I'm reading this thread with great interest, because I just
experienced a similar problem with my oven. Mine is a Whirlpool
SF330PEWN5. When the oven switch is turned on, the ignitor glows
brightly, but the gas valve is not opening to allow gas to flow. I am
measuring 2.5 Volts AC across the valve with the switch on and the
ignitor glowing. I had assumed from this that the valve was probably
malfunctioning. The valve label seems to indicate 3 Volts AC unless
I'm reading it wrong (I'm trying to read it from a distance because I
have not removed it). Is this the correct voltage needed to open the
valve? It seems low to me.
I'm curious how the ignitor would still be the problem if this is the
case. Is this because the internal resistance of the ignitor has
changed to reduce the voltage across the gas valve and not allow it to
open?
One other question. How would you use an Amprobe to determine whether
the valve or the ignitor is bad if the two components are wired in
series? Can you provide me the basic procedure for determining it?
Appreciate any help here!
John
On Sat, 27 Dec 2003 16:29:59 -0500, "Dan O."
wrote:
Hacksaw wrote in message ...
The model # is SF310PEAW0.
Our oven is on the fritz. For awhile it was
randomly turning on and off,
By itself? and without the oven being turned on??
now it just isn't working at all. Not sure if the
problem is with the ignition, the pilot or what.
Your model has a 'glow bar' ignitor so it has no "pilot".
The burners work, so it's getting gas there.
Oven burner or surface burners??
We took the front apart (under the burners)
and played around with the wires and got it
going again briefly, but that was short lived.
Here is what should happen on models that use a glow coil ignitor like
yours:
When the oven is turned on, the ignitor (by the oven burner) should
glow red. Power goes through the ignitor to the oven gas valve which
should then open to let gas into the oven burner in less than 1
minute. If the ignitor is hot enough, it will light the gas in the
oven burner.
What you'll need to observe is if the oven ignitor is glowing when the
oven is turned on.
If it is *not* glowing, it could be caused by an open oven ignitor or
oven gas valve (both of which should be able to be tested for
continuity to see) or a problem in the oven's control system or the
connecting wiring. BTW. Just because an oven ignitor has continuity
doesn't mean it good but if it has no continuity, it would definitely
be bad.
If the oven ignitor *is* glowing but the gas valve is not opening to
allow gas to flow through it or the gas is just not lighting, a bad
ignitor is the most likely (~75-85%) cause of the problem. You really
need an amp probe to determine if the oven valve or ignitor is the
cause. If you don't have one, the ignitor is a good bet.
You can see the ignitor used on your model at the following link:
http://ng.appliance411.com/data.php?rc=1255
Dan O.
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Appliance411.com
http://ng.Appliance411.com/?ref411=Whirlpool+gas+range
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