One of our friends has a problem with their relatively new range. The problem is when they turn the back burner off it will stay on low. They tried removing the burner and changing it with the other one that is the same size but this is not fixing it.
Ok so this is probably a problem with the Range’s Switch. The switch that controls the electricity to the burner could be shorted and this would cause electricity to be sent to the burner even when it is in the off position. Another thing it could be is the wiring for the switch if it is exposed and shorted.
This is a common problem but one you need to take care of immediately. The first thing that I would suggest is that you turn off the stove at the circuit breaker. If the stove is plugged in to an outlet and not hardwired you can then remove the plug from the wall outlet. Don’t work on the stove with the unit plugged in or the circuit breaker on.
The next thing you want to do is find the name plate on the stove. It might be on the back of the stove or it may be just about any place that the manufacturer decided to put it. Find it and write down the Manufacturer, the Model and the Serial Number. All three are important when finding parts. The Manufacturer and Model will get you close but the serial number will find you parts for your specific year stove.
Next go to the Manufacturer’s website and find the manual for your range. Look towards the back of the manual which should be a PDF file and then find the exploded parts view that shows all the parts and the part numbers for your stove. Check the price of the Switch and see if it is a single switch or sometimes those switches are units of two or three switches hung together.
You will then need to remove or get access to the switch and look for any part number on it. You will also want to inspect the wires to the switch for any burns or shorts.
At this point if the manufacturer has a help hotline you can call it or email them and describe the problem in detail.
I then suggest that you try to find the part online from that big A store. They seem to have good prices on appliance parts and delivery is reasonably quick. You will be eating out for the next few days though.
Replace the switch and your unit should work fine.
If this was a more complex unit that had computer controlled elements or if it was the control for the oven elements which is on a switch I would suggest that you either find a service manual to help diagnose the problem, call the help line or call a service technician.
Final Note
Repairing your range yourself will save you a lot of money but there are times when you should call a service technician for help. If you don’t feel comfortable working on your stove and the electrical connections then call a professional. The cost of the job should be about $80 labor and the cost of the switch.
Either way if you do or don’t feel comfortable you can always call a service center and ask them questions which may help you decide if you are up to the job or if you are willing to pay that $150 to get the switch fixed.
On the other hand if the range is past its warranty and has seen a few years its probably best to replace it with one on sale. Unfortunately they don’t always go on sale when yours brakes but you might get lucky.