terry wrote:
Just had a phone call about someone trying to replace a lower electric
oven element in a (Kenmore or similar North American) cooking
stove/range.

Apparently the individual is trying to do it only from front of the
oven by taking out two screws holding the plate to back of the oven and
'pulling' the defective element out.

They seeming to think that the element plugs in!

I don't think so.

Told them that normally elements like that do not 'plug in' like the
surface burners/hobs of an electric stove. Also in my experience even
if the the connections, as they are occasionally, the 'Push 0n' type,
doubt there will be sufficient spare wire to do that and make good new
connections working inside the oven?

Also now worried that the individual has not switched off the double
pole breaker for the stove at the main panel (Consumer Unit)!!!!!!!!

IMO/experience stove should be unplugged, moved away from wall, back
removed, new unit installed and good connections made; cos there is
something like 3+ kilowatts going through those wires attached to
element! One reason btw I prefer stand alone units for accessibilty,
rather than built-ins.

Any advice comments/correctons?

Apparently it IS the element that is viuslly faulty; cos sometimes if
someone with lttle knowledge of electricity is 'at' something they may
jump to conclusions!

First turn off the circuit breaker! You do not need to pull the stove
out. The element is replaced from the inside of the oven. just remove
the screws holding the element in the wall, pull out the element and
there are 2 more screws connecting the element to the electrical wire.
Just disconnect it and replace it with the new one and screw it back
into the oven wall.
Pretty simple actually. You should be able to get pictures and step by
step instructions off the web.