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Hi All. I bought a 'used' house with an electric sears kenmore oven that is about 10 years old. It runs about 100 degrees hotter than it should. I used a quality thermometer and set it to 350 and it climbed to 460, then dropped 50 degrees before heating again. I got similar results at different selected temperatures. My question is, does this sound like I simply need a new thermostat, or might there be other components that are going bad? The thermostat is 80 bucks and if theres other bad parts I'd be better off buying a new oven. Thanks!
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On most ovens the temp control can be easily field calibrated.
Pull the knob off the control and on the back of the knob you will see a set screw. There is an insert part of the knob that can be rotated slighly when the set screw is loosened.
Begin by placing an accurate thermometer in the oven.
Turn the oven on and set the oven temp control to 350 deg F and allow it ample time to preheat and warm up to temp.
If it is a gas oven you can be sure it has reached the thermostat set temp when the burner cycles off.
Most electric ovens have a pilot light that lights when the burner is one. When it turns off, the oven is up to temp. (some ovens have a pilot lamp that comes on when it reaches correct temp.)
At that point check the actual temp in the oven.
lightly fit the control knob on the thermostat control and rotate the outer part, ( the temp index part until the actual measured temp is now at the index without moving the thermostat control shaft.
carefully pull the knob off again without moving the insert and tighen the set screw to lock it in place.
Once you have the knob adjusted to the actual temp, turn the knob to 350, allow it time to stabilize then check the actual temp again. It should be now calibrated to match the true temp to the index temp.
Field calibrating the oven is one of the functions a trained field service tech does during setup, however, major appliances are often installed by homeowners, builders or delivery personel who simply have not been trained in all the finite points of field setup.
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thanks Lazy pup; I looked but I don't think this oven's thermostat can be adjusted. It is stamped with the words 'no field repair'. There is a small adjustment on the back of the knob, but I had already turned it as far as possible with no results.
quote:Originally posted by LazyPup
On most ovens the temp control can be easily field calibrated.
Pull the knob off the control and on the back of the knob you will see a set screw. There is an insert part of the knob that can be rotated slighly when the set screw is loosened.
Begin by placing an accurate thermometer in the oven.
Turn the oven on and set the oven temp control to 350 deg F and allow it ample time to preheat and warm up to temp.
If it is a gas oven you can be sure it has reached the thermostat set temp when the burner cycles off.
Most electric ovens have a pilot light that lights when the burner is one. When it turns off, the oven is up to temp. (some ovens have a pilot lamp that comes on when it reaches correct temp.)
At that point check the actual temp in the oven.
lightly fit the control knob on the thermostat control and rotate the outer part, ( the temp index part until 350 is now at the index without moving the thermostat control shaft.
carefully pull the knob off again without moving the insert and tighen the set screw to lock it in place. You now have the thermostat calibrated to be accurate at a 350 deg oven, which is the most common baking temp.
Field calibrating the oven is one of the functions a trained field service tech does during setup, however, major appliances are often installed by homeowners, builders or delivery personel who simply have not been trained in all the finite points of field setup.
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Moorem,,check my previous post again,, i had a mistake which i corrected.Comment
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