How to troubleshoot your electric range and oven. Essential steps to take before buying kitchen appliance parts. A Fluke digital multimeter will help find malfunctions.
Troubleshooting an Electric Range
Although there are many gas ranges out on the market, the electric range (or electric stove) continues to lead in sales. Virtually every home has one – everybody eats. Competition among manufacturers is fierce; Maytag against General Electric, Hotpoint VS Viking, and so on; the list goes on and on. Troubleshooting an electric range isn't too difficult.
Most of the tests are simply continuity tests with a Fluke digital multimeter or a similar electrical multitester. A basic understanding of home wiring is also recommended.
Although electric ranges may seem complicated, they really aren't. There are minor differences between brands and models, but they're basically the same, so troubleshooting is rather generic. They operate on a 240/120 volt circuit – 240 V drives the heating elements and 120 V drives everything else: the inevitable clock, lights, and everything else.
Because of the dual voltage requirements, there will be two breakers or fuses. This implies that there are two places to check if power isn't evident and two places to isolate power when doing maintenance or replacing electric stove replacement parts.
Electric Range/Stove Troubleshooting Guide
No Power Anywhere
No power to the unit? Not plugged in or the circuit breaker is tripped.
Bad power cord? Test and replace as needed.
Oven Door Won't Close as Expected
The hinge is broken? Replace or call service.
Oven door mis-aligned? Adjust the door.
Door springs loosened or broken? Adjust or replace.
The Stove Surface Heating Element only Provides High Heat
Bad burner switch? Replace the range burner switch
Oven Light not Operating
Is the bulb loose or burned out? Replace oven light bulb.
Bad light socket? Replace the socket.
Is the light switch malfunctioning? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
All Heating Elements don't Heat at all, or Heat Partially
Bad power cord or terminal block has a bad connection? Test and replace as needed.
The range is only getting partial power? Check circuit breaker or fuse.
Oven won't Self-Clean Properly
Smoke eliminator bad? Call service.
Broil or bake element bad? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
Temperature control gone bad? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
The oven door is unlocked? Ensure the door is locked and try again.
Clock timer bad? Check the clock timer fuses – replace as needed.
The oven selector switch is bad? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
Range Surface Elements Don't Heat at All
Element terminals have loose connections? Reposition the element.
Range element shorted out? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
Burner switch is bad? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
Element receptacle bad? Find out by testing; replace if needed.
Running the Electrical Oven Produces Excess Condensation
Oven vent has becomed clogged? Clean out the vent and the duct.
The Conclusion...
These diagnostic tests should cover most of your electric stove troubleshooting situations. For a more detailed explanation, always look to the model-specific literature.
The copyright of the article Troubleshooting an Electric Range in Home Electrical is owned by Kelly Smith. Permission to republish Troubleshooting an Electric Range in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
How do you remove baked on enamel ware from a burner ?
Dec 10, 2008 9:41 AM
Guest :
How do you test and repair,oven selector switch on electric Amana stove.
Feb 10, 2009 8:23 AM
Guest :
Burners/oven elements not working...lights only work if burner switch is
on...clock works fine. Have installed new circuit breaker and new
outlet in wall. Any ideas???
Mar 15, 2009 4:05 PM
Guest :
My electric range oven heats real slow for Bake (lower element) while the
Broiler (upper element) works just fine. Does the Bake heating element
need to be replaced or is there a separate circuit breaker, fuse, etc that
needs to be tested/replaced?
Mar 18, 2009 7:13 AM
Kelly Smith :
There may indeed be a problem with the baking element. If the circuit
breaker was bad, it wouldn't heat at all.
Apr 15, 2009 6:49 AM
Guest :
How do you remove the range top on a GE glass-top range to access the
burner elements?
Jun 8, 2009 2:57 PM
Guest :
my fan assisted oven has power going to it but for some reason there is no
heat when i put it on. the lights and fan work fine and so does the grill
so if you have any ideas what could be wrong i would most appreciate
them?
