Induction Hob Not Turning On – Causes and Solutions

Induction cooking units are a dream for the impatient chef, but occasionally they refuse to “fire up”, which can be maddeningly inconvenient!

This article delves into the possible causes and solutions behind why your induction hob isn’t playing ball.

Disclaimer: Before you go about troubleshooting your induction, you should isolate the power to your hob for safety purposes. If you’re unsure about the safety of your unit, please seek advice from an engineer immediately.

 

Cause 1: Your Power Connection Is Faulty

Before diagnosing your Induction hob as faulty, it is wise to check the power source and make sure that the wiring is secure and correctly attached, and isn’t showing any signs of damage or scorching.

Solution

Unless you’re a qualified electrician, it is advisable that you seek technical support from a professional electrician or through your Induction supplier. Any extensive or ‘tricky’ damage could be potentially hazardous to the untrained individual.

 

Cause 2: The Induction Hob Is in Lock Mode

As a safety precaution, Induction cooktops often contain features such as “lock mode” or “control lock function”, which are designed to make sure the top doesn’t cause any damage or injury (or wastes excess electricity).

If your hob is set to this feature, you won’t be able to turn it on via the touch panels.

Solution

To unlock your cooktop, you’ll need to press the “lock” button and hold it down for at least five seconds. The display light should then turn off, and some models may activate an audible sound to indicate your hob top is unlocked and ready to use.

Naturally, these instructions may differ per the model, so it is wise to check your instruction manual (if you still have it) to be sure.

 

Cause 3: No Power!

Since inductions suites are powered by electricity, they are vulnerable to outages or other issues, such as circuit breaker trips.

Solution

To eliminate this as the possible culprit, check your fuse box to see if anything has tripped.

If this is the case, you’ll need to reset your cooktop, which usually involves pushing the switch to the “off” position, holding it in place for a few seconds, and then moving it to the “on” position.

If this isn’t the issue, it’s worth contacting your electricity supplier to check for local outages/work being done in the area that may disrupt your power flow.

 

Cause 4: Your Hob is Damaged or Faulty

The magnetic rings that source the power to heat up your induction hob are sensitive and can be easily damaged or cracked if it isn’t well looked after.

Excess banging of pans on the top can cause this, as well as overheating a pan/putting an empty pan on the hob (which is also a fire hazard.) If the glass or the copper coils inside the hob are damaged, your Induction will not switch on.

Solution

A crack or a large scratch of the glassware are usually fairly visible to the naked eye.

Once you’ve rule those out, you can inspect your induction hob by removing the glass top and the mounting brackets below and checking to see if there is any visible damage inside, such as scorch marks on the coils or burnt-out wiring.

It is probable that you will need to contact an engineer to replace any damaged parts, or you can order the parts required and fix the damage yourself.

 

Conclusion

Looking after your induction top will lessen the risk of any damage or cause for it not to switch on. Induction tops are typically more sensitive than your average gas or electric hob, so treat it with kindness and it’ll likely serve you well.

Remember: safety first. If ever in doubt about troubleshooting, allow a professional to diagnose and treat the issue for you.