Quck answer
To determine if it is an oven heating element or a thermostat that is causing the issue, you can follow these steps:
1. Check for visible damage: Inspect the heating element for any signs of damage, like cracks or breaks. If you see any, it is likely the element that needs to be replaced.
2. Test the heating element: Use a multimeter to test the continuity of the heating element. If there is no continuity, it is faulty and needs to be replaced.
3. Check the thermostat: Set the oven to a desired temperature and observe if it reaches and maintains the set temperature. If it doesn’t, the thermostat may be faulty and in need of replacement.
By following these steps, you can determine whether it is the oven heating element or the thermostat that needs to be replaced to fix the issue.
The dish you were baking in the oven didn’t cook properly or got burnt. The temperature setting was correct, but the heat didn’t work as it should have. Now you want to know whether the problem lies with the oven heating element or the thermostat. The only way to find out is by testing both the heating element and the thermostat, and replacing the one that is faulty.
Testing the Oven Heating Element
Step 1
Disconnect the oven from the electrical outlet. Open the oven door and take out the oven racks.
Step 2
Using a Phillips head screwdriver, remove the two screws that secure the bake heating element to the back of the oven wall. Pull the bake heating element out slightly to expose the wire terminal connections.
Step 3
Use needle nose pliers to detach the wires from the bake heating element terminals. Make sure to grip the wire at the leads for removal, as grabbing the wires elsewhere could cause them to break.
Step 4
Set the volt-ohm meter to the RX1 scale to check for continuity in the bake heating element. Touch one probe of the volt-ohm meter to one element terminal and the other probe to the other element terminal. You should see a reading between 20-ohms and 115-ohms. If you don’t get a reading, it means the heating element is faulty.
Testing the Oven Thermostat
Step 1
Unplug the oven from the electrical outlet. Move the oven away from the wall to create space behind it. If your unit has anti-tip clips on the floor, lift the rear of the oven and pull it forward.
Step 2
Using a Phillips head screwdriver, remove the screws that secure the back panel of the oven. Take off the back panel and set it aside.
Step 3
Use needle nose pliers to detach the wire leads from the thermostat terminals. The thermostat is located right behind the oven temperature control knob.
Step 4
Set the volt-ohm meter to RX1, and touch one probe to each of the two terminals on the thermostat. A reading of zero indicates a faulty thermostat.
