OK, did I just ruin my oven?

[tbyg52]

Is my wiring smoldering as I type?

I was heating a casserole in a disposable pie pan (from Super Suppers) in the oven, and the cookie sheet it was on warped and brought the pie pan into contact with the top element. (Yes, I should have lowered the rack from the height I use for pizzas, but I'm not much of a cook.....)

The oven beeped and gave an error code. I turned it off and pulled out the cookie sheet and pie pan, then discovered I was darn lucky I didn't get electrocuted, as the top burner had stayed on!

I sent my husband out to turn off the breaker, and it's still off, as I am scared of the oven now.

Anybody else had this happen to them and can tell me the outcome?

Thanks!

[Raven]

1. Yikes! I hate it when that happens! I'm going to guess that the system

shorted out and turning off the circuit breaker was a good idea. If you kept the manual, read it but I'm guessing that you can try turning it on again. :-)

[LeftyMom]

2. I'm still thrown by the idea of an oven electronic enough to have error codes.

The manufacturer should have an 800 number. The best thing to do would be to call them for advice. Worst case scenario, they might want to send out a technician.

[Reverend_Smitty]

6. lol that was my thought too

I'm rocking the old school gas oven...as long as the pilot light is working, it's fine. We actually wanted to upgrade our kitchen a little bit but ovens throwing out error messages is a little too "Jetsons" for me :crazy:

[tbyg52]

9. It's actually a fairly cheap, fairly old unit

It had just been installed when we bought the house in 1999, and when we looked at one like it in the store, it was near the bottom of the price range. But it does have electronic pads instead of dials and switches.

[Symarip]

3. What's your make and model and what was the error code?

I used to fix these things.

[tbyg52]

8. I was too thrown to write down the error code

When I opened the door and saw what had happened, I just punched the "off" button as fast as I could.

The make is Whirlpool and it is a Super Capacity 465.

What I'm really worried about is a) if I turn on the circuit breaker and it seems fine, is it really? That was pretty scary not having it go off when it was turned off, and b) might it have damaged my wiring in the wall from the current?

[Maddy McCall]

12. If the breaker is off, it can't come on.

Very doubtful that your wall wiring is damaged.

Probably just the EOC, which is a kind of expensive fix, but one that you can do yourself.

Here are a couple of photos of EOCs made by Whirlpool. Does either look like yours?

http://www.repairclinic.com/SmartSearch/SSPartDetail.aspx?PartID=831538&PPStack=1





http://www.repairclinic.com/SmartSearch/SSPartDetail.aspx?PartID=904495&PPStack=1

[XemaSab]

4. If the door fell off, YES

x(

[TheCentepedeShoes]

24. I got my new one

(Door hinge broke) It's not fancy, but I love it.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. Try going online to the manufacturers website. They often have questions

and answers there, or you may be able to contact them via email with more detailed questions.

[Symarip]

7. I used to fix appliances for GE

Most companies go out of their way to give as little information as possible. First, they want to send a technician out to make them some money. Secondly, it makes them look like their products break down, which as we all know, NEVER happens.

[Maddy McCall]

11. Hey!

I fixed my Kenmore range myself! Diagnosed it and fixed it without a tech ever coming out.

I got the model number, and found out the manufacturer, and from there it was pretty easy to find the part (the EOC) and install it.

I'm a divorced mom running a household alone, so I do a lot of fix-it stuff around here. I installed a breaker this morning. :D

[tbyg52]

17. That this can happen under any circumstances strikes me as a *huge* design flaw,

now that I think of it. What if it happened while I was at work?????

[Maddy McCall]

19. All electronic ovens have this problem.

If you look at repair forums, you'll see that it's not restricted to your model.

I, too, wish that I could go back to simple knobs and analog stuff, but you just can't find it anymore.

:(

[Maddy McCall]

10. Your EOC is fried.

Your Electronic Oven Control, the "brain" of your oven...is fried.

