Replacing a heating element in an oven?

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

The bottom element in my Jenn-Air electric oven (gas stove top if that matters) is not working. I’ve ordered the parts and watched videos on YouTube, but otherwise have NO skills with electricity or appliances.

Safe enough to DIY if I shut the power off at the breaker first?

Have you replaced an oven heating element? Any tips/advice/warnings?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

How did it break?  Can it be broken without leaving evidence?  I desperately want a new stove and the 26 year monstrosity in this house with 4 tilting burners will not die.  I’ll help it along.....if I can’t get caught.

[chapeau]

I’ve done a few of them. It’s pretty straightforward, at least on the models I’ve worked with, but they have been all electric models. The hardest part is getting your hands into the back of the oven without reminding your housemates of the witch from Hansel and Gretel.

Yes, killing power at the breaker should protect you, provided the whole thing is installed and grounded correctly. The last time I had one short out I had to have someone replace it for me. The element was making contact with the inside of the oven, so I got a low grade shock when using the range. That made me nervous that something was really wrong.

Mich, drip water on the element when it’s warm. Not hot, but my mom likes to dry her cookie sheets in a warm oven. If you don’t at least wipe the drops off, you’ll shorten the life of the element significantly.

[Apple]

Yes, you can kill the breaker.  You could also pull it out and unplug it (I use something like that as an opportunity to clean the wall and floor behind it, as well as clean up the sides of both the oven and cabinets it sits between.
 Nevermind on the above part, I missed that it has a gas stovetop, so pulling it out is more involved...

Hopefully yours is straight forward-- remove a couple screws, pull on element, push new one in, replace screws.

[weltschmerz]

Apr 11, 2019 13:33:52 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

The bottom element in my Jenn-Air electric oven (gas stove top if that matters) is not working. I’ve ordered the parts and watched videos on YouTube, but otherwise have NO skills with electricity or appliances.

Safe enough to DIY if I shut the power off at the breaker first?

Have you replaced an oven heating element? Any tips/advice/warnings?

I have. It's very easy. Bought a new bottom element at an appliance supply store. Shut off the power or unplug the stove.

The bottom element should just slide out and you snap the new one into place.

I didn't even need Youtube.

[Deleted]

I replaced mine last year and it SHOULD have just been pull out old one, plug in new, but I didn't unplug it first.

Unplug it first. 

[Tiny]

Apr 11, 2019 14:43:03 GMT -5 chapeau said:

 
 killing power at the breaker   

Yes, but then test the oven to make sure it's really cut off from the power (ie you can't turn it on) just to be sure.     (I'd also recommend having a "helper" - so you don't have to keep running from the breaker box to the appliance/room as go thru flipping breakers to find the right one.   And I'd also maybe do a "map" and label the breakers (with what rooms/outlets they effect) for future reference.)   Your helper can also hold the flash light while you make the repair (because there may not be any electricity in the room you are working in).   On second thought - I'd guess the oven would be on it's own breaker (like your furnace and AC are on their own ones.) so you will probably have light. 

My siblings "inner neanderthal" shows up when they cut the power to a room - but don't realize the outlet/fixture they want to work on is NOT on the same breaker and then 'zot' themselves when they get started with the work.    

Mapping the breaker box was one of the first things I did when I moved into my house.     I swear each room has ONE outlet that's not on the same breaker as the rest.    

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I've only replaced one once, and I paid the appliance repair man to do it. 

[moon/Laura]

No experience with electric stoves, but I replaced the igniter on my gas oven a few years ago. YouTube taught me as well, and no, I had no previous "handywoman" experience.

[finnime]

I've replaced the element on my electric oven. It was a matter of pulling out the old by pulling on the contacts in the back, then inserting the new one's contacts. Almost too easy - I thought I was missing something. I wasn't.

[busymom]

This sounds like a job for ArchietheDragon!  

[spartan7886]

Apr 11, 2019 15:04:57 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I replaced mine last year and it SHOULD have just been pull out old one, plug in new, but I didn't unplug it first.

Unplug it first. 

 

DH forgot to kill the breaker when he tried to do it (wall oven, no accessible plug). The oven was off, but there was still a current running through the element.

The shock didn't hurt him, but it did weld the element to the back of the oven wall. That was rather inconvenient.

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2019 9:19:34 GMT -5 spartan7886 said:

Apr 11, 2019 15:04:57 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I replaced mine last year and it SHOULD have just been pull out old one, plug in new, but I didn't unplug it first.

Unplug it first. 

 

DH forgot to kill the breaker when he tried to do it (wall oven, no accessible plug). The oven was off, but there was still a current running through the element.

The shock didn't hurt him, but it did weld the element to the back of the oven wall. That was rather inconvenient.

LOL

I just had a big BANG!  No shock.  But the connector on the oven was fried and I had to go to the appliance store and beg for one from the repair shop because they don't sell them, then do a little wiring to install the new connector.   It would have been a lot easier to just unplug it. 

[spartan7886]

minnesotapaintlady It's been a while. It may have been a big BANG and just the force knocked him back (and contacted the element with the oven wall). The oven was 20+ years old, so I think we just replaced it at that point rather than screw with the wiring.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 11, 2019 14:00:29 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

How did it break?  Can it be broken without leaving evidence?  I desperately want a new stove and the 26 year monstrosity in this house with 4 tilting burners will not die.  I’ll help it along.....if I can’t get caught.

This time, I’m not sure. It’s not heating up, although the top element is.

The bottom element broke before — 5 years ago or so — and was clearly snapped/broken into 2 pieces. We had that repair done professionally but it seemed too simple even then to pay someone to do it. So, maybe break yours into 2? 😉

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 12, 2019 2:06:26 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Apr 11, 2019 23:09:13 GMT -5 busymom said:

This sounds like a job for ArchietheDragon!  

Simple job. 20 minutes tops.

I’ve heard dryer and washer repairs should only take 20 minutes, too. 🤪

[Malarky]

Apr 12, 2019 16:33:55 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Apr 12, 2019 2:06:26 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Simple job. 20 minutes tops.

I’ve heard dryer and washer repairs should only take 20 minutes, too. 🤪

When my dryer started acting up I thought of Archie.  Then I went out and bought a new one.  Took me about 20 minutes to pick it out.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

We fixed the oven today and we did not die!!!

It took all of 10 minutes and cost only $40. Easter ham, garnet yams, Brussels sprouts all roasting as I post.

Wondering what DIY project to tackle next...