Anybody had an electric oven "blow up"

[Max]

Hi, Folks.

My wife had the cooker / oven on tonight for reheating some pizza. I was in the family room and noted that the lights were fluctuating between dark and light. The fluctuation was noticable but not drastic. I ignored it. Shortly thereafter a loud sizzling noise came from the kitchen. My wife said she saw fire in the oven. When I got there and opened the door I could see part of the heating element was glowing / burning. I switched off the breaker and I need to let it cool down before looking at it again. It seems that the bottom element "shorted" or something but I don't even know if that is possible. I'm suspecting a short was causing a current draw which led to the lights acting the way they were - either that or just one hell of a coincidence.

We have a Jenn-Air SVD48600 that the previous owners bought and installed in 1997. I'm thinking that all I need to do is replace the heating element (or have someone replace it for me) and I will be all set. Just curious to see if anyone else has had this issue.

I've included two pics that hopefully give you an idea of what I am talking about.

http://www.bodoin.com/myimages/oven1.jpg
http://www.bodoin.com/myimages/oven2.jpg

Cheers, Max

EDIT: you used to be able to inline picture, not any more? Also, any idea of what could have actually caused this to happen and should I worry about it happening again with a new element?

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by Max

Anybody had an electric oven "blow up"

No but oven elements fail all the time as explained at the following link:

LINK > How do I test an electric stove element?

any idea of what could have actually caused this to happen

That's just one of the ways an element can fail. The only things I know of which might precipitate it is having foil in close proximity to it or possibly spraying oven cleaner on it.

and should I worry about it happening again with a new element?

The element will likely fail again... eventually. Whether it will fail in the same way is impossible to say. But there isn't much else such a failure can affect when it does occur. The oven is basically metal can can't catch on fire. Sparks might ruin what was being cooked at the time.

Jenn-Air SVD48600... I'm thinking that all I need to do is replace the heating element (or have someone replace it for me) and I will be all set.

Probably. You can see the replacement element for your model at the following link and read general tips on replacing a bake element below as well.

LINK > Jenn-Air SVD48600 Bake Element
LINK > How do I replace an oven element?

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Max]

Hi, Dan.

Thanks for all the information. I will spend some time reading through those links today.

Cheers, Max

[Troy]

you still can, just use the following format: [img]value[/img]

but you really want to use
http://www.homerepairforum.com/upload/upload.asp
so that the image gets resized to fit the screen, and stored on the server with the rest of the images...
such as:

Originally Posted by Max

Hi, Folks.



http://www.bodoin.com/myimages/oven1.jpg
http://www.bodoin.com/myimages/oven2.jpg

Cheers, Max

EDIT: you used to be able to inline picture, not any more?

[Max]

Thanks, Troy. I was just being lazy and looking for the include image button. I did find the upload an image but then one of them was too large and I didn't have the time to resize it at the time.

I am now in possession of a brand new element which I will install when I get home. I've already got the old one out so I know it's gonna be a snap to do...famous last words. Cost me about 40 bucks which is a lot less than I was thinking it would cost last night when I heard my wife screaming in the kitchen.

Cheers, Max

[Max]

I got the new element and fitted it a few days ago. Tonight is the first time I have used it and tried to get a hot temperature i.e. 450 degrees. The oven is taking AGES to heat up. A LOT longer than before. I can handle the element and I can feel it's warm but it's not so hot that I drop it. So, could this be because:
1. there is another problem with the oven, or
2. the element is not the correct rating, or
3. something else

We can't keep using this element though because it simply takes too long to heat up.

Cheers, Max

Edit: there are two elements in the oven and the top one, I guess that's the broiler, is hotter to handle than the bottom one. I had the door open to touch the elements and my wife has just shouted through that the temperature has gone DOWN! Argh!

Edit2: Just timed it - 2mins 30sec to get from 250 to 255 degrees. At this rate the oven will be at 450 in, oh, just another 97.5 minutes.

Edit 3: It occurred to me that perhaps the bottom element isn't on at all and it just feels hot to the tough because the inside oven temperature is 250 degrees. If I want to make sure that power is getting to the element, is it as simple as putting a 220V tester over the terminals that connect to the element?

Edit 4: Turned off the breaker, removed the element, turned the breaker back on, turned the over on to bake, put my 110v/220v indicator over the bake element terminals and nothing. Did this twice to be sure. Looks like there might be a fuse that needs replacing as well.......now if only I could find it. I can get the oven a short way from the wall but it's got a gas stove top which and I don't want to put any excessive force on the gas lines. I couldn't find any info online about a fuse or where to locate it. partselect.com seem to have a wide variety of parts but I didn't see anything.

