The electric ovens are extremely convenient and have multiple cooking features, such as broiling, baking, and grilling, which makes them suitable for regular households. The electric oven’s broiler works with the bake element to make sure the food is properly cooked.
However, if your broiler is working but the baking feature isn’t, we are sharing some solutions with you!
Fixing the Electric Oven Broiler Works but Does Not Bake
- Igniter
If the broiler is working but the bake feature is not, it’s likely that the igniter is damaged. The igniter is used for opening the gas valve and igniting the gas. It’s located on the back of the oven, and you’ve to inspect the igniter for physical damage or burning.
A damaged igniter won’t be able to draw electric current, which is important for heating up the oven – it won’t produce a flame. To check the igniter, you have to put the multimeter’s leads into the igniter’s terminals.
A working igniter should have a measurement of 10 ohms to 2500 ohms. However, if there is no continuity on the multimeter, it’s recommended that you replace the igniter. To replace the igniter, follow the below-mentioned steps;
- Turn off the oven and take out the storage drawer
- Look for the igniter in the oven cavity and unscrew the nuts that hold the igniter in place
- Take out the damaged igniter and put in a new one
- Then, hold it in place with nuts and screws, put it in the storage drawer, and try to use the bake feature.
However, if you don’t have the experience, you can hire an electrician.
- Wire Connection
The bake element in the electric oven has separate wiring. So, if the bake feature isn’t working, you should inspect the bake element’s wires because damaged wires won’t be able to transmit current to the element. If the wires are damaged, they must be replaced.
To be sure, you should use a multimeter to check if the wires are working because burnt wires don’t always have visible damage.
If the bake element’s wires are working fine, you need to check the thermal fuse. The thermal fuse can blow out due to wiring issues and blocks the power supply into the element, which causes performance issues.
In simple words, the bake feature won’t work when there isn’t a sufficient power supply. The thermal fuse opens the circuit whenever the oven temperature is too high, as it helps gauge the temperature of the heat source.
The thermal fuse can monitor and control the temperature, but if it’s blown, the temperature won’t be regulated, hence issues with the bake feature.
For this reason, you should use a multimeter to show the fuse’s reading – negative reading means that the thermal fuse is blown, and replacing it is the only solution. The new thermal fuse should have the same amperage as the previous one.
- Temperature Sensor
The temperature sensor is responsible for monitoring the temperature and changes the resistance according to ambient temperature. Wiring connects the sensor to the control, which identifies resistance changes in the sensor and reacts accordingly.
In particular, the temperature sensor responds by closing or opening the electric relays – it turns off or on the heating elements. If the temperature sensor is damaged, it won’t be able to read changes in resistance, and the bake element won’t be turned on.
For this purpose, we recommend that you hire an electrician and get the temperature sensor checked. If the temperature sensor is not working properly, you must get it replaced.
- Heating Element
A failing heating element can also be the reason behind a malfunctioning bake feature. There is a separate bake element in the oven, which can be checked by seeing if it glows red.
In particular, you have to turn on the oven and locate the bake element – if the bake element is red, it’s working fine. However, if the bake element doesn’t turn on or glow, you have to get it replaced.
A damaged bake element also has blistering and visible cracks, so make sure the bake element is replaced immediately. In addition to this, we recommend that you use a multimeter to check the continuity of the bake element.
- Power Issue
The electric ovens need 240V of AC through two legs of voltage to operate properly. So, if one leg is turned off by a blown fuse or a tripped breaker, the bake element won’t receive the voltage that’s needed for it to heat up.
For this reason, you’ve to ensure that the circuit breaker is turned on and the blown fuses must be replaced. If the fuse and circuit breaker are working properly, you must check the electrical outlet to ensure it’s providing enough voltage.
The electrical outlet can be checked with a voltage meter. You have to set the voltage meter to Volts AC setting and make sure the reading is 240V. If the reading is less than 240V, the outlet is damaged and has to be repaired.
- Thermostat Sensing Bulb
The bulb is filled with liquid that expands whenever the temperature rises – it is responsible for operating the contacts on the thermostat.
However, if the thermostat sensing bulb is damaged or leaking, it has to be replaced to ensure the thermostat regulates the temperature and the bake feature starts working. The sensing bulb works electrically, which is why you have to check the resistance.
The multimeter can help check the resistance of the sensing bulb – the reading must be 1100 ohms. If the resistance is different, the bulb must be replaced.
The oven control board is responsible for passing signals to different components of the oven. If the control board is damaged, it won’t be able to send current signals to the bake element.
To fix this problem, access the control board on the oven and look for burnt-out or shorted components.
If any of the components seem damaged, they should be replaced. However, if the majority of components and ICs are damaged, it’s better to replace the entire control board.
- Thermostat
The thermostat is responsible for controlling the broil and bake elements. It’s a temperature-controlled switch and has contacts that supply power to the bake and broil elements.
So, if the thermostat is damaged, the oven won’t be able to operate, and the bake feature might be impacted as well. To check the thermostat, follow these steps;
- Turn off the oven and locate the thermostat (it’s usually around the control panel, but you can also use the manual to locate it)
- Set the multimeter to RX1 reading and connect multimeter probes to the thermostat’s terminals
- If the reading is zero or negative, the thermostat is damaged and should be replaced.
- Selector Switch
The selector switch lets you change the oven settings. Therefore, if you are selecting the bake function but it’s not working, it’s likely that the selector switch is damaged and is unable to change the settings.
The selector switch is usually located with the thermostat, so locate the thermostat and remove the selector switch – you can pull off the knob for this. Once the selector switch is removed, purchase a new one and install it.
If the bake feature is still not working, it’s likely that the oven temperature hasn’t been calibrated. The calibration dial is located on the back of the temperature knob, which allows the users to adjust the temperature settings.
It’s recommended that you increase the temperature by turning the dial in a clockwise direction – half a turn on the dial increases the temperature by 20 degrees Fahrenheit to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Relays
A damaged relay can also result in the malfunctioning of the bake feature. If that’s the case, you’ll need to inspect the bake element’s relay with the help of an ohmmeter – if the ohmmeter shows zero reading, the relay is damaged and should be replaced for the bake feature to work.
The Bottom Line
If your electric oven is not baking even when the broiler is working, several problems could be at play. We have covered all those problems and their easy solutions in this article. Consider visiting a professional if you lack knowledge and skills.