My Electric Oven Won't Work

[AHI in AR]

Here's a question for you guys who do your own appliance repairs or who have a background in this. Or those who are simply smarter than me.

I have done plenty of washer and dryer repairs on rental property I own, as well as replacing my share of hot surface igniters in gas ovens there, and a dishwasher pump, solenoid, or timer here and there. Unfortunately, electric ovens are unfamiliar territory. But I have a 6 year old KitchenAid (a glorified Whirlpool) electric oven in my own home. It has an electronic control panel controlled by touch. It worked perfectly fine the last time I used it. However, when I tried to use it today it didn't work properly. Both upper and lower elements would start heating up slightly, but neither would begin to hit normal temperatures. This was the case in bake mode as well home as broil mode, and this was the case in convection mode also. The fan DID come on in convection mode.

I figured maybe the temperature sensor was out of whack. But then I realized that the oven light switch no longer turned the light off, so I started suspecting the electronic control panel. For what it's worth, the warming drawer underneath the oven works properly, and that's controlled by the touch panel.

I can research this online, but I thought I would ask you guys first. Any sage advice from someone who's been there and done that?

[inspector57]

I'm not an appliance guy but it sounds like a voltage issue. It think you may only be getting one leg of the 240 volts. Try resetting the breaker and if necessary, check voltage at the unit.

[kurt]

Every modern appliance problem I've ever had ultimately came back to the control module. Usually, you have to yank the whole thing and replace it.

[Marc]

I haven't worked on touch panels but Kurt's right. Most things taking more than 5 minutes of diagnosis eventually end up at the control circuitry.

Before you replace it, check all bonding, from breaker to control panel. Them electronics are finicky when it comes to bonding.

No, I ain't smarter than you, I just wanna post. [:-paperba

Marc

[gtblum]

Their boards are junk. Some have been known to magically start in self cleaning mode and run for hours at 500 degrees.

There are web pages full of complaints from pissed off, or terrified owners. The Big W does not give a damn about it and will do nothing for those of us who own one.

Same goes for the KA dishwasher boards. They are known fire starters.

Try cutting the power to it for a few minutes. When you power it back up, it may show a "PF" (power failure) code, it might work, or it might show "F02," which is the code for, "the board is shot."

The oven boards cost around $200.00.

[Tom Raymond]

That is precisely why I have a 1946 Roper. It takes a full 15 minutes to hit 400 degrees but it will stay there as long as it has fuel.

The only electric is for the task light.

[Chad Fabry]

That is precisely why I have a 1946 Roper. It takes a full 15 minutes to hit 400 degrees but it will stay there as long as it has fuel.

The only electric is for the task light.

Until recently, my daily driver was a 1927 Odin- I wanted a Roper like yours or even more, an O'Keefe and Merritt but my wife prevailed and we have a giant gleaming commercial thing that also takes 15 minutes to hit 400. Still, I'm rather fond of the 36,000 btu burner for boiling water.

[Tom Raymond]

I have a giant burner, supposedly for boiling water. Really it just spreads the flame to 5" rather than 4". The "Scientific" cooking instructions enameled inside the oven and broiler doors are a hoot too.

I wanted the fire engine red Chambers C I found in an Angelica antique store, but your commercial monster was probably cheaper. I got the Roper in Ohio for $150, and had to rebuild the oven thermostat a few months after we hooked it up for another $300. If the oven sits idle for more than a month or so I have to pull the burner and clean the spider webs out of the orifice. It burns sooty when the little buggers get in there.

[Bill Kibbel]

Always the 'spensive board.