i want to know the problem cousing this fault. when i switch one of my cooker plates after few minutes the main electric box will switch off. so please can you tell me what caused this fault. thanks

KAM, September 2010

The heating wire inside the element assembly expands as it gets hot and because of a fault it touches the outside sheath. A short to earth occurs. The safety (RCD) switch on the consumer unit detects the leakage of current to Earth and switches off all electrical power.

You have a defective heating element.

Peccavi, September 2010