We have a ~9 yr old Kenmore gas oven/range (runs on propane actually),
and the oven temperature sensor appears to be flakey (the actual
temperature in the oven is definitely flakey). The oven has a knob to
set the oven temperature, and a digital display that shows the
temperature you set, but it does not display the measured oven
temperature - it only has a light that indicates if the oven is
"preheated" (at the set temperature).

The oven heats up to the desired temperature just fine (as measured by
an oven thermometer) and the "preheated" light comes on, but at some
point, the temp inside the oven will drastically decrease, with no
external signs of trouble. The "preheated" light remains on and no
error code is displayed. With an oven thermometer in the oven I can
confirm that the oven does get up to the set temperature as expected,
but if left on for a while, it will at some point cool down way below
the set temperature. For example, I set it to 375. It warms up just
fine. I start baking something. I check on it 1/2 hr. later and the
temp is down at 250! The oven seems to think everything is OK
though; the "preheated" light is still on and there is no error code
displayed - I'm not even sure if this model has error codes to
display. At this point, if I turn the oven temp knob to off and then
back to my desired temperature, it will then notice that the oven is
too cool and warm it up again.

I can order a replacement temperature sensor and install it, but
before I shell out the $75 + S&H (which seems like a lot), I'd like to
know that the problem is most likely the sensor and not some obvious
other problem.

So, does this behavior sound like a faulty temperature sensor?

Thanks.

-Jonathan

It sounds like an electronic component which is faulty. The temperature
sensor inside the oven sounds like it is detecting the temperature, but
there would probably be some other electronic chip or circuit which should
"recheck" the temperature, then turn the oven back on.

You would need to look at a wiring diagram for the oven to see how it works.



"JJ" wrote in message
We have a ~9 yr old Kenmore gas oven/range (runs on propane actually),
and the oven temperature sensor appears to be flakey (the actual
temperature in the oven is definitely flakey). The oven has a knob to
set the oven temperature, and a digital display that shows the
temperature you set, but it does not display the measured oven
temperature - it only has a light that indicates if the oven is
"preheated" (at the set temperature).

The oven heats up to the desired temperature just fine (as measured by
an oven thermometer) and the "preheated" light comes on, but at some
point, the temp inside the oven will drastically decrease, with no
external signs of trouble. The "preheated" light remains on and no
error code is displayed. With an oven thermometer in the oven I can
confirm that the oven does get up to the set temperature as expected,
but if left on for a while, it will at some point cool down way below
the set temperature. For example, I set it to 375. It warms up just
fine. I start baking something. I check on it 1/2 hr. later and the
temp is down at 250! The oven seems to think everything is OK
though; the "preheated" light is still on and there is no error code
displayed - I'm not even sure if this model has error codes to
display. At this point, if I turn the oven temp knob to off and then
back to my desired temperature, it will then notice that the oven is
too cool and warm it up again.

I can order a replacement temperature sensor and install it, but
before I shell out the $75 + S&H (which seems like a lot), I'd like to
know that the problem is most likely the sensor and not some obvious
other problem.

So, does this behavior sound like a faulty temperature sensor?

Thanks.

-Jonathan

On Jan 4, 1:44*pm, JJ wrote:
We have a ~9 yr old Kenmore gas oven/range (runs on propane actually),
and the oven temperature sensor appears to be flakey (the actual
temperature in the oven is definitely flakey). *The oven has a knob to
set the oven temperature, and a digital display that shows the
temperature you set, but it does not display the measured oven
temperature - it only has a light that indicates if the oven is
"preheated" (at the set temperature).

The oven heats up to the desired temperature just fine (as measured by
an oven thermometer) and the "preheated" light comes on, but at some
point, the temp inside the oven will drastically decrease, with no
external signs of trouble. *The "preheated" light remains on and no
error code is displayed. *With an oven thermometer in the oven I can
confirm that the oven does get up to the set temperature as expected,
but if left on for a while, it will at some point cool down way below
the set temperature. *For example, I set it to 375. *It warms up just
fine. *I start baking something. *I check on it 1/2 hr. later and the
temp is down at 250! *The oven seems to think everything is OK
though; *the "preheated" light is still on and there is no error code
displayed - I'm not even sure if this model has error codes to
display. *At this point, if I turn the oven temp knob to off and then
back to my desired temperature, it will then notice that the oven is
too cool and warm it up again.

I can order a replacement temperature sensor and install it, but
before I shell out the $75 + S&H (which seems like a lot), I'd like to
know that the problem is most likely the sensor and not some obvious
other problem.

So, does this behavior sound like a faulty temperature sensor?

Thanks.

-Jonathan

If your oven ignites with a glow bar rather than a pilot, it could be
the glow bar is defective. The glow bar is responsible for opening up
the gas valve after it reaches a certain resistance. But if defective,
the resistance changes and thus the gas valve is not opening when it
should.

Ugh! I was afraid it might be a little more complicated. I don't
seem to have a wiring diagram. The oven does use a glow-bar. I wish
I could isolate the problem.

I'm hesitant to call a repairman - especially since the problem seems
intermittent and can take a half our or more to present itself (if it
does at all). It may end up costing as much as the oven did
originally. My wife called a repairman for our dryer a little while
back. He replaced a $20 belt in about 5 minutes, that I could have
easily replaced myself. Total charge was over $200.

If anyone else has tips on what I might do to figure this out, I'd
really appreciate it. I'm pretty confident about replacing parts,
though I'd be likely to call in a professional if the repair looked
like it might get too intimate with the actual gas-flow.

Thanks.

