If you find yourself with an oven that will not turn on, the first thing you should determine is if the oven is at fault or if perhaps a circuit breaker has been tripped. If the power supply to the oven is not responsible, the next thing to check is if the oven’s heating elements are at fault. Further troubleshooting of the issue will depend on if you have an electric or gas oven.
Ovens pose more of a safety risk than many other household appliances. Therefore, it is important to ensure an oven repair is done correctly. If you are unfamiliar with repairing an oven, it is best to call a trained professional.
Electric ovens require 240 volts of alternating current, while gas ovens require 120 volts. Before taking apart the oven and replacing parts, check that the oven is receiving power and that the outlet is delivering enough voltage.
To Check the Power Supply:
One of the most common causes of an oven not working is that the bake or broil elements have burned out, which causes the oven not to heat. The bake element is located at the bottom of the oven, while the broil element is located at the top. Both elements should glow bright red when working correctly.
Inspect the Bake and Broil Elements:
Perform a Multimeter Test and Check the Wiring:
If your gas oven is not turning on, it is most likely because of a fault with the igniter. When the igniter draws a specific amount of electrical current through the oven’s safety valve, the valve opens and allows gas to flow into the oven burner. The igniter can then get hot enough to ignite the gas in the burner assembly. A weak igniter will fail to open the safety valve correctly, and the oven will not heat.
To Check the Igniter:
Bake and broil burner ignition uses a spark electrode to ignite the gas. The electrode sits next to the burner and functions like a spark plug. When the electrode receives power, a spark moves from the spark electrode tip to the electrode shield, which ignites the gas. If the spark electrode is defective, the spark will likely not occur. For the electrode control to sense the presence of a flame when the burner is ignited, a proper ground and the correct voltage to the range are required.
To Check the Spark Electrode:
The Thermal Fuse: Some electric ovens are fitted with a thermal fuse. If the oven has overheated, the thermal fuse may have blown and disabled the power to the oven. The thermal fuse can be tested with a multimeter to see if it needs replacing.
The Thermostat: The thermostat monitors the temperature in the oven and will increase the heat when the temperature gets too low. If the thermostat has failed, the oven will not turn on. Unfortunately, it is difficult to test the thermostat, so it is best to just replace it if you suspect the thermostat is defective.
The Electronic Control Board: The oven’s control board has relays that send voltage to the bake and broil circuits on an electric oven and the safety valve on a gas oven. If the control board is defective, the oven will likely not turn on. The control board can be inspected for burnt, shorted, or damaged wires. If you determine the control board to be defective, replace the control board.
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