Electric Hobs
I write this story in response to an article in the current monthly magazine.
I have a 2016 Lunar Clubman SB and last year had it on the drive preparing it for a trip.
The caravan had an EHU but the mains (in the caravan) was turned off. Part of the preparation involved hoovering the carpets.
The wire from the hoover found itself around the control knob for the electric hob and unknown at the time my movement and that of the wire turned the hob to the on position.
Having finished the hoovering I took it back in the house and after some other activity went back outside. Walking round the outside of the caravan I heard a strange noise and passing walkers turned around. I had no idea what had happened.
On entering the caravan it became obvious that the hob was glowing red and there was glass everywhere. I was amazed that the hob worked even though the mains was off and the glass lid was in the down position.
I am surprised at the lack of general safety devices and how easy it must have been for the hoover wire to turn the hob on.
Comments
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We you say the van had EHU what do you mean? If it is plugged in and the mains trip is in the distribution box is in live position then all electric circuits are 'on'!
We hap a similar thing happen when during cleaning the electric hob was accidentally turned on. We used to have a safety switch on the gas when the lid was down but this is not the case in our latest van. You just have to be extra cautious.
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Pete
I think this would be more useful in the discussion area where more people will see it. On the point you raise I think it is only a requirement that you can't switch on the gas rings with the lid down, perhaps because of a possible gas leakage? I would have thought it was as sensible to have the same sort of fail safe for both gas and electric.
David
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Seems most odd that if the EHU is "off" the hob can be "on". I think there must be a seperate circuit and breaker for the hob somewhere. Depending on the number of rings, there could be a substantial current involved so a dedicated circuit makes sense. Perhaps something in the Hand Book for that model of caravan?
As a safety precaution in future, and for other caravans as well, I'd suggest removing this on/off knob and stowing it somewhere safely so that it is brought out only when it is intended to use the electric hob. If I was doing this, I would add a length of scarlet ribbon to the knob so that it was very obvious when it was attached to the hob.
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Whilst slightly off thread.
I have noticed this on my van,whilst the lid is lowered there is no safety cut out from operating the electric ring.
I have an electric hob on my van and after use when you turn off the ring the indicating neon turns off as well.This means that you could easily lower the glass lid with not realising the hob ring is still hot.This has happened to one Coachman owner which led to the glass lid shattering.
A domestic hob in one of our kitchens had a neon which glowed until the ring was cool enough.
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cannot understand people that don't realise that the hobs stay hot for at least 15/20 mins after being used and want to put the glass lid down so soon after cooking. leave it up till after you've eaten and are tiding up the put the lid down. all handbooks state this and most have a sticker on the lid warning of this.
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You'd think it would be heat-resistant glass that they used in that situation.
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My caravan has four gas burners and no built in electric rings, so we have a two ring plug-in hob to make use of the all-inclusive electricity. It does not get covered, but we treat it all the time as if it is switched on since we can't be sure that the other has not been using it for something. Almost as dangerous as the deep fat fryer.
I much prefer using the microwave.
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You appear to be missing the point here. What Stinky Pete and magazine Lady are saying is when the lid is down the switch can be knocked on accidentally and the hot plate unknowingly heats up and smashes into thousands of pieces. Design fault or cuts to keep costs down.
Our 2000 Abbey had the electric cutout when lid was down, our later model Motorhome does not.
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The problem of electric hobs working with the top down seems to be a common one as on another forum someone commented that his dealer said they had replaced four before he needed his done. A cut out should be mandatory for safety reasons alone.
Bailey are now fitting wooden tops over the hood and that seems to be a fire hazard if the hob is left on.
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It’s usual to have a cut-out for gas but I thought that normally there should be one for the electric hob as well.
If the main Isolating switch was off on the incoming supply then the hob could not be on unless there was something seriously wrong with the way the caravan was wired. People don’t normally just switch one breaker off. Sounds very odd.
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I’ve never seen any of our caravan electric rings glow red hot, so maybe they’ve been upgraded. But isn’t this the time for manufacturers to make hobs with an induction ring? Better control, more economy and no heat unless there’s a (ferrous cored)/pan in place.
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Never been able to use an electric hob other than at Club sites. They take far too much power to be of realistic use.
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We found ourselves pitched up next to a brand new van on a CL. Two gents in it, all they used for cooking was electric hob, microwave and a full size kettle, usually all on at the same time. By the fourth time of the whole site losing its power, and much grief from the other four members on CL, they were advised to “move on”. They hadn’t a clue, didn’t want any advice, blamed the site owners. Last heard of causing grief just down the road on a Club Site. They tour amongst us.
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little wonder site fees are on the increase, too much use of electricity, my 4 ring gas hob cooker never has the problems as described above, if you put your hand over them you get burnt, maybe use an electric grill from time to time or a quick blast in the micro, but gas bbq and gas hobs for me and we still get buy with 2x 6kg cylinders for 3 months over there, lots of salads is the secret, or eat out, cheap as chips over there
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Never been able to use an electric hob other than at Club sites. They take far too much power to be of realistic use.
little wonder site fees are on the increase, too much use of electricity, my 4 ring gas hob cooker never has the problems as described above, if you put your hand over them you get burnt, maybe use an electric grill from time to time or a quick blast in the micro, but gas bbq and gas hobs for me and we still get buy with 2x 6kg cylinders for 3 months over there, lots of salads is the secret, or eat out, cheap as chips over there
Totally agree with ET, ours I think is 800 watts. 200 watts less than our low amperage kettle. Also as he points out they are thermostatically controlled. Clearly some folk think they are much more powerful than they are.
That said in the 14 years we have been caravanning and having them in two vans, you could count the number of times they have been used on two hands. Much prefer the controllability of the gas than the fairly primitive technology of the electric plates they fit. I am sure we won't be alone in this. I suspect much more electric is used by separate hot plates etc in awnings, than is ever used by those integrated into the cooker hob.
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Good stir, Rufs, but as electric cookers usually need a 32amp supply, I don’t think we’ll be seeing them on site for a while yet.
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That said in the 14 years we have been caravanning and having them in two vans, you could count the number of times they have been used on two hands. Much prefer the controllability of the gas than the fairly primitive technology of the electric plates they fit. I am sure we won't be alone in this. I suspect much more electric is used by separate hot plates etc in awnings, than is ever used by those integrated into the cooker hob.
I use ours when cooking a full meal principally for the veg as I find it more controllable when I want something on a low simmer and it is also out of the way at the rear of the hob,
Also never had a problem with their usage alongside other electrical stuff on any UK site as usually at least 10 amp available.
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occasionally, not against EHU, but ours is a 2008 caravan which is quite frugal when it comes to electricity, and we dont indulge in TV etc, and tend to use the caravan for sleeping, but we are a bit modern, we do have micro, toaster, kettle, griddle.
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