1959 Modern Maid gas wall oven parts

[frontloadfan]

Greetings! I took on a job repairing a 1959 double wall oven made by Modern Maid. Unfortunately, the nameplate(s) are nowhere in evidence. lskThe pilot lights work, main burners do not. Problem is with the pilot safety, which is NOT a thermocouple, but utilizes a bulb and capillary arrangement similar to that of a refrigerator or oven thermostat. Does anyone have any idea where such parts could be found? I will take photos soon and add them here.

 

[sudsmaster]

Hmm. Never heard of a bulb and capillary pilot control, but then I never got a pilot's license.

 

I have a 70's or 80's era Modern Maid slide in gas range that I'm thinking of replacing an old electric Compact 30 with. Perhaps I should test the oven on it first. I think the burners on it are spark ignited, but it's been so long since I saw the top of it that I'm not sure anymore.

 

[frontloadfan]

Reply to Sudsmaster

I'd guess that the later model ovens like yours, from the '70s, use actual thermocouples for safety controls. You can tell; Thermocouples are usually around 2 to 2-1/2 inches long, and have a slender (approx. 1/8" dia.) capillary tubes; bulb-type controls have a bulb about 1/4" dia. and roughly 1" long, and have much thinner capillary tubes. Kind of like the difference between spaghetti and angel-hair pasta....

 

[combo52]

Oven Pilot Safety Switch

These OPSS were a very common safety device on gas ovens that ensured that the pilot was lit before the electric gas valve opened and turned on the main burners gas.

 

These were used from the late 50s through the later 70s but were not favored after this time because the capillary and bulb contain mercury [ 90% of the non-electric oven safety valves also contained mercury during this time period as well ]

 

These OPSS and regular non-electric safety valves are hard to find now, but we have managed to keep most  of our customers ovens running.

 

These OPSS had a limited life, there is a business that was named Modern parts in the Cleveland Ohio area that has a lot of these older gas range parts, they are still on the shelves but the new people running the store do not know how to look them up, one you should post a picture of what you need since you do not have a model #. You may e able to send Modern the old part for them to match.

 

Moderns phone # is 216-661-6966

 

John L.