A stove that trips the electricity is a common stove problem, and one of the most misunderstood. When the earth leakage switch in your distribution board trips, it's doing its job: it has detected current leaking to earth, which is dangerous. Resetting it again and again doesn't fix anything, and it isn't safe. The fault is usually in the stove: a plate, an oven element or a piece of wiring that has broken down.
The technician comes to you, finds which part is leaking and replaces it, and checks the rest of the stove while they're there. You hear what's wrong and what the repair will cost before any work starts. Let us know when you're home when you book.
Oven not heating? Our guide has safe checks to try first.
Suburbs we cover in Kempton Park
Stoves and ovens in Rhodesfield and Bonaeropark near the airport, and across Birchleigh, Norkem Park and Glen Marais. We cover:
- Birchleigh
- Norkem Park
- Rhodesfield
- Edleen
- Glen Marais
- Bonaeropark
- Van Riebeeck Park
- Aston Manor
Stove or oven faults we fix in Kempton Park
Trips the earth leakage when switched on
A plate, an oven element or the wiring has a fault to earth. Testing each element in turn finds the culprit.
Trips after a few minutes of cooking
An element that only leaks when it's hot. Old elements often absorb moisture and break down as they warm up.
Grill not working
The grill element has burnt out, or the switch or selector that powers it has failed. The rest of the oven may work normally.
Plate won't heat
A burnt-out plate, a failed plate switch or a loose connection at the back of the plate.
Oven element blistered or split
A visibly damaged element should not be used. It can spark and trip the power. Switch off at the isolator until it's replaced.
Nothing works after a power cut
Check the isolator and the breaker. On a stove with a clock, the oven may need the time set before it heats.
Knob turns but nothing happens
A switch that has failed internally, or a knob that has slipped on its spindle so it no longer turns the switch.
When the stove trips the power
Do this, in this order:
- Switch the stove off at its isolator, the large switch on the wall near the stove.
- Reset the earth leakage or breaker in the distribution board to restore power to the rest of the house.
- Leave the stove switched off at the isolator.
- Don't keep switching the stove on to test it.
- Note when it trips: straight away, only with the oven on, or only after it warms up.
That last note helps the technician find the faulty element quickly. If the earth leakage still trips with the stove isolated, the problem isn't the stove, and you need an electrician.
Grill not working
The grill uses its own element at the top of the oven. If the grill stays cold while the oven bakes normally, look at the grill element with the oven off and cool: a break, a blister or a burnt spot means it has failed. If it looks fine, the switch or the selector that powers it is the next suspect.
On ovens where the grill is in the main cavity, some models need the door partly open while grilling. Check the manual before you assume a fault.
Looking after your stove's elements
Elements and plates last longer when they stay dry and clean. Wipe up boil-overs once the plate has cooled, before the liquid seeps into the rim and the connections. Don't put a wet pot on a hot plate, and don't rinse a hot oven with water.
If the stove has stood unused for a while, a little moisture in an element can make it trip the first time it heats. If it trips once and then works, keep an eye on it. If it keeps tripping, book a technician.
After you book
Mention your working hours, or who can let the technician in, when you book. Typically at your door within 60 minutes for same-day bookings. Track your technician live: when they leave, you get a live tracking link on your phone.
The technician tests each plate and element, finds the fault and explains the repair and its price before any work starts.
No call-out fee when we repair it.If no repair is done, a R500 call-out applies. The technician finds the fault and explains the repair before any work starts, so you decide whether to go ahead.
Book a repairStove & oven repairs in Kempton Park: your questions
Why does my stove keep tripping the electricity?
A plate, an oven element or the stove's wiring has a fault to earth. Leave the stove off at the isolator and don't keep resetting the breaker. A technician can find and replace the faulty part.
Is it safe to keep resetting the earth leakage?
No. It trips to protect you from current leaking to earth. Isolate the stove, restore power to the house, and leave the stove off until it's repaired.
Why is my grill not working but the oven is?
The grill has its own element and is controlled separately. The grill element, its switch or the oven selector has usually failed.
Do I need an electrician or an appliance technician?
If the earth leakage still trips with the stove switched off at its isolator, the fault is in the house wiring, so call an electrician. If it only trips when the stove is on, the fault is in the stove, and that's our job.
Can a stove that trips the power be fixed?
Usually. The fault is normally one element or plate, or a piece of wiring, and each can be replaced. The technician tests them one by one to find the one leaking to earth.
What does a stove repair cost in Kempton Park?
A plate, a grill element or a switch is a modest repair. Burnt wiring costs more, depending on how far the damage goes. The technician tells you the price before any work starts.