Jun 8, 2009 3:00 PM
Guest :
Kenmore glass top range left front burner(largest one) only the center
coils will heat, the outer coils will not heat up..is the problem with the
burner switch or the burner?
Jul 22, 2009 8:22 AM
Guest :
Hello, I have a GE electric Range and one of the burners blew (it shorted
circuit) with a blast of sparks. Why this happens? the house circuit
breaker is not tripped, and now the range doesn't work. Does the range has
an internal circuit breaker? TK
Jul 23, 2009 9:44 AM
Kelly Smith :
It is possible that your range has an internal fuse. You might want to go
to the GE site and see if they have a schematic for your model. If they
don't offer it, try to Google it. You'll find something.
Aug 18, 2009 3:27 PM
Guest :
my bake or broil elements wont work
Aug 27, 2009 10:14 AM
Guest :
jenn-air grill-range with self-cleaning convential and convection oven Oven works fine but lights for clock etc. do not light. It appears you
enter information but the lights do not reflect what is entered
Sep 2, 2009 7:45 PM
Guest :
re august 18th, do make sure the timer is not in the off setting. Very,
very often ovens quit totaly right after cleaning the control panel. The
button gets pushed in, and it ends up in the off position. Do one complet
rotation of the clock and it will pop back out.
Sep 10, 2009 1:34 PM
Guest :
i blew a burner element on the ge stove, i put one of the other burners in
its place. the good element works in the back but not in the front where
the first one was. what could be the problem, all other functions of the
stove works fine.
Sep 21, 2009 6:33 PM
Guest :
I have a kenmore stove model no.9114652590 The code F 1 comes up and
keeps beeping .The only way to stop it from beeping is to unplug the stove
from the power.What do I need to do to stop it?
Oct 2, 2009 10:34 AM
Guest :
i blew a burner element on the ge stove, i put one of the other burners in
its place. the good element works in the back but not in the front where
the first one was. what could be the problem, all other functions of the
stove works fine. zenab haideri 88 corporate drive toronto
on m1h3g6 najmuddin.haideri@gmail.com
Oct 3, 2009 10:47 AM
Guest :
My lower and upper element both heat at the same time whether on bake or
broil. I have 3 phase electricity in a delta arrangement so I have 240
volts between any 2 legs and one of my hot legs is 208 volts to neutral.
Oct 7, 2009 6:53 AM
Guest :
my maytag stove has a reading door when i put it on bake or boil the door
is close
Oct 13, 2009 6:47 AM
Guest :
What does it mean when my range burns the top of the food but hardly cooks
the middle of the dish. Electtric GE range
Oct 27, 2009 1:18 PM
Guest :
I just replaced the bottom element in my oven because it practically blew
up. Now neither top or bottom element will heat up. when I turn it on the
display goes to 100 degrees and stays there.
Oct 28, 2009 4:48 AM
Kelly Smith :
I'm not sure what model you have, but since it is now inoperable in more
than one place, it sounds like it might be a fuseable link or a problem
with the electronics. If a circuit board goes bad, almost anything can
happen.
Try to get a schematic from the manufacturer and see
what the two elements have in common.
Nov 4, 2009 3:22 PM
Guest :
I have a GE Hotpoint Electric Stove model # RB790SH1SA. The unit burner
light and stove come light indicators come on but the burners and stove
will not heat. The indicator lights eventually turn off (no lights on or
clock).
Nov 4, 2009 3:26 PM
Guest :
Can you replace the the burner part of the an electric range? I dropped a
glass lid on the top and cracked it pretty bad.
Nov 6, 2009 7:57 AM
Guest :
What if the oven cooks too fast and burns the food? Is it the element or
the thermostat?
Nov 7, 2009 2:36 AM
Kelly Smith :
"Most likely" it's the thermostat since it tells the element what
to do and technically speaking, the element is rather stupid. By that I
mean, it just heats when told, whereas the thermostat has to sense and send
messages.