Oven not working

[Ryan]

Hi, hopefully someone can help me, I have this range model #IHE 37300.  The initial problem was that the range was not working.  I took off the back of the range and found that the wire was off of the bake element.  I put the wire back on and plugged the range back in.  Then I tried the oven control and found that the pilot light did not come on, and there was no heat in the entire oven.  I proceded to change the oven control in which I found that when I plugged in the range after changing the control, there was a spark at the wall plug.  I continued to plug the range plug in and found the same problem,(the oven control would not work.  Any suggestions!!!!HELP!!!!
 

[JWWebster]

why would ye need a pilot light? for an electric element?Why change the oven control? You just have that kinda money? a spark? dangit boy.

[Repair-man]

I would guess that after looking at your model, as shown below, the  bake element is shorted out. Contact Whirlpool Canada and see about getting a replacement.




The pilot indicator should go out after the element is  replaced, but there is an outside chance that the shorted element damagd the internal parts of the oven control. That is why someone disconnected the  wire to hide the problem. Is this a "used appliance"?

[Ryan]

Hi guys,  Sorry for the misunderstanding, the light that I am talking about is the light that comes on when you turn the oven control on signifying that the oven is heating up. 

Yes, this is a used range, the girl that I am repairing it for bought the range with the house that she just purchased.  The wire that I found that was disconnected from the bake element was "soddered" to the metal part on the range, so I don't think that it was taken off purposely.  When I checked the bake element, it showed that there was continuity and that the element was good, (could the element  be shorted out even though it shows that there is continuity?) Do you think that this control is fried now too???(Yikes)

Just for your info the people that originally owned the house/range bought the element from our business, knowing this, my guess is that they changed the element from the front by unhooking and then rehooking up the new element, then possible when sliding the new element back in caused the wire to fall off.  Hopefully this shines some light on my situation.  Sorry for typing so much info, It's just that sometimes it's hard to explain the situation.  Let me know what you get out of my explanation.  Thanks again!  Hopefully we can figure this out.  

[Repair-man]

OK, so a terminal came off the bake element and shorted against the metal cover. There is a distinct possibility that if you reconnect the  wire to the bake terminal where it belongs, the unit will either work or the control relay is blown.  Either/or

[Ryan]

Repair man
The control relay?   Is that a different word for oven control?  Because what I did originally is re-hook the wire to the terminal, then plugged the range in and found that the "oven control" wasn't working.  So, I change the oven control, plugged the oven back in and poof a spark came from the plug where I plug the range into.

[Repair-man]

Dude, I don't know what to tell you. Most of us know how to trace a short, which you  obviously have there.  I can't teach you this on a forum. Whip out the OHM meter and start checking components to ground.  Hope your wiring at the wall is correct.

And yes, by control relay, I refer to the relay on the oven control that goes to the bake element. You also have the broil and other things connected to L2, so there are ample opportunities for things that make the cord spark. 


If all they did was change out the bake element as you say, then the wire that slipped off should have solved the problem.

[Ryan]

Thanks for all your help guys, I will take a look at it a little closer and see what is shorting out, Just a quick question, when checking the components to the ground, would it be safe to say that one of the wires that connects to the control is shorting out? and just so that I got it right, would I hold one prong on the ohms meter to a wire on the control and the other to the cabinet/ground at main terminal? 

Thanks for all your help I'll keep trying!

[JWWebster]

To check for continuity,I always remove at least one wire to the component I am checking, just so I don't get a back feed or a false reading.

[Repair-man]

Ryan;

There are a few good ways to learn this process, most of them are already provided here on this forum at : http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?action=downloads;cat=23

The study courses on the range will be particularly effective for you.