Fixing your Electric Range

Even though there are all kinds of electric stoves /ranges on the market, in reality  they are all very similar in design and function. This similarity is great if you're trying to figure out how to fix your electric range work since once you understand how one brand of electric range works you've pretty well got them all figured out. If  you're trying to fix your electric range, (no matter the make or model), here's a couple of ideas on how to go about getting it cooking again.

Some basics of how an electric range works 

• Electric ranges and ovens are pretty basic in concept. Electricity flows through an element (stove top or oven) and the electrical resistance of the metal element creates heat. Since the more electricity passing through the element, the hotter it gets, temperature controls are in reality controlling the amount of electricity allowed to flow into an element thus controlling the temperature.  
• Ranges work on 240/120 volt circuits, the 240 circuit powers the cooking and oven elements while the 120 circuit powers things like the timer and oven light.
• Since everything on your electric stove depends on the flow of electricity,  when things go wrong it's commonly because the flow of electricity is interrupted. Here's a couple of things that often can stop your range from working..
  

Element won't heat  

• If an element won't heat up, it's often the element or the receptacle it plugs into that has gone bad.
• Elements on modern stove simply plug in and out of the stove top so it's easy to check a stove element.
• First unplug your stove (even better, disconnect it at the breaker panel).  Next take out the element and look  to see if the connections are burned or corroded – if they are you should replace the element.
• Test the nonworking element by  plugging it into a different receptacle then plug your stove back in and see if the element heats up. If it does, the element is fine and you'll need to replace the original receptacle.
  

Replacing a receptacle

• Be sure the power to the stove is turned off at the breaker box then follow the wires from the receptacle to the burner switch.
• Set your multimeter to RX1 and hold one tip to a terminal on the burner switch. Place the second multimeter tip onto the receptacle contacts in turn. Only one circuit should show continuity. 
• Repeat, holding multimeter tip to the other burner contact then once again, touch the receptacle contacts in turn. Again,only one circuit should show continuity.
• If the receptacle fails continuity test you will need to replace it with a new one.
• Remove the original receptacle by simply by cutting the wires and splicing in the new receptacle using wire nuts to connect them. Replacement receptacles should come with porcelain (heat resistant) wire nuts.

Sourcing replacement parts

• Home stores and local appliance dealers stock stove replacement parts.  However, you may be able to save yourself some money by checking with an online supplier. Googling a general question such as “replacement appliance parts” will generate pages of suppliers, and you could save yourself significant money.

Murray Anderson is a veteran freelancer whose work has been appeared in books, newspapers and newsletters as well as on numerous web sites in both the United States and Canada. He writes on a wide range of topics including home, consumer, and personal subjects as well as general business and Marketing specific topics.