5 Reasons Your Electric Oven Won’t Work

Before you begin to inspect why your electric range is not working, unplug the machine from its power source.

Power Source

• Today’s electric ranges require 240 volts of alternating current (AC) that separate and travel through two legs of 120 volts of ac.
• If only one leg is voltage is shut down by a tripped breaker or a blown fuse, the oven will not power up.
• For some reason, the power source might not be getting enough juice. Test the power source with a multimeter. The multimeter setting should be set to volts AC and should read between 210 and 240 volts. If not, move on to the following step.
• Look at the breaker and fuse box. If a breaker is tripped or a fuse is blown, reset the breaker or replace the fuse and try turning on the oven once again. If the oven powers up, you have found your problem.

Burnt Wire Connection

• Sometimes the bake or broil power supply wires will burn out near the heating element and show visible damage.
• Replace the damaged wire or element and see if this solves the problem. If not, try the next troubleshooter.

Blown Thermal Fuse

• If the oven gets too hot, some electric models might blow a thermal fuse.
• A blown thermal fuse will shut off power to the oven and cause it not to work.
• Use a multimeter and test for continuity.
• If the fuse tests negative for continuity, replace it. If the fuse is okay, move on to the next step.

Defective Thermostat Sensor

• Depending on the model, the oven may have a thermostat or an oven control board that works with an oven sensor.
• The thermostat or sensor monitors the oven temperature. When the oven reaches the desired temperature the oven control board shuts the voltage to the element. This cycle repeats itself throughout the cooking process to maintain proper temperature.
• If the sensor or thermostat is faulty, the oven may not turn on at all.
• At room temperature, use a multimeter to test the sensor’s resistance. The display should show 1100 ohms of resistance. If not, replace the sensor.

Defective Control Board

• If the sensor shows accurate resistance when tested the oven control board is probably the problem.
• The control board cannot easily be tested, but you can visually inspect it for signs of burning or shorts.