cesces3 wrote:
The oven door of my Thermador PRG304US has come off. How can I put the door back to the oven? Thanks
Ahh, Grasshoppah, first make sure the door hinges are locked down with the hinge latch, the little pivoting metal hoop on the end of each hinge. Then simply reverse the door removal destructions shown below. May take a try or two but persevere and ye shall overcome.
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.
Lots of times, when you’re working on Maytag appliances, you need to know the series number to order the correct part. Not to be confoosed with the model number, the series number refers to different production series within the same model. In the world of manufacturing, it’s common to substitute originally-specified components with upgraded or re-designed ones based on failure reports from the field. Since these component changes may affect other components in the machine, which may have been modified, you need a way to keep track of what component goes with which production run. In the Maytag world, this is done via “series numbers.” Series numbers are simply the first two digits of the serial number, located on the model number tag, like ahso:
If you’re having trouble locating the model number tag on your appliance, come feast your bloodshot squinties on these diagrams.
Shock hazard. Danger, Will Robinson!
Freaky appliance
flashing mysterious code.
Mystery revealed!
Appliance Breakdown Diagrams
Grok on these mind-expanding, interactive breakdown diagrams of various appliances so you can see how they’re put together. An indispensible troubleshooting and repair aid! Just click on the appliance you’re working on and run your mouse over the diagrams. It’ll popup pictures of the various key components inside as well as give you insight into how to disassemble. It’s the miracle of Flash!
If you need more detailed help, start a new topic in the Samurai Appliance Repair Forum and we can get you more info.
Dryers
Freezers
Ice Makers
Microwave Ovens
Ovens, Ranges, and Stoves
Refrigerators
Washing Machines
Buy Parts for your Dacor Wall Oven
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, clickhere.
A common problem you run into when working on older appliances is that the schematic and wiring diagram are missing– usually because the slimeball who worked on it before you stole it. This happened recently to a tech in the Samurai Appliance Repair Forum where Sublime Master of Appliantology Pegi was able to locate it for him. Such is the power of the forum! In his case, he needed diagrams for a GE JKP36G004BG double wall oven. They’re posted below; if you need it, go ahead and download it.
Schematic and Wiring Diagram for the GE JKP36G004BG Oven
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.
John wrote:
I need to buy all new kitchen and laundry appliances. Which brand would you stick with (Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag). I am looking for a frenchdoor and all appliances should match…Stainless too.
Thanks,
John
Let us open our Appliantology hymnals to the Second Law of the Prophecy wherein it is written, “All appliances break.” With this wisdom firmly implanted in that muck betwixt our ears, we begin to see your question from a new perspective.
Like so many propagandized Ameedicans victimized by the slick marketing campaigns assaulting us in the corporate media organs, we see that you have placed aesthetics ahead of practical considerations, such as repairability. In other words, you have placed more importance on form over function, exactly as you have been programmed to do as a good little consumer.
But fear not, my mushy-headed grasshopper, for the Samurai is here to break the spell that the marketing wizards have placed you under. Lo, with his mighty katana, he shall cut asunder the chains of your programming and free you from the trap of mindless consumerism! Let us begin by re-phrasing your question in the way the Samurai would ax it, “Knowing that all modern appliance brands and models are mediocre at best and that all fall short of the glory of the Samurai, which piece of junk am I going to have the easiest time fixing?”
Ahh, Grasshoppah, now you’re beginning to pierce the veil and to do what we professional appliantologists call, “critical thinking.” Using this new, enlightened paradigm, which emphasizes function over form and recognizes the Second Law of the Prophecy, the question further reduces to, “Which appliance manufacturers make their service manuals and technical bulletins freely and readily available to professional appliantologists as well as Joe Do-it-yourselfer?” Eggzellent question, my querying grasshoppah, domo fer axin’!
Currently, there are only three brands which make their service information freely available: Whirlpool (which includes Kitchenaid, Roper, and Maytag brands), Frigidaire (which includes Electrolux brands), and Dacor (which includes, well, just Dacor). Emphasis on the word, “currently” because Whirlpool is considering restricting access to their technical information to professional appliantologists only– you can thank the over-abundance of lawyers and the bidness-killing tort system in Ameedica for that.
At the other end of the information spectrum are companies that are very restrictive with their technical service information and, for that reason, I would never even consider buying their stuff. The worst offenders in the infowar are Viking and GE. In the case of Viking, they’re not only tight-fisted with their service manuals, but their ranges are the shoddiest on the market. And you get to pay a premium price tag just to have the “Viking” badge in your kitchen. Viking is the poster boy of what I mean by placing form over function.
Awwite, armed with this sacred wisdom and enlightened perspective, gird up thy loins and go git ’em!
Most modern ranges have the ability to be programmed for Sabbath mode. This is a mode of operation based on Jewish requirements for holidays and Sabbaths. On Sabbaths, devout Jews cannot operate any machinery, including appliances, because this is considered work, which is prohibited on the Sabbath Day. To accommodate this, the range can be placed into Sabbath mode where only the bake and timed bake modes are functional.
