I have an Amana model ARR6400WW Electric Range. When I turn on the oven it won't get up to correct temperature. The previous time it was used it heated to the correct temperature but did not maintain it. The front panel displays the temperature selected but when I push the Bake Button and release it, it shows the temp that it has cooled down to. Do anyone have any suggestions on what I should try to narrow down what the problem is?
Sounds digital. The digital world we live in is passing me by. Hard to keep up these days. You have to almost be a doctor in various repairs these days from all the solid state circuit parts and computer-like operations.
-IF- the read out is correct, and you have confirmed the actual temp inside on the middle rack with a good oven thermometer, and it truly does not maintain proper temp, it sounds like the only thing it can be is the oven control switch, which is the temp setting indicator and temperature probe all in one. If this were an older unit, this is all I can think of could cause this. Make sure your temperature probe inside the unit is hanging on it's hangers in the right spot (usually the upper side or upper rear)
At this point the oven is not heating at all. Could the oven control switch still be the problem, or could it be something else?
When did THAT start, in relation to your problem?
If the element no longer works, it could be burned out or the oven control switch fried or the oven went into some time baked mode (if you have that ability to set it to that) rather than on the 'manual', normal, setting, or any number of disconnect problems.
If you have a digital control board, this complicates things some. But at least one can conduct other tests. You can test to make sure you have 240 volts. You can test the element for good continuity with a tester (oven unplugged!, not just turned off as one of the wires may still be live). You can see if you are getting 240 volts at the terminals in the back where the element is hooked up at. You can determine which of the two connections lost power, if that is what happened and trace it back. You can determine if 240 volts will pass thru the oven control switch when it is turned on, sending the other leg of the 120 current on down to the element (the other 120 volt leg generally is fed live at all times). You can physically look in the back at your terminal block and see if any of the outer 2 main incoming wires (120 volts each, on separate legs) is loose or burned. You can do a visual to see if any wire in the back is burned. You can do a visual of the oven control switch to see if the plastic of the switch has bulges or discoloration on it compared to the range burner switches.
I checked the oven and it's not in a timed bake mode. I also realized the top element (the broiler one) heats up during pre-heating but the bottom element does not. Does this mean I should replace the bottom element or could something else be causing the problem.
Hi jh:
In the bake cycle does the lower element glow? Do you have a multimeter? Test for voltage at the element then also ohms test the element.
Tags: amana, range, oven, problems, control switch, oven control, oven control switch, bottom element, burned visual, correct temperature, could something
