Helpful video reference. We use eSpares' appliance guide "How to Diagnose a Fault with an Electric Hob" as the video reference here. eSpares is a UK spare parts retailer with a detailed catalogue of appliance repair guides; this one covers the most common failure points on sealed ceramic hobs and coil-element models.
1. Check the circuit has not tripped
Go to the consumer unit and look for a tripped MCB or a tripped RCD. A tripped MCB will sit between on and off, or have snapped fully off. A tripped RCD will sit at the halfway position or have its test button dropped.
Before resetting anything, switch the hob controls to off and let the rings cool. Reset the MCB or RCD. If it trips again immediately when you turn the hob on, you have a fault in the hob itself -- keep the circuit isolated and work through the remaining steps.
2. Check the hob controls and safety features
Ceramic and induction hobs often have a child lock that makes all the controls unresponsive. Check the manual for how to unlock it -- usually a long press on a specific button or combination.
Induction hobs also have pan-detection: if there is no ferrous pan on the zone, it will not heat. Test with a known-working induction-compatible pan. If the hob displays an error code, note it and check the manual -- many codes point directly to the failed component.
3. Test the element with a multimeter
Isolate the hob at the consumer unit and confirm dead. On a coil-element hob, each ring sits in a bowl that clips out, giving access to the element terminals underneath. On a ceramic hob you need to lift the hob out of the worktop cutout and access the elements from below. On an induction hob the coils are usually not user-replaceable.
Set your multimeter to resistance (ohms). A healthy element typically reads between 10 and 100 ohms depending on its wattage. An open circuit reading (OL or 1.) means the element wire has burned through and the element needs replacing. A reading close to 0 ohms suggests an internal short.
To test for an earth fault, test between each element terminal and the hob chassis with the multimeter set to resistance. A healthy element reads very high (megohms) or open circuit. A low reading means the element is leaking to earth -- this is what trips the RCD.
4. Check the terminal block
The mains supply cable connects to the hob via a terminal block, usually mounted inside the hob chassis below the controls or at the rear. Loose terminals or corrosion here can knock out one or more rings intermittently or entirely. With the circuit isolated, inspect each terminal for looseness and re-tighten any that move. Check for discolouration or melted insulation, which indicates a terminal has been running hot.
5. Test the energy regulator or selector switch
On older coil-element hobs, each ring is controlled by an energy regulator -- a rotary switch that pulses the element on and off. These wear out over time. With the circuit isolated, access the regulator (usually clipped in from the front of the control panel). Set your multimeter to continuity and probe across the regulator's output contacts while rotating the dial through each heat setting. No continuity at any setting means the regulator has failed and needs replacing. Spares are available from UK appliance parts suppliers for most common models.
6. When all zones are dead simultaneously
If all four rings stop working at once, the fault is almost certainly in the supply side rather than in any individual element. Check the MCB at the consumer unit is on and that a cooker isolation switch (a double-pole switch on the kitchen wall) is also switched on. If all these check out and the hob still has no power, the fault is in the supply cable or at the terminal in the consumer unit -- both need an electrician.
When to call us
If a single element has failed and you are comfortable with multimeter work, replacing the element yourself is reasonable. If the fault points to the hardwired supply, the terminal block, or you are getting an unexpected reading, call. Richard covers appliance supply faults across east Kent at the standard £10 per 10-minute rate for small jobs.
Hob problem in Sandwich?
Richard diagnoses and fixes hardwired appliance supply faults, including hobs, ovens and extractor hoods, on small local jobs across east Kent.
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