I've been through three EOCs...The sure way to tell the EOC is fried is that the oven temp spirals out of control, and you have to either unplug it or turn off the breaker.

I used this company to order my EOC and I installed it myself.

When the one they sent me got fried, they sent me a new one, overnight, for free (even free shipping).

www.repairclinic.com

If your oven isn't under warranty, I highly recommend Repair Clinic.

If I can help you find the right EOC, I'll be happy to.

(One thing I did a couple of times, with my first EOC, was to set the oven on self-clean. That often solved the problem for a couple of weeks, but then we'd always get the error code again. I finally spent the money on the new EOC, because I didn't want the oven to kick on while I was out, and possibly burn down my house--the oven did, several times, turn itself on while I was home...thank god I was home.)

Edit to add: If I can help you locate the EOC you need, I'll be happy to. Give me the brand name and model number of your oven, and I bet I can tell you how much money you'll be out for the new part. It's very easy to install yourself. There's a forum at repair clinic that you can read to get installation help, too.

[tbyg52]

13. Thanks!

The make is Whirlpool and it is a Super Capacity 465.

Wow, I have an urge to to go out and buy a new oven that has dials and switches, if you can get 'em anymore - at least when they are off, they are off. I have pictures, even with a new EOC, of it going crazy while we are out of the house...... :scared:

[Maddy McCall]

14. Look above and see if the photos in the post above...

that I posted look like your oven control.

When my EOC went out, my eyes still worked, but the oven wouldn't work, or either it would come on by itself.

It's likely that your EOC was fried, and the temp was going up, which resulted in the food container in the oven catching on fire, instead of the container touching the element.

It's easy to replace these. Basically all you do is take out a few screws, unplug the EOC, remove it. Then plug in the new one, and mount it with a few screws.

I did all the labor myself and it took me all of 10 minutes. If I'd have had to made a service call, it would have cost more than the oven was worth.

If I can help you with any of this, let me know. I've learned a LOT about ovens and oven controls since mine had problems...lol.

[tbyg52]

15. OMG, you mean the whole top panel!

I pictured some little plug-in doohickey.

Yes, they both look real similar to mine.

The root of the problem *was* the pie pan touching the element - I saw that with my own eyes. The food never caught on fire, as I ran to the oven as soon as it started beeping. I turned it off, realized the oven was very hot and moved the food to the bottom to finish cooking, then a few minutes later realized the top element was still on. Reminded me of the nightmares I used to have as a kid about the TV not turning off.

Thanks for the help!

[Maddy McCall]

18. Why don't you plug it back in, run it through self-clean cycle....

and see if you still have the problem?

That actually might work, if you got something on the temp sensor or if the element has some gunk on it. I can promise you, that's gonna be the first thing a repair man will do, if you call one.

If that doesn't work, we can go to the next step in figuring this out...and if the fault code comes up again, write it down, because we can easily find a remedy if we have that fault code and your model number.

:D

[tbyg52]

22. I will do that, thank you very much.

I'm not gonna do it tonight, or maybe anytime soon, as I can get along without an oven for an extended period of time. The only reason I was using it was that the Super Suppers opened and I was trying them.

Thank you *very* much - I feel a lot better hearing from someone who's had this happen. Also very much appreciate the good advice on the parts place. When I get up the nerve, I will turn on the breaker and try your suggestion, and look up the model number and get the part if it is still flaky.

Actually, first I'm gonna go to the appliance store and try to find one with knobs and switches.....

Thanks!

[Maddy McCall]

16. Let's see if we can figure this out.

First, what is the model number of your oven? Is it a range-oven? Or a wall oven?

