cooker installed for over 2 years now. It's a
dual-fuel cooker with the Electrics supplying gas ignition and two
cookers (one has a fan in it).

The cooker is wired as follows :

Fuse Box Dedicated RCD - Cooker Switch - Extension Cable - Sealed
Junction Box - Original Cooker Wire - Cooker

All cables with use a 40A cable and is more than ample for the power
draw of the cooker.

Recently my wife has been telling me the switch has been making a
crackling noise. We tend to turn off the cooker at night using the
cooker switch, so upon switch on (along with engaging the cooker) it
makes this noise.

To be honest, I avoded looking into the problem, but today we smelt a
very strong burning smell. So I opened up the Cooker switch and took a
look behind it. It looks like the Blue Supply cable has become fried
i.e. the last 2cm of it looks burnt and singed. I thought it may have
been a general connection problem , so I trimmed off the singed bit
and reconnected it again.

Although there was no smoke this time around, a lighter crackling
noise could be heard and the cooker light switch was flickering
feintly.

I also tested it by removing the Load connection (i.e. disconecting
the cooker). If this is done, then there is no crackling or flickering
cooker light.

I'm just trying to figure out the point of failure... What could cause
this ? By making this last test (of disconnecting the cooker, and the
switch is not crackling) does this tell me that my fuse box and cable
supply is fine ? Does this imply that anything to the right of my
cooker switch diagram could be faulty ?

I'd be happy to purchase a multi-meter to help narrow down the
problem. I just need to know if I should pay out the call out fee to
have my cooker looked at, or whether I should call a sparkie.

I'd rather do the elimination work myself. Any advice would be
appreciated.


Thanks

The Medway Handyman February 18th 09 12:10 AM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
Colin Wilson wrote:
Could it just be a faulty switch ?


Sure it could - but while you're at it, i'd be tempted to replace the
patched up wiring to the cooker...


Indeed, preferably before someone dies.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk



ARWadsworth February 18th 09 07:46 AM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 

"Colin Wilson" o.uk wrote
in message g...
Could it just be a faulty switch ?


Sure it could - but while you're at it, i'd be tempted to replace the
patched up wiring to the cooker...


It is not that badly patched up. There are no more terminals or connections
than a circuit using a cooker outlet plate would have.

There is a loose terminal somewhere. Every terminal need to be checked
(right back to the consumer unit) The cooker switch may have been damaged by
the localized heat and may need to be changed.

Adam



John February 18th 09 07:52 AM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 

"ARWadsworth" wrote in message
om...

"Colin Wilson" o.uk
wrote in message g...
Could it just be a faulty switch ?


Sure it could - but while you're at it, i'd be tempted to replace the
patched up wiring to the cooker...


It is not that badly patched up. There are no more terminals or
connections than a circuit using a cooker outlet plate would have.

There is a loose terminal somewhere. Every terminal need to be checked
(right back to the consumer unit) The cooker switch may have been damaged
by the localized heat and may need to be changed.

Adam


Could be due to grease getting into the contacts.



Grimly Curmudgeon February 18th 09 12:26 PM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember DarkKnight
saying something like:

Could itjust be a faulty switch ?


Most likely - they don't last forever.

Mike Clarke February 18th 09 02:36 PM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
ARWadsworth wrote:

There is a loose terminal somewhere. Every terminal need to be checked
(right back to the consumer unit) The cooker switch may have been damaged
by the localized heat and may need to be changed.


Even if all the terminal screws are tight a faulty contact in the switch
could lead to arcing which would heat up the switch terminal and the end of
cable.

--
Mike Clarke

DarkKnight February 19th 09 10:38 AM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
Hi all,

Thanks for the responses.

I've replaced the Cooker switch and now I do not get any crackling or
flickering light.

I'll keep my eye on it over the next few days, particularly, when the
electrical demand is higher with the Fan on. But hopefully, this has
fixed the problem.

Thanks all for your help.

Cheers

Appin February 26th 09 04:02 PM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
The message
from DarkKnight contains these words:

Hi all,


Thanks for the responses.


I've replaced the Cooker switch and now I do not get any crackling or
flickering light.


I'll keep my eye on it over the next few days, particularly, when the
electrical demand is higher with the Fan on. But hopefully, this has
fixed the problem.


Thanks all for your help.


Cheers


Appin February 26th 09 04:04 PM

Help! Cracling noise (and flickering light) on Cooker Switch
 
The message
from DarkKnight contains these words:

Hi all,


Thanks for the responses.


I've replaced the Cooker switch and now I do not get any crackling or
flickering light.


I'll keep my eye on it over the next few days, particularly, when the
electrical demand is higher with the Fan on. But hopefully, this has
fixed the problem.


Remember that these switches are not made for being turned on and off
frequently. If you use them frequently they tend to have a short life.


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