If you see a 5Ab code on the control panel of this Maytag range, it means the range is in Sabbath mode (the “5” is used to represent an “S”) and only the bake and timed bake functions will work. Don’t ax me why these functions are kosher but broil apparently is not– I am but a gentile Samurai.
Here’s how to get into and out of Sabbath mode:
Hold CLOCK pad for 3 seconds to activate Sabbath mode.
“5Ab” will be displayed and flash for 5
seconds.______________________________________________________
Hold CLOCK pad for 3 seconds to disable Sabbath mode.
Display will go back to time of day.
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.
Right on the heels of their washing machine recall (also due to fire hazard) and their unserviceable 12 c.f. refrigerators, Friggidaire is recalling their smoothtop electric ranges for, that’s right, fire hazard. Also sold under the Kenwhore brand. They’re on a roll!
FrigidaIre Smoothtop Electric Range Recall
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.
Got you one o’ them fancy-pants RSD Dacor ranges that needs some Fixite Do? Well, you came to the right place, budrow! The Samurai has pulled together these precious scrolls from the Appliantology scripture archive to illumine you. May your hammer be mighty!
Appliantology Scrolls for the Dacor RSD Range:
Bezel Replacement Instructions
Diagnostic Manual (for all models)
Buy Genuine Dacor Replacement Parts
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.
Service manual and tech sheet are posted here.
This range had two complaints. One was that the gas grill module wouldn’t ignite.
The other complaint was that the cooling fan would come on at 100F and stay on– very annoying, also very common in this model. In addition, the temperature on the display would never increment beyond 100F even though the actual oven temperature could be 350F. Both of these problems point to a bad Power Relay Board (PRB).
Corroded Spark Electrode
This corroded spark electrode is one of the reasons the customer called me– no spark at her grill module. The cause is obvious but you still make sure that you’re at least getting spark to the electrode. In this case, the spark was being delivered but getting grounded out by the broken hood. The hood was so corroded that it actually separated from the rest of the assembly. It’s positioned this way in this photo just for your viewing pleasure.
Jenn-Air Range Rear View and Cubby – 1
Notice this range has both gas and 50 amp, dedicated 240vac power supply– that’s ‘cuz it’s a combi-range: electric oven and gas stove. Ranges that are gas-only just need a conventional 120vac wall outlet (for the oven lamp, spark module and/or ignitor).
Jenn-Air Range Rear View and Cubby – 2
Usually, on these Jenn-Air jobs, you need to shut off and disconnect the gas supply. Got lucky in this case– they had used a generous length of flex tubing for the "last mile" connection to the range. SoooWEEET! All’s I had to do was unplug the electrical, remove the vent duct from the downdraft fan (remove the kickpanel from the front bottom, you’ll see it right there) and pull ‘er back. Good to go beaver!
Back Panel View
The PRB is located in the back of the range behind this rear panel. Back panel is held on with 4 1/4" screws. Comes right off and exposes… (that’s your cue to go to the next pic)…
Back of Range with Rear Panel Removed
… a big ‘ol hairy mess o’ wires! And the component of interest: the Power Relay Board.
Power Relay Board
Bunch of connections on this board! Best way to change it out is to do one wire at a time. Helps if you have another pair of arms. In my case, that other pair was attached to my son, Stephen, who was a big help on this job. Also helped with the electrode changeout– more on that in just a bit.
Side View
Now, according to the service manual, in order to remove and replace the spark electrode for the surface modules, you need to tear down the entire top assembly of the range. A royal pain in the gluteous because it involved about a gazillion screws and it’s fraught with danger because any of the screws could be rusted and stripped, especially in a range that age. All of this can slow you way down. But, thankfully I had an extra pair of hands with me on the job and I put ’em to good use.
Underside of Top Pan Showing How the Electrode Attaches
That’s the nut that has to come off, unstring the spark wire, re-string the new electrode and then secure it with that nut. Yeah, it’s as narrow as it looks.
New Spark Electrode Installed
There it is all shiny and purdy!
Parts Used in this Repair Job:
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.
Here’s the patented Samurai kata for troubleshooting heating element problems in electric ranges:
Unplug the range, remove the element and detach one of the power wires from the element (doesn’t matter which one). Secure that wire so that it doesn’t touch anything– alligator clips can be helpful here. Next, measure the resistance of the element. Should be something around 30 ohms. If you read something in the K-ohms or mega-ohms range, you be needin’ a new element– come git you one!
Re-apply power and set the oven to bake (if I’m troubleshooting the bake element; broil if I’m troubleshooting the broil element). Using my multimeter, I measure the voltage at each of the power wires with respect to ground. In a normally functioning range, I’d expect to read 120vac at each wire. The wire that’s missing the voltage represents the circuit I need to troubleshoot.
A variation on this procedure for cases where the element heats up with the range turned off is to do the same voltage measurement but with the controls set to off. In this case, the wire that’s still supplying voltage to the element represents the leg of the circuit that I need to troubleshoot.
Recommended Reading: Making Basic Electrical Measurements
To learn more about your range/stove/oven, or to order parts, click here.