[Dan O.]

** 1. there is another problem with the oven **

Probably.

** 2. the element is not the correct rating **

I doubt it if you got the right one for that model. It should glow red when powered regardless.


** put my 110v/220v indicator over the bake element terminals and nothing. **

You are not getting power to the element. It won't heat without it.


** Looks like there might be a fuse that needs replacing as well. **

The only "fuse" would usually be in the house fuse panel. If that's not the problem, the element
may have 'taken out' some part of the control system when it failed. That happens occasionally
I'm afraid.


BTW. For us to find out which controls your appliance takes, you'll have to post its *complete*
model number (SVD48600 is only part of it) and also its 'run' and/or serial number as written on
the appliance's model and serial number identification tag.

You can find tips for locating the identification tag on your appliances in the 'Repair Parts'
section of my web site linked below.

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Max]

Sorry, I thought I had included the full number. It is:
SVD48600B

The serial number is:
12617885SD

My wife was surfing around and she came up with the idea of a fuse from some page she found. I found a wiring diagram behind the removable front cover at the bottom of the oven (where you gain access to the drip jar, serial number, etc.) but it mainly covers the fault codes.

Edit : I assume that since certain functions of the over still work that it's not the circuit breaker that is at fault; my assumption is that it's an all or nothing thing. The breakers are a double 40A. Is it possible for one of the breakers to be busted so only half the oven works i.e. the top bake element and not the bottom one? I don't know if they are on separate circuits so my question could be a little silly.

Edit 2 : I contacted MayTag and they took all my details. There is no fuse in this unit (sounds like it might be a good idea though). This means, in my opinion, it is likely the control board. These run for about $200-$300 bucks plus the service / labour fee. The unit is over 9 years old. Does anyone have a professional opinion on the best next step i.e. repair or replace? Pretend money isn't an issue, I just want to know what is the best action to take. I'm pretty handy and I think I can probably change the relay board myself but since I've never been behind the overn before I cannot be 100%. Thanks.

By the way, I am not seeing any error codes (FC-n) reported which makes me wonder if the relay board is buggered at all.

[Dan O.]

** I thought I had included the full number. **

The model number printed on an owner's manual or other product literature is rarely complete.
Only the appliance's actual identification tag will contain reliable information.


** I assume that since certain functions of the over still work that it's not the circuit
breaker that is at fault; my assumption is that it's an all or nothing thing. **

There's a saying, when you assume you make an ass/ out of /u/ and of /me.
If you want to get to the bottom of problems, you're going to need to put assumptions
aside and stick to only the facts. JMO

Only the oven elements operate on 240 volts (requiring both breakers to be good). The rest
of the appliance only uses 120 volts which can be provided by just a single breaker working.


** The breakers are a double 40A. Is it possible for one of the breakers to be busted so
only half the oven works **

Yes. The only way to know for sure if proper power is getting to the appliance is
by actually testing it.


** This means, in my opinion, it is likely the control board. **

I myself doubt that. The most likely cause IMO is a failed relay board (see the following link)
which is separate from the control board.

LINK > SVD48600B Relay Board


** Does anyone have a professional opinion on the best next step i.e. repair or replace?
Pretend money isn't an issue **

If that is the only problem with the appliance, there should be no reason to scrap it if the
repair cost are not exceedingly high. If however the appliance is in poor general condition,
you might want to consider replacing it... if there won't be a problem with finding a
replacement which will fit without needing cabinetry work.

Generally speaking, if a repair will be more than 1/2 the cost of a replacement appliance
or the appliance is in poor shape anyway, considering replacing it would be a good idea.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[Max]

Thanks, Dan.

I'm well aware of what people say about assume I personally see no harm in making assumptions in the absence of facts as long as one doesn't actually act upon them without doing some research first.

When I said control board above, I meant relay board. I don't know where I got the term control board from. Basically I just went through the parts listed on partselect.com and looked for something like a fuse. I found nothing but I was familiar with the relay board as I had a problem with our oven a couple of years back (lose connection on the back - it was knocked loose when we had a granite backsplash installed).

We have no other problems with the oven / range that we know about. We don't use all the features so there could be something else wrong that we just don't know about but that harldy matters if we're not using it.

Can you give me an idea of how easy it is to install a relay board? I know that "easy" is relative to experience, etc. but if you can. $200 on a relay board is one thing. $400 for the part and to have it installed is quite another. The lady I spoke with at MayTag couldn't give me a quote without me speaking to the service department which I wasn't ready to do this morning.

Thanks, Max