Simple question for an electrician

TimTom

TimTom

TimTom

Associate
Joined
18 Mar 2016
Posts
176
The last three times we’ve used the toaster, it’s blown the fuse.

The toaster is several years old but has always worked fine and is kept nice and clean, but it’s suddenly started fusing. This morning I tried it again and as soon as a switched it on there was a bright flash and bang... fuse blown again.

Is it just old age and it’s time for a new toaster or any other suggestions?
 
Other than checking it for things that are in it that shouldn't be there isn't a lot you can do, lots of toasters use bare nichrome wire on a mica former, if something metallic was to wall in and bridge these to the case then that would obviously cause a problem, burnt currants from hot cross buns and tea cakes can cause issues too, but that is normally any a small leakage which trips the RCD*. I am assuming that in your case, it is taking out a fuse rather than an RCD? Given that you say theres a flash and bang, it does sound like there is a hard fault there rather than just excessive leakage

*That would be Residual Currant Device then.... :p
 
Adam_151 said:
Other than checking it for things that are in it that shouldn't be there isn't a lot you can do, lots of toasters use bare nichrome wire on a mica former, if something metallic was to wall in and bridge these to the case then that would obviously cause a problem, burnt currants from hot cross buns and tea cakes can cause issues too, but that is normally any a small leakage which trips the RCD*. I am assuming that in your case, it is taking out a fuse rather than an RCD? Given that you say theres a flash and bang, it does sound like there is a hard fault there rather than just excessive leakage

*That would be Residual Currant Device then.... :p
Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to reply.
 
It's probably part of the mechanism, maybe the "cage" that's shorting against the heating grid when you put it down. I have had a toaster do this to me before.

You could try to check to see if anything obvious is touching anything it shouldn't be, OBVIOUSLY do this with it unplugged and have a good look.

If you really want to go to town you get take a meter to it, and check it around the various parts, take it apart etc. Depends how fussed you are.
 
BUDFORCE said:
It's probably part of the mechanism, maybe the "cage" that's shorting against the heating grid when you put it down. I have had a toaster do this to me before.

You could try to check to see if anything obvious is touching anything it shouldn't be, OBVIOUSLY do this with it unplugged and have a good look.

If you really want to go to town you get take a meter to it, and check it around the various parts, take it apart etc. Depends how fussed you are.
Click to expand...

Thank you.
 
I have one question too. How do you know whether an outlet was grounded properly? What do you do to ground it? I need to change the outlet in our bedroom but I am not sure that I can do this. I want to do this myself because there are no reputable electricians in my area. If I hire one, likely I will have to instruct them on what to do or I will have to fix their work afterwards, just to get those concerns out of the way.
 
Last edited:
Arnold13Z said:
I have one question too. How do you know whether an outlet was grounded properly? What do you do to ground it?
Click to expand...

Bit of a random first post.

There are checks that can be carried out if you have the right equipment.

All circuits should have a c.p.c (circuit protective conductor) this is the circuits path to earth. The outlet is connected to this.
 
BUDFORCE said:
It's probably part of the mechanism, maybe the "cage" that's shorting against the heating grid when you put it down. I have had a toaster do this to me before.

You could try to check to see if anything obvious is touching anything it shouldn't be, OBVIOUSLY do this with it unplugged and have a good look.

If you really want to go to town you get take a meter to it, and check it around the various parts, take it apart etc. Depends how fussed you are.
Click to expand...

Probably this, it can be quite easy to have bent a bit of the cage so it's touching the element. Have done it myself trying to stuff something that's clearly too large into the toaster :P
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom