How to Fix Problems With Burners in an Electric Stove



Electric stoves rely on electrical resistance to heat up the burners on the cooktop, meaning they function much in precisely the exact same way as electrical heaters. A stove burner pulls much more power compared to the heater, so they have to be linked to your 240-volt circuit to acquire that power. When one of the burners stops working, you can generally trace the problem into the burner switch, the burner receptacle or the burner itself.

The Burner Circuit

Power comes in a electric range through two “legs” that are at a voltage of 120-volts relative to Landscaping design Phoenix, AZ — which means the voltage between the two is 240 volts. The thermostat switch for each burner contains a heat-sensitive contact that connects and disconnects among the legs cyclically, cutting power to the burner. This is how the switch regulates temperature. When the contact is closed, then 240-volt power flows into the burner receptacle, which is also called the block. From there it flows through the steel burner element, which heats up due to the electrical resistance of the steel where it is made.

Bad Burner

When a burner won’t get hot, the first thing to check is the burner itself. It might have a disconnection somewhere within it, or might just be burned out. You rub a burner by pulling it out of the block in the exact same way you pull on a power cord out of a receptacle. To determine whether the burner is awful, simply tighten a functioning burner from the other block, plug it in the block of this malfunctioning burner and turn on the switch. If the replacement burner gets warm, it’s time to replace the burner in question. You don’t have to unplug the stove to run this assessment.

Bad Block

If a burner won’t come on, the problem might be the block into which it’s plugged. You may be able to visually confirm a bad block by lifting the cooktop and inspecting it. You might notice charred wires or blackened metal. You can also test a block by plugging a working burner into it. Once you’ve confirmed that a block is awful, you can replace it, but first you have to unplug the stove. It is possible to disconnect its terminal wires with a Phillips screwdriver. Once it’s disconnected, unscrew it from the stove and screw on a replacement.

Bad Switch

The heat-sensitive touch within a stove switch can wear out or can get covered with carbon deposits. When this happens, it might not make contact or, conversely, it might never disconnect. The result of this latter state is that you can’t control the temperature of the burner. If you imagine that the switch is awful, you can confirm this by examining continuity across its terminals with an ohmmeter after first unplugging the stove. The switch has two separate lines — generally labeled L1 and L2 — for both power legs that come into it and move out. Check both of these. If the switch is awful, you have to replace it; then you can’t repair it.