How to Troubleshoot and Test a Kenmore Stove 6 Inch Top Burner

ID: 221342

Description: [youtubevideo|37PnM5DXrno]Use this guide to...

Steps:

  1. Turn all burner controls off and let the glass cooktop cool completely.
  2. Unplug the stove or shut off the breaker before accessing any wiring.
  3. Stove wiring can carry dangerous voltage, so do not touch wires or test resistance while power is connected.
  4. Access the back of the right rear burner switch and the wiring for the 6 inch top burner.
  5. Locate the two blue wires connected to the 6 inch top burner.
  6. Those two blue wires feed power from the burner switch to the element.
  7. Locate the small glass temperature probe on the burner assembly.
  8. That probe opens the contact between one blue wire and the element if the burner gets too hot.
  9. This high-limit function helps protect the glass cooktop from overheating.
  10. Identify the hot-surface indicator circuit that runs through the temperature probe.
  11. When the glass gets too hot to touch, the probe closes the hot-surface circuit and sends 120 V to the indicator light.
  12. The black wire from the probe and the white neutral wire complete the hot-surface indicator circuit.
  13. The purple wire powers the element-on indicator whenever the burner control is on.
  14. Look at the back of the right rear burner switch.
  15. The red and black wires bring power into the switch.
  16. The two blue wires run from the switch to the burner and control how it cycles.
  17. Keep each wire matched to its original terminal if you remove the switch.
  18. Use the switch setting to understand how the burner cycles.
  19. At low heat, the switch opens sooner with a small amount of current and heat at the internal bimetal contact.
  20. At higher settings, the switch applies more pressure to the contact, so it takes more current and heat before the contact opens.
  21. At high heat, the switch contact stays closed.
  22. On high, the glass temperature probe still limits the maximum burner temperature.
  23. Confirm that the stove is still unplugged or switched off at the breaker.
  24. Set a multimeter to ohms.
  25. Touch one probe to one blue wire that goes to the burner.
  26. Remove the other blue burner wire from the switch.
  27. Touch the second probe to the removed blue burner wire.
  28. Measuring resistance on a live circuit can shock you and damage the meter.
  29. Read the multimeter while both probes touch the two blue burner wires.
  30. A reading of about 45 ohms means the high-temperature probe contact is closed and the burner windings are good.
  31. An open reading, infinite resistance, or no continuity means the high-temperature probe switch or the element windings have failed.
  32. Replace the 6 inch top burner if the burner circuit fails this resistance test.
  33. Use the burner resistance result to diagnose the switch by elimination.
  34. If the burner reads about 45 ohms but still does not heat during use, replace the burner switch.
  35. Do not replace the burner when it tests good and the no-heat symptom points to the switch.
  36. Replace the 6 inch top burner only when the blue-wire resistance test shows an open burner circuit.
  37. Replace the burner switch only when the burner circuit tests at about 45 ohms and the burner still does not heat.
  38. Do not bypass the temperature probe or either indicator-light circuit.
  39. Reconnect every wire to its correct terminal before restoring power and testing the burner.
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