Hi All. Need some advice

[davidlynch20]

Hi All, my name is David and I clean and repair electrical ovens. I previously was a digital press operator and did lots of training to repair and maintain the digital presses.
I was cleaning a customers oven yesterday. I couldnt find the isolator switch to turn off so foolishly proceeded cautiously. While I was carefully cleaning around the bulb area a shard of wire wool tripped the kitchen ring main fuse switch. The oven was undamaged, but I have just been contacted by the customer to say that the short has broke her boiler which was also on the kitchen ring. I will be contacting my public liability insurance tomorrow, but can anyone clarify if this was my fault.

 

[PEG]

Hi,i cannot see how the wire-wool did this,unless there was no bulb in there? ...Anywho...there seems a rash of these type of claims,me pal who is in this type of job (white goods dogger) gets one a month...

I would be interested to see how the incidents were linked,or rather,have it explained... maybe it went off,if spurred off the same ring,or RCD covers several circuits...

To be honest,all i am thinking about,is what's the worst oven you have ever cleaned? ....Oh,and has a customer ever got mighty fresh with yer?

 

[solarsavings]

If the boiler is a glowworm or vaillant with the symsi board then there is chance that the boiler has gone down as turning them off at fcu can take the board out

 

[davidlynch20]

There didnt appear to be an RCD on the consumer unit. I had the bulb cover removed to clean the glass and there was a working bulb in situ, SES fit. Must have been very unlucky to touch live, but need to know if this would have knacked the boiler mother board. Havent admitted liability, just said I would contact my insurers tomorrow.

 

[buzzlightyear]

if their was no isolator to switch off the oven ,why did you knock off the mcb for safe sake .

 

[davidlynch20]

The customer had popped out and I didnt know where the consumer unit was. She showed me 10mins later when she returned

 

[Midwest]

Been there. Your very presence has caused issues in this household, with or without substance. You could just let your insurance company manage the situation; they'll send out a loss adjuster, who may or may not argue the issue. End of the day, next year for the next 'x' years, your PL will increase to pay off this liability.

Note to oneself; make sure your hourly rate reflects this liability, prior to stepping foot in anymore properties .

 

[buzzlightyear]

I can not see how a short on the oven has taken the c/board out considering it would by pass the boiler .or was the isolator 13amp fuse out some where for the boiler .

 

[solarsavings]

My young friend Kev with a possible fix if it's a glowworm or vailant as I posted above.

 

[KEV 1 N]

Quite possible the power going off (to the boiler) then being turned back on has caused the boilers circuit board to blow a component....
I speak from experience here, as I did it to my own a few years back....accidentally switched it off, realised in a second, put it back on....blew 3a fuse in spur, kept blowing them....burnt component!
£350 replacement from plumb centre! I managed to get a reconditioned one for £150 of eBay and changed it myself.

If you know a good gas engineer might be worth getting him/her to fix it for your customer ( shows goodwill and hopefully keep them happy) as opposed to going through insurance....as someone else said you’ll pay the extra in premiums for years to come.

 

[GeorgeCooke]

If the boiler is a glowworm or vaillant with the symsi board then there is chance that the boiler has gone down as turning them off at fcu can take the board out

Well that is not the OPs fault, it is a design fault and should be covered by a guarantee, or statuary rights.

 

[GeorgeCooke]

My young friend Kev with a possible fix if it's a glowworm or vailant as I posted above.

If you are taking the board out a much better fix would be to run over all the joints with a soldering iron. Don't use unleaded solder either. It is carp.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Well that is not the OPs fault, it is a design fault and should be covered by a guarantee, or statuary rights.

no on working on it has taken full responsible ,but I would argue that because he could not isolate it ,then it is down to the customer for not having a isolator their in the beginning .

 

[solarsavings]

Well that is not the OPs fault, it is a design fault and should be covered by a guarantee, or statuary rights.

I never said it was winston1.

 

[GeorgeCooke]

no on working on it has taken full responsible ,but I would argue that because he could not isolate it ,then it is down to the customer for not having a isolator their in the beginning .

But an isolator is not required. Nice to have maybe but not required.