Second, here are error codes. I read above that you didn't write it down, but maybe this will help you remember:

WHIRLPOOL
Range/Stove Oven Fault Codes, Common

Two Digit Fail Code:

Code--------Problem--------------Solution
F1----Analog to Digital Failure---Disconnect for 30 seconds - if display reappears - replace control board
F1----Safety flip flop---- Replace board
F1----Shorted keypad----- Replace keypad
F3----Oven temperature sensor opened----Replace oven temperature sensor
F2----Oven temperature sensor shorted---Replace oven temperature sensor
F3----Oven too hot------ Replace oven temperature sensor
F3----Clean temp too hot---- Replace oven temperature sensor
F5----Check door/latch switch----Replace switch if defective


4 Digit Fail Code

F1 - E1----Safety flip flop----Replace board
F2 - E0----Shorted keypad----Replace keypad
F3 - E0----Oven temperature sensor opened----Replace oven temperature sensor
F3 - E1----Oven temperature sensor shorted----Replace oven temperature sensor
F3 - E2----Oven too hot----Replace oven temperature sensor
F3 - E3----Clean temp too hot----Replace oven temperature sensor
F5 - E0 F5 - E1 and E2----Check door/latch switch----Replace switch if defective




When I ordered my oven control (which is listed as keypad on your unit), I went ahead and ordered the sensor, too, and replaced it, too. Both were very easy repairs.

[tbyg52]

20. Sorry, nothing is going to jog my memory on the error code.

Perhaps it will do it again when I'm brave enough to turn on the circuit breaker.

I think you've fixed my problem already, as soon as I go look up the model number.

Or maybe I'll just go get a new one that isn't electronically controlled, if you can still get such things. The idea that it can do what it did in any circumstances is appalling, now that I think of it. I realize it's not a moon rocket, but I still would expect it to fail safe.....

[Maddy McCall]

21. Anything I can do to help you, let me know.

Just fire me off a PM, and I'll be glad to help.

[tbyg52]

23. Thanks!

You have been a huge help, both practically and to my peace of mind!

[Symarip]

25. Since you don't remember the error code

Maddy gives the best advice: run it and watch it. My only additional advice would be to turn it on and do nothing with it for a while to see if it freaks out when its not on.

Given the symptoms, you might be jumping to conclusions already. There's no way of knowing that the pan screwed the mainboard into fucking up. Sometimes its a coincidence. Though it does seem kind of likely that caused an issue. Not knowing what the error code is, I'll tell you what I think is most likely.

First scenario is your mainboard (EOC) sensed a load change on your element and flipped out. Though to be honest with you, I doubt any manufactorer has a EOC that sophisticated. The resistance in an element is already super low and it would only go down when it gets hot. If this is the case, either clean the element or do a self clean. Worst case outcome is an element swap which might cost all of thirty bucks in parts.

Second scenario is a faulty or dirty temp probe. If this were the case, its possible that this made your mainboard freak because its resistance is monitored by the EOC. Check to see if its in good shape in your oven. It'll probable look like a silver pen sticking out of the top or back of the liner into the cavity.

Third case scenario is your EOC just decided to shit the bed. These things are computers so once in a while they downright fuck up. Your specific problem may be a one time trip to the twilight zone or it might re-occur. A self clean and then a regular attempt at cooking might tell you its one or the other.

At any given rate, if you don't trust your machine I'm afraid your next one will probaby have electronic controls whether you like it or not. Only cheap crap made in mexico have dials and manual thermostats anymore.

If you need help with anything shoot me a pm. And if you plan on doing anything with your machine, unplug it first. Electric ovens always have a second phase of 110 sitting on the second leg of power even when the oven is idle. This means you could shock the shit out of yourself if you were to open it up.

[tbyg52]

26. Thanks!

I see what you mean about the EOC and the load change and it perhaps not being that sophisticated - it *is* a cheap stove, although it's worked great for 10 years. It just seemed like too much for coincidence - cookie sheet warps, pan contacts element, oven beeps and gives error code.

And then goes into the Twilight Zone.......

The part that is still freaking me out is "off" not meaning "off." I wish I had a manual switch on the thing so I could turn it off when I go to work. (The breaker box is outside, locked, on the other side of the house, so that's not a feasible possibility.)

Again, thanks to everyone here - much appreciated!