On an Indesit double oven, main oven is fine. Smaller oven was ok, but now
will not reach temperature.

You can set the dial to say 220, but the oven only gets to 100. If you flick
the dial back down to see where the indicator light switches off, it's
always at 100, no matter how long you leave it to heat up (and of course the
food is not cooking properly).

Any idea what might have failed? - I can see a thermocouple at the back of
the oven, or some kind of controller?

Never taken one of these to pieces before - big job?

Thanks.

--
Jc

Josey wrote:
On an Indesit double oven, main oven is fine. Smaller oven was ok, but now
will not reach temperature.

You can set the dial to say 220, but the oven only gets to 100. If you flick
the dial back down to see where the indicator light switches off, it's
always at 100, no matter how long you leave it to heat up (and of course the
food is not cooking properly).

Any idea what might have failed? - I can see a thermocouple at the back of
the oven, or some kind of controller?

My first thing to do would be to make up a medium size block of ice, and
place on the thermocouple.

If it's not exceeding 100C, then either the controller is turning off
the heating element, or the heating element is broken.
Do you own and have a license for a multimeter?

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message

Do you own and have a license for a multimeter?

Tell me more, I have a meter and a dusty o-level electronics certificate :-)

Jc.

Josey wrote:

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message

Do you own and have a license for a multimeter?

Tell me more, I have a meter and a dusty o-level electronics certificate :-)

My first step would be to open up the oven (switch cooker isolator switch
off, if you can turn it off at the consumer unit), and verify that power is
off.
Then, find some way of attaching the probes to indicate voltage across
the oven element - you probably want the far side of the wiring loom, where
it connects to the thermostat or controller board.
I'd prefer not to be holding onto probes in the guts of the thing while
turning it on.

Now, turn oven on, and see if the voltage stays on as it reaches 100C.
If it does, then the element (or the connectors to it - check) has failed,
and is going open circuit when it gets hot.
If not, then it's a fault in the thermostat/...

If it's the element, then there is nothing you can do other than replace.

If it's the thermostat, then it may be repairable if it's a contact going bad,
as you might be able to polish it and get it working again.

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message

Now, turn oven on, and see if the voltage stays on as it reaches 100C.
If it does, then the element (or the connectors to it - check) has failed,
and is going open circuit when it gets hot.
If not, then it's a fault in the thermostat/...

If it's the element, then there is nothing you can do other than replace.

If it's the thermostat, then it may be repairable if it's a contact going
bad,
as you might be able to polish it and get it working again.


Ok, but I'm not sure my 20 year old certificate qualifies me to use the
meter with the oven switched on.

Any other way of diagnosing the problem? I guess I could replace the
thermostat and the element, but I probably won't want to do that when I see
the prices.

Jc.

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message

Another thought, assuming they are the same part maybe I could swap over the
thermostats between the two ovens, if the fault moves to the big oven then
its the thermostat at fault, and if the fault stays in the little oven then
its the element?

Jc.

Josey wrote:

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message

Now, turn oven on, and see if the voltage stays on as it reaches 100C.
If it does, then the element (or the connectors to it - check) has failed,
and is going open circuit when it gets hot.
If not, then it's a fault in the thermostat/...

If it's the element, then there is nothing you can do other than replace.

If it's the thermostat, then it may be repairable if it's a contact going
bad,
as you might be able to polish it and get it working again.


Ok, but I'm not sure my 20 year old certificate qualifies me to use the
meter with the oven switched on.

Any other way of diagnosing the problem? I guess I could replace the
thermostat and the element, but I probably won't want to do that when I see
the prices.

Understandable.

It may be safer if you construct some wire probes for the meter.
Take a core from some flex, wrap some bared wire round the probes, and then
cover with insulation tape.

These can be secured round the terminals in question, before the cooker
is turned on, and not touched again till it's turned off.

If it is the big oven that's died, then you can probably safely swap over
the thermostats.
If it's the little one, then it may not be safe - the bigger oven element
may overload it.

"Ian Stirling" wrote
| Ok, but I'm not sure my 20 year old certificate qualifies me to
| use the meter with the oven switched on.
| It may be safer if you construct some wire probes for the meter.
| Take a core from some flex, wrap some bared wire round the probes,
| and then cover with insulation tape.
| These can be secured round the terminals in question, before the
| cooker is turned on, and not touched again till it's turned off.

Slightly more safer would probably be a set of 240V-rated test leads from
Maplin[1] with crocodile clip ends. Older test leads with unshrouded plugs
on the meter end are rather dangerous if/when the plugs pop out of the
meter.

adds 'shrouded test leads' to 'things to buy real soon now' list

Owain

[1] In the small display rack between the radio-control cars and the disco
lighting :-)

Another thought, assuming they are the same part maybe I could swap over
the
thermostats between the two ovens, if the fault moves to the big oven then
its the thermostat at fault, and if the fault stays in the little oven
then
its the element?

Jc.

Wot are you goin on about one of the elements has gone simply replace it

Peter

Peter wrote:




Another thought, assuming they are the same part maybe I could swap over
the
thermostats between the two ovens, if the fault moves to the big oven then
its the thermostat at fault, and if the fault stays in the little oven
then
its the element?

Jc.

Wot are you goin on about one of the elements has gone simply replace it

Very likely.
It's also possible that the fault is in the controller, though less likely.

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message
...
Josey wrote:

"Ian Stirling" wrote in message

Now, turn oven on, and see if the voltage stays on as it reaches 100C.
If it does, then the element (or the connectors to it - check) has
failed,
and is going open circuit when it gets hot.
If not, then it's a fault in the thermostat/...

Thanks for the help, didn't need to use the meter in the end, when I pulled
the bottom element to take a look it was in pieces. Now I just have to find
one. Merloni spares are shut for the day. Teach me not to start the job
sooner.

Jc.

Thanks for the help, didn't need to use the meter in the end, when I
pulled
the bottom element to take a look it was in pieces. Now I just have to
find
one. Merloni spares are shut for the day. Teach me not to start the job
sooner.

surprise suprise

Peter