DIY – Oven repair

Challenge:

Your oven pops a fuse (or rather the earth fault breaker) when you try to heat it up.

Reason:

When left unused for a longer period of time, moisture accumulates in the isolation surrounding the oven. When you fire it up, that little moisture is just enough to pop the earth fault breaker.

Note:

It is actually not the oven-fuse that pops but the earth fault breaker or indicator. This essential safety device disconnects the electricity at the smallest leakage of current to the earth wire in your electrical system. Google it if you want to know more about it, or read this.

DIY warnings:

  • Perform the procedure below at daytime as daylight will contribute to safety!
  • Only do this yourself if you are used to working with electrical installations, if not: get an expert to do it for you!

Solution:

  • Switch off the oven
  • Switch off the electrics by pulling down the fuse for the oven or the main fuse or the earth fault breaker switch
  • Open the oven lid
  • Remove the two Philips screws holding the oven in place (could also be four Philips screws)
  • Gently, pull out the oven from its cabinet and place it on the floor. There’s a handle on each side of the oven housing
  • Remove the metal cover on top by unscrewing 6 torx screws
  • Identify the yellow-green earth wire at the incoming electricity cable
  • Disconnect the incoming earth wire
  • FROM HERE ON: DO NOT TOUCH ANY METAL OVEN PARTS OR OVEN WIRING
  • Pop the fuse back in its on-position
  • Set a suitable temperature and chose the grill with vent mode on the oven
  • Press the center button under the oven to start it
  • Now wait for it to warm up…
  • When warm: pop the fuse to the off-position again so the oven is without electricity
  • Put the earth connection back together again
  • Pop the fuse back in its on-position
  • Start the oven again
  • If the fuse now holds up: problem solved!
  • If not, repeat this:
    • Disconnect the earth wire again
    • Pop the fuse back to the on-position
    • Continue heating until it works with the earth wire connected
  • Pull down the fuse for the oven to the off-position again (safety first)
  • Let the oven cool off
  • Verify that the earth contact is connected
  • Put the lid back on with the torx screws
  • Lift the oven back in its cabinet
  • Put back the two Philips screws that hold the oven in place
  • Pop the fuse back in its on-position

That’s all there’s to it!

How to (possibly) avoid this problem:

This issue only occurs when the oven is not used for a long period of time. Make sure to warm up your oven at least once during your stay. This will get rid of any moisture within the appliance and the problem is less likely to occur.

Some photos:

Location of the Philips screws:

The oven wiring:

The yellow-green earth contact:

Running TEMPORARILY with disconnected earth contact: