Electricity problem - Utilities: Electric, gas and water recommendations and advice in Campoamor - Campoamor forum - Costa Blanca forum in the Alicante province of Spain
Airport Service Taxi Mil Palmeras  Torre de la Horadada
James Spanish School
interior building work
Gran Alacant Insurances
AA Free English TV
Blacktower Financial Management
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
Gentlevan Removals
Espana Dream Properties
Thy Will Be Done
Car Key Solutions
Expat Services
ASSSA Insurance
Costa Blanca Building Specialists

Join the Campoamor forum

Join the Campoamor forumMy name's Alex and this is my website all about Campoamor in Spain. Register now for free to talk about Utilities: Electric, gas and water recommendations and advice in Campoamor and much more!

Electricity problem

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 11:26am
13 replies151 views4 members subscribed
Bex

Bex

Helpful member

Posts: 223

128 helpful points

Location: Campoamor

Joined: 20 Jan 2017

Hi everyone

Ive been told that I am paying for 5750 watts of electric for my 70 sq. mtr. apartment and that it should be adequate. When I turn on the oven, it trips in the electric box after being on for a minute or so, even though there’s no other electric being used. Does anyone have any idea if this could be due to how much electric I’m getting (as oppossed to a faulty cooker).

Many thanks

Jackie

271935

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 2:07pm

271935

Very helpful member

Posts: 836

679 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 30 Apr 2016

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 2:07pm

That's an electricity fault not an issue with you're tariff. 

Either a fault on your cooker or fuse box.

I have a 3 bedroom semi and run 3.5kw tariff. I can run cookers, tvs and air con on this tariff.

You're 5.75kw tariff is way to high for such a small apartment. So with that level of potencia you could run a couple  ovens at the same time.

Get an electrician out to check you're cooker and fuse box

Bex

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 3:30pm

Bex

Original Poster

Helpful member

Posts: 223

128 helpful points

Location: Campoamor

Joined: 20 Jan 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 3:30pm

Hi. That’s really helpful and I appreciate you taking time to respond. I will certainly get the oven and fuse box checked out when I am over in January. 

Best wishes. Jackie

jimtaylor

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 4:01pm

jimtaylor

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 5612

8738 helpful points

Location: Mudamiento

Joined: 2 Feb 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 4:01pm

It all depends what's tripping - whether it's the circuit breaker for the oven circuit, the earth leakage breaker, or the Iberdrola cut-off switch that operates if you exceed your contracted supply.

If it's the earth leakage breaker, there's a fault somewhere. However, I'd have expected this to trip immediately, not after a delay.

If it's the oven's circuit breaker, there could well be a different sort of fault, probably with the oven. It could even be that the breaker isn't the correct one - you should normally have a 16 amp blue breaker. It could even be a faulty breaker - that's happened to me once.

If it's the cut-off breaker, then you're exceeding the contracted supply. This breaker in your case should be 25 amps.

I disagree for once with what 271935 says about running multiple ovens. Ovens are power hogs. Without looking I don't know what my present oven draws, but the one I had in the UK drew about ten amps.

Bex

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 5:34pm

Bex

Original Poster

Helpful member

Posts: 223

128 helpful points

Location: Campoamor

Joined: 20 Jan 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 5:34pm

Hi Jim. I’m not sure which breaker was tripping - I just flicked it back on. I will check it out in January when I’m back over. That’s really helpful - I had no idea about size of breakers or what they are all for so thanks for that. 

Best wishes, Jackie

Advertisement - posts continue below

jimtaylor

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 7:21pm

jimtaylor

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 5612

8738 helpful points

Location: Mudamiento

Joined: 2 Feb 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 7:21pm

OK Jackie, to help you:

Ordinary circuit breakers are quite narrow, and there will be a few of them side by side, all with a colour code for amperage.

The earth leakage breaker is much wider, and usually has a test button as well as the switch.

The cut-off switch may be in the consumer unit, or it may be in a separate enclosure beside it, but it's easily spotted because it has a lead seal on it.

Bex

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 7:32pm

Bex

Original Poster

Helpful member

Posts: 223

128 helpful points

Location: Campoamor

Joined: 20 Jan 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 7:32pm

Hi Jim. Thats great - thank you again. 

Best wishes Jackie

Bex

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:19pm

Bex

Original Poster

Helpful member

Posts: 223

128 helpful points

Location: Campoamor

Joined: 20 Jan 2017

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:19pm

jimtaylor wrote on Wed Oct 4, 2017 7:21pm:

OK Jackie, to help you:

Ordinary circuit breakers are quite narrow, and there will be a few of them side by side, all with a colour code for amperage.

The earth leakage breaker is much wider, and usually has a test button as well as the switch.

The cut-off switch may be in the consumer unit, or it may be in a separate enclosure beside it, but it's easily spotted because it has a lead seal on it.

Hi Jim. Sorry to trouble you again. My daughter is at the apartment and says it’s the diferencial switch that is tripping when the oven is switched on.  Do you have any suggestions please?

Regards, Jackie 

271935

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:29pm

271935

Very helpful member

Posts: 836

679 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 30 Apr 2016

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:29pm

If it trips as soon as you switch the oven on and it hasn't done it in the past the fault is your oven. Turn everything single thing using power off then reset the breaker. Then turn the oven on, if it trips out again it is the oven. As you will not trip a 5.75kw tariff with the oven alone.

Bex

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:41pm

Bex

Original Poster

Helpful member

Posts: 223

128 helpful points

Location: Campoamor

Joined: 20 Jan 2017

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:41pm

The oven doesn’t trip immediately, it’s ok for a minute or so before the switch trips, even when no other electrical appliances are on (unless the fridge happens to kick in possibly - but I doubt this happens on every occasion she tries the oven)  

Best wishes, Jackie. 

Sign up for free or login to reply to this topic

Want to reply to this topic? Login or register for free to post your message:

Find more Utilities topics from a particular area:


Register for free!

Login to your account

Airport Service Taxi Mil Palmeras  Torre de la Horadada
James Spanish School
interior building work
Gran Alacant Insurances
AA Free English TV
Blacktower Financial Management
Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL
Gentlevan Removals
Espana Dream Properties
Thy Will Be Done
Car Key Solutions
Expat Services
ASSSA Insurance
Costa Blanca Building Specialists
Advertise your business here
Advertise your property
Help with my computer