On Oct 8, 3:19*pm, wrote:
On Oct 7, 9:47*pm, Donna Ohl wrote:

Can I just replace the bake element (or is the oven really kaput)?
Can anyone tell me what actually caused the fire (it wasn't food)?http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnaohl/2923845906/)

Listen ditszy,

Save yourself some money and replace the entire stove. You're worrying
your pretty little head over a very common occurrance. Most broil oven
elements only last three to five years so you're lucky you got as much
as you did out of the one you have. When you turned off the heat, in
your blonde moment (probably all the time) you turned it back on or
hit the wrong dial because the arcing would have stopped then and
there.

And, the fire extinguisher didn't put out the arcing because it was
still arcing and if was the top element (broil you ditz, not bake).
Here you are spraying powder on an upside down fire. Think about it.
The powder smothers the fire only if it lands on the fire. You would
have to turn the entire oven upside down for the fire extinguisher to
work, you idiot.

As for the part numbers, your oven is a GE Spectra white. Take the WH
off the part number BTW, it stands for white. That oven has to be at
least five to ten years old so fat chance you'll ever find the part at
GE for that. If you do find it, expect to pay upwards of $70 for it
(PN WB44T10009 for the top broil and PN WB44T100010 for the bottom
bake element).

What happened is you were dumb enough to have a splat of grease on the
element, which over time weakened the steel casing which over time
melted which over time exposed the inner resistive wire which over
time moved enough to get close to the ungrounded case of the oven
which arced frightfully (for you) which then cracked when you splashed
water or fire extinguisher on it which opened the circuit which killed
the arcing.

I have no idea what the "whoosh" sound was ..... probably the air
leaving your head as you concentrated on ruining your oven.

You can replace the element for a few hundred bucks with a service
call, or, if you do it yourself, you will almost certainly drop the
wires in the back as you unscrew them off the element so that you'll
have to pay a technician a few hundred bucks to take the oven apart to
get to the wires you dropped.

Anyway, if you like, call GE and they'll confirm everything I said (I
used to work for GE by the way).
GE tech support 800-626-2005
GE customer service 800-432-2737
GE oven appliances 800-386-1215
GE appliance parts 800-626-2002
GE *troubleshooting 800-626-2000
GE Spectra JBP24B0B4 upper broil element P/N: WB44T10009
GE Spectra JBP24B0B4 lower bake element P/N: WB44T10010

Respectfully yours

Um, it's ditzy... No s. But I wouldn't expect decent grammar or typing
skills from someone with enough gall to respond "You're worrying your
pretty little head over a very common occurrance(sp)." Is your wife
barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen? Probably not. I wouldn't expect
a woman to fall for a sad sap with a protruding neanderthalic forehead
and a job with his name on his shirt, but people amaze me. Next time
you feel kind enough to respond to someone's question, keep your can
of crap to yourself and try to help without being a complete asshole,
you foreskin wrinkle.