Main Burner always on High

[KarlK]

From what I can tell, I have a General Electric Americana P-7 from the sixties. Looks almost exactly like this:

General Electric Americana Range P-7 1964 Ad - eBay (item 350012737170 end time Mar-06-08 03:47:04 PST)

Before, my burner would only be on high, then it would go off after a period of time. Most of the time the burner would eventually go back on if I pushed the buttons on and off and jiggled it around.

There was a round spring loaded sensor in the middle of the burner which I removed, then tied the loose wires together. I was told this was a heating accelerator. It now seems to stay on more consistently, but I still can't adjust the the temperature, it just stays at full blast high the whole time.

I tried adjusting the little screw adjuster behind the dial that just says "low" clockwise or "high" counterclockwise, nothing. I check the wire connections in back, a couple seemed to be loose, but it may have just happened when I pulled the panel off because when I pushed all the wires down it still didn't change anything. Makes me think it might be the temperature adjusting dial itself.

Anyone have any ideas or know how I could test just the dial mechanism by itself with a multitester?

Thanks much!

Karl

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by KarlK

From what I can tell, I have a General Electric Americana P-7 from the sixties. Looks almost exactly like...

I'm afraid that is not enough information to properly identify the appliance in question. Only the complete model number *off the appliance itself* will.

I was told this was a heating accelerator.

It is a temperature sensor.

There was a round spring loaded sensor in the middle of the burner which I removed, then tied the loose wires together.

The switch/valve used in conjunction with it will not function properly without a working sensor in place. That sensor is what tells the control what temperature the pot/pan is at so it can act upon that information. Without that information, it will not work properly.

but I still can't adjust the temperature

That is to be expected now.


Please post the appliance's model number to we can look up what appliance design you're dealing with and then maybe we can provide some suggestions.

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

[KarlK]

Thanks for the helpful info. This is beginning to make more sense. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the complete model number anywhere on the front of the appliance or inside any of the door areas. I'm thinking I need to pull the appliance out and look in back, but it definitely doesn't come out easily. No amount of pulling and tugging has got it to move even a hair. I'm thinking maybe it was somehow screwed into the wall, so next I'm gonna start taking pieces off to see where it could've been secured. I'll let you know when I find something.

Thanks!

Karl

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by KarlK

I haven't been able to find the complete model number anywhere on the front of the appliance or inside any of the door areas.

You've looked in all the places suggested at the following link?

LINK > Model Tag Search

I'm thinking I need to pull the appliance out and look in back

It won't be on the back so don't waste your time and effort attempting to move it. The appliance's identification tag should be accessible from the front... wherever GE happened to have put it on your particular model.

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

[KarlK]

Ok, thanks for the tip! I finally found it behind the door jamb of the upper oven, hardly ever used that one, but maybe I'll use that one from now on instead of my toaster oven.

It was almost worn out, but here it is:

J795A1WH

Ok, hope that helps, let me know if you have any ideas.

Thanks!

Karl

[Dan O.]

Yes, that model has a sensor for one element which works in conjunction with the switch for that particular unit. The switch for it will not operate properly without a functioning sensor in place.

If needed the sensor is still available (although expensive) however the switch has been discontinued but I did find one new-old stock one up for auction on eBay (see the following links). It might be the last one in existence?

LINK > 'Auto' Surface Unit Switch

LINK > 'Auto' Surface Unit Element Sensor

If fiddling with the switch's buttons allowed the element to sometimes work, that might point more to a possible problem in the switch itself than in its sensor or the temperature dial switch.

BTW. I believe the sensor should measure in the area of 17.5 ohms resistance which will change depending on the temperature it is sensing at the time.

JFYI

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

[KarlK]

Wow, that's some great work! Thanks for the links. I'm kind of leaning towards the sensor.

Now that I think about it, even though I was fiddling with the switches, it seemed like it wasn't until I actually turned the burner off and let it cool down a little before the burner could turn back on again. I think the first time I took the senor off, the burner didn't stay on the first time, but it's been staying on consistently ever since.

There is also a temperature adjustment dial on the above panel, but I take it that's not going to work without the sensor in place anyways.

So that's why I'm leaning toward replacing the sensor, but yeah, that is pricey! I took a reading on it, says it's around 18 OHMS, so sounds like that's ok, but maybe it's not working correctly as it gets hot. Also, the mount for the sensor was a little loose, so I wonder if that had something to do with it? Maybe it requires consistent pressure on the sensor. Seems like it wouldn't take so long to come back on if that were the problem though.

Thanks!

Karl

[Dan O.]

Originally Posted by KarlK

There is also a temperature adjustment dial on the above panel. I take it that's not going to work without the sensor in place anyways.

No.

I took a reading on it, says it's around 18 OHMS, so sounds like that's ok, but maybe it's not working correctly as it gets hot.

It's possible. It would usually have to be tested *at the time of failure* although I'm afraid I don't know what readings to expect at the various temperatures it might be sensing.

Also, the mount for the sensor was a little loose, so I wonder if that had something to do with it? Maybe it requires consistent pressure on the sensor.

I would think the sensor would have to remain in contact with the pot or pan for it to function properly.

JMO

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