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GE Range issues

1539 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  dedrie77
Hi!

I recently purchased a GE self-cleaning stove from someone on Craig's List. In the apartment it was in, it worked just fine - tested all elements and both burners. It is the first stove going into our house.

When I plugged it in none of the elements or their indicator lights worked.

Clock worked, extra plug had voltage, light in oven worked.

Turning on the oven to bake, indicator lights worked, top element heated up. Lower element did not heat up at all.

Broil turned on indicator lights and top element, but element didn't heat up to broil-type temperature.

All fuses were fine, and power was registering in all fuse sockets.

I checked the wall socket - I have 110 volts running to each side.

I don't have a multimeter - just a pen that tells me if there is power (which is a little sensitive) and a thing that has two pins that lights up and tells me if I have 110 or 220.

Taking off the back, I tested from the (is it called a bus bar?) where the plug wires go in and split to their proper places in the range. I have voltage from there up to the fuses on both sides (red and black).

I have voltage running to the elements because with the switch on even though the indicator lights don't go on, if I put my tester in the element socket, I have power.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
Did you check to see if the connection at the stove was tight? If it worked at the place you bought it, but it doesn't work now at home, the issue would seem to be at your house.
Is the wiring the right size for this unit? What is the rating for the stove and what's your circuit rated for? Are they both 3 wire or 4 wire appliances?
Ron
Hey, thanks Ron,

The connections are all tight and the appliance and the wall plug are both 3 wire. I have an actual volt meter coming on friday so I can see if I have 220 coming out of the socket - the socket is wired properly so I'm wondering if it could be an issue at the panel...
If you can't find anything visible, try gently moving the lower element and look for bulges or burns. I replaced my old element several times. In my case it seemed to crack where food had dripped on it through the years. Test the element for continuity end to end as well
Hey, thanks Ron,

The connections are all tight and the appliance and the wall plug are both 3 wire. I have an actual volt meter coming on friday so I can see if I have 220 coming out of the socket - the socket is wired properly so I'm wondering if it could be an issue at the panel...
Do you have any other 220 appliances in the house, and are they working properly?
I once had a similiar problem with a stove not heating up properly, only to find the electric dryer was also having an issue. Turns out it was one of the hot legs coming into the house was bad. Once they fixed it, everything was fine.
Ron
Solved!

Seems it was a problem at the panel. It has now been sorted and the stove works just fine.

Thanks!!
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