SMEG Oven SF485X tripping RCD after (but not while) running

[bw99]

I have a SMEG SF485X which I don’t think I used at all for many years (not a big cook!) I recently used it and it ran at 200C for 15 minutes with no problem and I switched it to the off setting. However, about 5 minutes later, the RCD tripped that covers the cooker and some of the lights. I couldn’t get the RCD to go back into position until I had turned off the main switch for the oven.

My brother and I experimented with it a few days later and the oven ran at first again, but then tripped the RCD (I can’t remember at exactly what point). Again, we were not able to reset the RCD.

I have been able to reset the RCD once the oven cools down.

My first question is – is it possible that a faulty heating element is to blame? (I have ordered a new one but am now suspecting that can’t be the culprit). The reason I’m doubtful is that you would think the heating element would cause problems while it was running rather than once the oven had been switched off?

Grateful for any light anyone can shed – thank you!

UPDATE: Just been doing some testing and it does also trip the RCD while running. I set just the grill to run, at the default heat of 250C, and it tripped the RCD after about 4 minutes.

[electrofix]

does sound like it may be a faulty grill element

either swop or test to be certain

Dave

[bw99]

Thanks, Dave. I ended up swapping the circular fan element, because I’d already ordered that. I wasn’t expecting it to fix things, but my brother (who understands electronics whereas I don’t) said it could still be the fan element even though the rcd tripped when the grill was on (not the fan element), because the element isn’t ‘isolated’. Anyway, for anyone else reading this, replacing the circular fan element seems to have fixed it even though

a) The first time the rcd blew it was about 5 minutes after we had turned the oven to ‘off’

b) Another time we got the rcd to trip even when not using the circular fan element – we were only using the grill – and it blew after about 4 minutes of using the grill once things heated up, not straight away.

[electrofix]

does not make 100{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} sense but as long as its going leave well alone

Dave

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