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This is the COOKER REPAIR HINTS and TIPS page.
Here you will find hints and tips in how to deal with, and repair, typical oven/grill problems. The electronics are NOT covered, as it is too specialised, and each model will tend to have unique control boards.AS ALWAYS - YOU MUST ENSURE THAT ALL POWER IS OFF TO THE COOKER/OVEN BEFORE PERFORMING ANY CHECKS OR REPLACEMENTS. THROW THE COOKER SUPPLY BREAKER TO MAKE SURE.
LAMPS: when replacing these, use an E14 size lamp especially made for ovens or grills, not an ordinary appliance lamp, as those will not withstand the high temperature inside the grill or oven. The correct type is made with a quartz high temperature glass envelope, and should be clearly marked as an oven lamp on the packaging. They are usually rated between 15 and 25 watts.
GRILL ELEMENT: A typical grill element is shown right. These usually just unclip from a holder, and pull out from a ceramic socket. If you suspect that your GRILL ELEMENT has failed, remove it, and test with a test meter (some elements fail in a very obvious and spectacular way,see the FAN ELEMENT example in the next hint, so there will not be much point in testing these!). If you find one or both of the connector pins is black or very pitted, this will be due to arcing, and you will find that the socket will need replacing too.If the element pins are just discoloured, and not pitted, try cleaning them up with emery or wet/dry paper, and measure across the outer pins with a test meter. If you get a reading of between 20 and 40 OHMS, try putting it back in, to see if cleaning up the pins fixed it. If so, remove it again, and check the socket condition with a good torch. If it appears OK, put your element back in, but monitor its performance carefully. If it fails again after a short while, then replace the socket, and recheck for pin discolouration and arcing on the element. Cleanup the pins if needed, and recheck its resistance before putting it back. See below for typical resistance values.
FAN ELEMENT: The element for the fan-oven function will be located behind the fan cover-plate at the rear of the oven compartment, mounted so that it surrounds the fan blade tips. Remove the cover plate to check the element. The element is usually held in place with 2 screws in the top bracket, and one or more small clips with screws. The push-on wires may not always be free enough to pull forwards for removal and re-attachment onto the spade terminals, so the oven may have to be removed from its housing to manipulate these. There could be 2, 3 or 4 wires, depending on wiring loop requirements. See 2 views of a failed element on the right, where one half loop had melted away. All broken element parts supplied courtesy of a work colleague.
ELEMENT RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS: Most meter checks will reveal either an open circuit (no reading), or a short circuit, (zero ohms) between the outer pins, for a FAULTY ELEMENT. It is also important to measure between the element body, or earth pin, and either of the 2 other pins. There should be no reading, even on the high range, since even if there is a reading of 8,000 ohms or below, to the earth pin, this will be sufficient to trip the RCD or Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB), if you have one fitted on the cooker circuit. Typical normal readings across the outer pins are:
- 2500 WATT: 20 t0 25 OHMS
- 2200 WATT: 25 to 30 OHMS
- 2000 WATT: 30 to 33 OHMS
- 1900 WATT: 30 to 35 OHMS
- 1500 WATT: 40 to 42 OHMS
The wattage should be stamped on the fixing bracket, near the connector pins.
DOOR SEALS: Oven door seals (especially the SILICONE type) often start to sag and deteriorate after a few years, and this means that there will be wasted heat lost. This not only heats up your kitchen unnecessarily, but costs you money! Best to replace them as soon as they get bad. Although you can get the exact type for your model, these can work out expensive. An alternative is to use UNIVERSAL DOOR SEAL KITS. These come in lengths to suit 3 or 4 sided door seals. Just cut each side as per instructions, and insert the barbed mounting clips. These fit through existing holes, and are just stretched in place. You might find you need to drill a couple of 2mm holes near the original ones, to get them to sit correctly, but that only takes a couple of extra minutes. Here are a few sites that stock these seal kits. One of them even sells a universal glass door knob for about £1.20: http://shop.ezee-fix.co.uk/Spare_Parts_Universal_43.html
http://www.electrospares.net
http://www.applianceparts.co.uk
http://www.wibbleywobbley.co.uk/index.php?main_page=produc t_info&cPath=2&products_id=210
http://www.wibbleywobbley.co.uk |
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