-Jonathan

"JJ" wrote in message
...
We have a ~9 yr old Kenmore gas oven/range (runs on propane actually),
and the oven temperature sensor appears to be flakey (the actual
temperature in the oven is definitely flakey). The oven has a knob to
set the oven temperature, and a digital display that shows the
temperature you set, but it does not display the measured oven
temperature - it only has a light that indicates if the oven is
"preheated" (at the set temperature).

The oven heats up to the desired temperature just fine (as measured by
an oven thermometer) and the "preheated" light comes on, but at some
point, the temp inside the oven will drastically decrease, with no
external signs of trouble. The "preheated" light remains on and no
error code is displayed. With an oven thermometer in the oven I can
confirm that the oven does get up to the set temperature as expected,
but if left on for a while, it will at some point cool down way below
the set temperature. For example, I set it to 375. It warms up just
fine. I start baking something. I check on it 1/2 hr. later and the
temp is down at 250! The oven seems to think everything is OK
though; the "preheated" light is still on and there is no error code
displayed - I'm not even sure if this model has error codes to
display. At this point, if I turn the oven temp knob to off and then
back to my desired temperature, it will then notice that the oven is
too cool and warm it up again.

I can order a replacement temperature sensor and install it, but
before I shell out the $75 + S&H (which seems like a lot), I'd like to
know that the problem is most likely the sensor and not some obvious
other problem.

So, does this behavior sound like a faulty temperature sensor?

Thanks.

-Jonathan


Check Sears web site. See if you can locate a diagram to help dianose
problem. WW

On Jan 4, 4:00*pm, JJ wrote:
Ugh! *I was afraid it might be a little more complicated. *I don't
seem to have a wiring diagram. *The oven does use a glow-bar. *I wish
I could isolate the problem.

I'm hesitant to call a repairman - especially since the problem seems
intermittent and can take a half our or more to present itself (if it
does at all). *It may end up costing as much as the oven did
originally. *My wife called a repairman for our dryer a little while
back. *He replaced a $20 belt in about 5 minutes, that I could have
easily replaced myself. *Total charge was over $200.

If anyone else has tips on what I might do to figure this out, I'd
really appreciate it. *I'm pretty confident about replacing parts,
though I'd be likely to call in a professional if the repair looked
like it might get too intimate with the actual gas-flow.

Thanks.

-Jonathan

Unfortunately there's no way to tell if you have a defective glow bar
in this situation. They go for about $25 on e-bay. I've bought them
before.
If your oven has a broiler on top that uses a seperate glow bar, you
could swap it to the bottom oven if its the same kind.

Usually when glow bars go dead, its easy to troubleshoot, just ohm out
with a meter and if its open, it's no good. But this is different
since it's intermittent.

JJ wrote:
Ugh! I was afraid it might be a little more complicated. I don't
seem to have a wiring diagram. The oven does use a glow-bar. I wish
I could isolate the problem.

I'm hesitant to call a repairman - especially since the problem seems
intermittent and can take a half our or more to present itself (if it
does at all). It may end up costing as much as the oven did
originally. My wife called a repairman for our dryer a little while
back. He replaced a $20 belt in about 5 minutes, that I could have
easily replaced myself. Total charge was over $200.

If anyone else has tips on what I might do to figure this out, I'd
really appreciate it. I'm pretty confident about replacing parts,
though I'd be likely to call in a professional if the repair looked
like it might get too intimate with the actual gas-flow.

Thanks.

-Jonathan

Try www.repairclinic.com. They have some diagnostic stuff that may help.

If anyone else has tips on what I might do to figure this out, I'd
really appreciate it. I'm pretty confident about replacing parts,
though I'd be likely to call in a professional if the repair looked
like it might get too intimate with the actual gas-flow.


If you want to repair things yourself, you need the right tools. That being
a wiring diagram and a multimeter.

You can get service manuals and wiring diagrams from the manufacturer. Maybe
from their web site. With some appliances, wiring diagrams are pasted inside
one of the covers for the appliance.

I found the wiring diagram (in a pocket on the back of the oven) - but
it's a bit beyond my ken. However, last night I spent some time
looking for behavior patterns. What I found was that once the oven
reached temperature, the glowbar and burner would go off as expected.
Some time after that, (presumably when the oven needed warming to stay
at temperature) one of 3 things would happen: 1: I the glowbar would
start to glow, then after a short time stop glowing - no gas. 2: the
glowbar would glow, then the gas burner would come on and then go off
again almost immediately. 3: The glowbar would glow then the gas
burner would come on and stay on for a while, heating up the oven
(proper functioning).

So it seems likely that the problem is with the glow bar (or possibly
some logic chip) - but it seems to be intermittent. I'll test it with
an ohm meter, but that my be inconclusive. It looks like the glow bar
for the broiler is the same part, so I'll see if I can swap them for
now and see if that fixes the oven problem. I tested the broiler and
it seemed to be functioning properly (#3 above).

Thanks for your inputs.

As a follow-up, I thought I'd post and let you know that I was able to
swap the top (broil) and bottom (bake) glow-bars, and this did resolve
oven temperature problem. Thanks everyone for their input.

I tested the broil function briefly (for about 15 minutes) and did not
see any problems there either. I was kind of hoping that broiling
would now not be working properly, as that would undisputedly finger
the faulty part. Since this problem was intermittent, It could just
be that I didn't test long enough to see the problem. Or possibly
there was a flakey connection that was fixed during the swap. Either
way, I now have a functioning oven. I almost never use the broil
feature anyway, usually opting for the gas grill outside instead - so
it may be a long time before I notice if the broiler is now
malfunctioning.

-J