Oven Rewiring – Removing Earth Wire – Earth Bypass
What is oven rewiring? Earth Bypass? Earth Rewiring? Oven Rewiring? These are just some of the misleading term some technicians called it. Oven rewiring, earth bypassing is simply removing of your earth wire to prevent the tripping of your ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) – is Electrically Hazardous.
Is done so by joining your earth wire with your neutral wire (see photos below).
Oven with Earth Grounding
1. In the event of earth leakage/faulty parts
2. Fault current will be flow via earth wire (green)
3. Thus triggering ELCB to break the circuit
Oven without Earth Grounding
1. In the event of earth leakage/faulty parts
Fault current/leakage current will flow via neutral wire as the earth wire has been disconnected
2. Thus ELCB Circuit Breaker will not detect oven fault, triggering ELCB to break the circuit
3. Oven external metal parts are not earthed, which is connected to neutral instead
4. In the event of a broken neutral fault/breakage, oven metal parts will be live. Causing bodily harm.
What is the function or purpose of Earth Wire or Earth Leakage Wire (Green and Yellow in colour)?
Earth or ground wiring is essential for most home appliances, such as oven (of course!), electric kettle, rice cooker, water heater, cooker hood. This is because when there is an electrical fault (faulty parts), the leakage current or short circuit will flow to the earth wire that is connected to the body of your appliances, electricity always flow through the path of least resistance.
So that the short circuit or leakage current will not cause you any injury, and trip the circuit breaker before it can cause any further harm. Domestic tripping current is >30mA
Why my oven will not trip when the earth wire is removed?
Because there is no path the leakage current can escape to (when earth wire is removed), thus the ELCB will not detect there is any leakage current, all earth leakage current is flowed back to neutral. Thus no fault will be detected.
How is oven rewiring earth bypass done?
Oven rewiring (removing of earth wire) is often done by connecting the oven earth wiring to the neutral wiring, thus allowing the leakage current to flow back to the neutral wire. (Hope that’s not too confusing for you!) In this way the circuit breaker (ELCB) will be tricked without detecting any leakage current, thus it will fail to activate the ELCB to break the circuitry.
The photo shows how the earth wire (green/yellow) is connected to the neutral wire.
Why is it Dangerous to rewire or bypass earth or remove earth wire from your oven?
In the event, when your main circuit breaker (ELCB) is faulty, you neutral wire is disconnected from the supply grid. Your oven metallic body will become live – and may be electrocuted and suffer severe electrical injuries.
Straits Times 3 June 2022
Great is of use to you
How should one go about rewiring an oven and what precautions need to be taken when removing the earth wire? Greeting : Telkom University
Hi good day. You should never attempt or go around removing earth wire.
1. Earth Wire is used as the lowest resistance path when there is a leakage or fault current
2. When a fault current is detected through earth wire
3. It will trigger the ELCB (earth leakage circuit breaker) by cutting (disengaged) the live and neutral
4. What is important is to identified what is causing the earth leakage fault and replacing the defective components to ensure the smooth operation of your oven
Why is earth or ground wiring essential for most home appliances, and how does it prevent injury and potential damage in the event of an electrical fault such as leakage current or short circuit? What is the typical domestic tripping current, and how does it contribute to safety?
Telkom University