Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Groovychook]

We had a power cut the other day whilst I was in the middle of cooking a meal.

 

When the power came back on, the main oven on my Zanussi ZCE7610 wouldn't heat up. The light comes on and the fan works, as does the top oven & hob. It's been a bit erratic temperature wise for a while now- I've had to use an oven thermometer to get an accurate reading, so that could all be part of the problem...

 

I've googled around and discovered that it might be the element that has gone.

Just wondering if anybody knows if this is an expensive thing to have repaired?

 

It's not a total disaster as I've got the rayburn and top oven to bake & roast in but the rayburn is ancient & solid fuel so tends to be a bit hit and miss!

 

Why do these things always happen in the build up to Christmas?! Seem to recall my last cooker giving up the ghost with about a week to go until the big day

[The Dogmother]

I doubt it will be very expensive, why not look for prices of the element on t'internet and call around for a sparky to come and look at it.

 

I have been nursing my 20+ year old gas cooker for a few years now - they now no longer make the parts for it, so next time it goes is the last time. It hasn't cooked properly for an age now, and is a bit of a liability. I thik that I will have to scratch together any Christmas money I get to get a new cooker

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

May be worth seeing if freecyclers/freeglers can help. Our neighbour was chucking out an oven and we didn't have one, and now we have. Might see you through for a short period if someone is giving one away.

[Groovychook]

I doubt it will be very expensive, why not look for prices of the element on t'internet and call around for a sparky to come and look at it.

 

Good idea! I'll start trawling... there's a sparky in the village who installed it for us & he was very reasonable. Hadn't even considered that- was thinking I'd have to fork out for a Zanussi engineer...

 

Hope your cooker behaves itself for you over Christmas- fingers crossed!

[chickencam]

We buy replacement elements for our fan oven on ebay. We bought a couple of more expensive ones from local electrical shops, but they didn't last any longer than the ebay ones, and TBH I think they are the same.

 

We have to replace our's every 9 months or so, the oven get used most days and on very hot settings for cooking bread about 4 times a week. We usually pay £7 ish on ebay.

[The Dogmother]

I doubt it will be very expensive, why not look for prices of the element on t'internet and call around for a sparky to come and look at it.

 

Good idea! I'll start trawling... there's a sparky in the village who installed it for us & he was very reasonable. Hadn't even considered that- was thinking I'd have to fork out for a Zanussi engineer...

 

Hope your cooker behaves itself for you over Christmas- fingers crossed!

 

 

I'd only do that if it is still under guarantee. In which case, they should supply the engineer themselves.

[Reikiranf]

Good advice as always! We've started repairing appliances where we can as you can often find helpful instructions on how to fit the parts on the internet, any problem and I'm on Google to find the solution

 

When the belt went on our Zanussi tumble dryer, we got a new belt online for £16 & did it ourselves, I will admit that it wasn't easy and took us a a good few hours but the satisfaction from a job well done was immense. A local repairman quoted us £75 plus parts to do the job

[Groovychook]

Thanks everybody

 

I've been into town to the shop where we bought it from- 3 years ago, so sadly out of guarantee .

 

They seemed to think that I was right about the element and the fact that it has been all over the place temperature wise suggested that the element had been going for a while. They've quoted me £40 for the part and £35 call out.

 

I'll ring around tomorrow and see if the local electrician can do me a better deal.

[Blackrocksrock]

We had a power cut the other day whilst I was in the middle of cooking a meal.

 

When the power came back on, the main oven on my Zanussi ZCE7610 wouldn't heat up. The light comes on and the fan works, as does the top oven & hob. It's been a bit erratic temperature wise for a while now- I've had to use an oven thermometer to get an accurate reading, so that could all be part of the problem...

 

I've googled around and discovered that it might be the element that has gone.

Just wondering if anybody knows if this is an expensive thing to have repaired?

 

It's not a total disaster as I've got the rayburn and top oven to bake & roast in but the rayburn is ancient & solid fuel so tends to be a bit hit and miss!

 

Why do these things always happen in the build up to Christmas?! Seem to recall my last cooker giving up the ghost with about a week to go until the big day

 

 

We have a zanussi sce 7551x and the element went last xmas just before and we sent off for an element from the internet and my hubby fixed it himself - job done it was easy- now the dual element on the top has gone - cannot see how to get into it and quoted about £80 to fix it for

1 ring

[Groovychook]

We have a zanussi sce 7551x and the element went last xmas just before and we sent off for an element from the internet and my hubby fixed it himself - job done it was easy- now the dual element on the top has gone - cannot see how to get into it and quoted about £80 to fix it for

1 ring

 

That's good to hear! OH had a look on-line last night & said that he thought it looked like a simple job to fit a new element. It's always a bit of a worry with something electrical so it's good to know that it was so easy to do!

 

Not such great news about your latest problem... They don't build things to last, do they?!

[chelsea]

They don't build things to last, do they?!

 

 

That's exactly what I was going to say - and they were talking about it on Grumpy Old Women last night aswell.

 

Good luck with the repair - hope it's cheap!

[The Dogmother]

Mine has finally gone too - I was kinda hoping that it'd last through Christmas, even though it has been unreliable Oh well, guess where the christmas money is going...?

[chelsea]

Oh no Clare - isn't that just typical

[Groovychook]

Mine has finally gone too - I was kinda hoping that it'd last through Christmas, even though it has been unreliable Oh well, guess where the christmas money is going...?

Oh no! The curse of the Christmas cooker strikes again...

[The Dogmother]

Exactly! A couple of years ago it broke down (this is a 20+ year old gas cooker) in the week before c'mas and I was thinking that I might have to cart all the food over to my folks At the time, my repair blokie told me that he couldn't get any more parts for that model as they'd stopped making any.

 

There will be 10 of us (yes, in my tiny house!) for c'mas day, so I have just ordered a new cooker. We shan't be sending many pressies this year then!

 

As those of you who have visited know, I only have room for 6 around the dining table, so have borrowed a couple of extra tables and a few chairs

[Blackrocksrock]

Thats just typical before xmas but look on the bright side - that means you will be able to cook xmas dinner no problem. I can at least cook on my 3 rings and the ovens of which I have 2 so not so bad here and only the two of us (Ihope) for xmas this year - yeah - can do what we like when we like with noone to bother us.

[Charlottechicken]

 

There will be 10 of us (yes, in my tiny house!) for c'mas day, so I have just ordered a new cooker. We shan't be sending many pressies this year then!

 

 

Crikey Clare, that is bad timing. I hope you got a bargain in the end though, which cooker have you bought?

[docsquid]

Sorry to hear about the cooker woes. We have also ordered a new cooker. The oven has been dodgy for a while and the thermostat has gone, so you have to cook everything on full whack - OK for heating pizzas but no good for a turkey!

 

At least the new cooker brigade will have a little while to practice before the big Christmas cook!

[Valkyrie]

I'm reading this post and wondering what will break down in our house? Dishwasher, tumble drier and washing machine are fairly new (washing machine the latest to be replaced, so is about a year old or perhaps less).

Ahh, I know - the TV! I will be keeping my fingers crossed that the blasted thing breaks - it's too big and takes up too much room in the corner.

Not this computer though - noooooooooooo!

 

Hope everyones important electricals are fixed and sorted before Christmas.