2006 Frigidaire Smoke Show!

[thatwasherguy]

Hi everyone! Hope you’re all well. Today, the 2006 Frigidaire range had its first major breakdown in a long time. We were trying to bake some chicken when the Electronic control started beeping. Initially, I thought that it was the timer going off, until I noticed that it was beeping in a more rapid rhythm than it does for the timer. When I looked at the display, F10 was flashing. I had just enough time to process this when smoke began pouring from the bottom of the control panel! Needless to say, I ran to the garage and turned off the breaker to it. Once it cooled down, I pulled it out and took the back cover off, and was greeted by this:

 

[thatwasherguy]

Here’s a better view of the carnage.

One of the resistors (R-41) decided that it was time for it to fly, and cooked several other things when it got hot. Needless to say, that board is toast (literally!).

 

[thatwasherguy]

It’s back, just in time for the holidays!

I wasn’t about to let an old friend die that easily, so I got online and found out that my local appliance parts store had a board in stock, so I picked it up, and installed it. I just got through baking a pizza, and everything is working as it should. This new board definitely has some different qualities than the old one. The relays are from a different manufacturer, so they sound different when they actuate. The LED’s are also brighter, and the beeper horn has a slightly different pitch to it. Has anyone else noticed differences like these when replacing a control board?

Thanks,
Thatwasherguy.

 

[phillymatt53]

Looks like yet another case of "too much of vulnerable electronics" compromising an appliance.
The original problem might have been poor soldering of parts, substandard parts, who knows?
It's the way things are made today......

 

[william8]

It’s back, just in time for the holidays!

I wasn’t about to let an old friend die that easily, so I got online and found out that my local appliance parts store had a board in stock, so I picked it up, and installed it. I just got through baking a pizza, and everything is working as it should. This new board definitely has some different qualities than the old one. The relays are from a different manufacturer, so they sound different when they actuate. The LED’s are also brighter, and the beeper horn has a slightly different pitch to it. Has anyone else noticed differences like these when replacing a control board?

Thanks,
Thatwasherguy.

Parts suppliers come and go, different relays 19+ years later isn't surprising to me.
Seems the original was fairly reliable. Why someone would blame that on the way things are made "today" is rather absurd.
Hope you get another 19+ years. I'm sure the board was far less than a new range.

How much was the replacement board?

 

[Mueller Climatrol]

Here’s a better view of the carnage.

One of the resistors (R-41) decided that it was time for it to fly, and cooked several other things when it got hot. Needless to say, that board is toast (literally!).

Wonder how far the shorting / burning would have gone if you did not cut the power supply? I can't see a Fuse anywhere on the pictures of the board that should burn out before it got to the point it did in your pictures. Did I miss seeing a fuse? Glad it was a quick fix for you! Looks like a nice stove.

 

[phillymatt53]

Question:
Where is the oven heat exhaust vent located?, if it has one.
My Tappan gas range's vent port is at the bottom center of the control panel.

The reason I am asking is because electronics cannot withstand or last if exposed to severe heat, particularly capacitors and semiconductors.

 

[william8]

Question:
Where is the oven heat exhaust vent located?, if it has one.
My Tappan gas range's vent port is at the bottom center of the control panel.

The reason I am asking is because electronics cannot withstand or last if exposed to severe heat, particularly capacitors and semiconductors.

Well this board did last for almost 20 years. Seems it's designed just fine.

 

[vacerator]

I think age and power surges and spikes also play a part in the longevity of boards and power supplies.

 

[thatwasherguy]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Looks like yet another case of "too much of vulnerable electronics" compromising an appliance.
The original problem might have been poor soldering of parts, substandard parts, who knows?
It's the way things are made today......

I agree, I’m not a huge fan of electronics on stuff like this either, but I feel like this one held up better than most on the market today would. At least this one doesn’t have that resin stuff on it so you can’t service it.

Parts suppliers come and go, different relays 19+ years later isn't surprising to me.
Seems the original was fairly reliable. Why someone would blame that on the way things are made "today" is rather absurd.
Hope you get another 19+ years. I'm sure the board was far less than a new range.

How much was the replacement board?

I agree, I was honestly surprised by how long that board lasted, especially since the original one failed only four years in, albeit in a far less spectacular manner. Considering that the oven gets used about once a day on average, 15 years doesn’t seem too bad for an electronic control. The replacement board was $265, and a comparable Frigidaire range from new was at least $640.

Wonder how far the shorting / burning would have gone if you did not cut the power supply? I can't see a Fuse anywhere on the pictures of the board that should burn out before it got to the point it did in your pictures. Did I miss seeing a fuse? Glad it was a quick fix for you! Looks like a nice stove.

I’m betting that it would have gone until it dead shorted and caused the 50 amp breaker to trip. I didn’t see a fuse anywhere on the board, but I also didn’t take apart the clamshell casing (it’s actually two circuit boards in one). I’ll do that when I get home today. I’m glad it was a quick fix too. In its day, I believe that this stove was just a step below top of the line, based on the research I’ve done. It’s got some scratches on the top, but overall, it’s still in very good condition considering how much it gets used. At this point, it’s almost like a member of the family, and junking it would feel like betrayal to me. It’s one of the very few “modern” appliances that I feel that way about.

Question:
Where is the oven heat exhaust vent located?, if it has one.
My Tappan gas range's vent port is at the bottom center of the control panel.

The reason I am asking is because electronics cannot withstand or last if exposed to severe heat, particularly capacitors and semiconductors.

The vent on this one is under the left two knobs, away from the electronics. That center burner in the back is the warming zone, so it doesn’t get very hot (we almost never use it anyway). I’ve heard that board failures are particularly prevalent on models with the board at the front of the oven by the door, so the heat and moisture driving their failure would make sense.

 

[phillymatt53]

My Tappan "Series 110" gas range is now 32 years old and still fine.
The only electronics in it is the clock timer and the electronic spark ignition.
The less there's electronics, the more reliable something is.

 

[vacerator]

The oven vent on my GE dual fuel slide in front control range is between the door and the left side console bezel face. There are two fans in the back to cool the electronics which are under glass. It's a 2007 model Profile. No trouble with it yet other than vacuum cleaning the fans and oiling. We bake a lot from November to January.

 

[thatwasherguy]

My Tappan "Series 110" gas range is now 32 years old and still fine.
The only electronics in it is the clock timer and the electronic spark ignition.
The less there's electronics, the more reliable something is.

My 1984 G.E. Mark 27 falls into that category of dead simple. All it has electronic are the heating elements, mechanical oven selector switch, mechanical oven thermostat, infinite switches for the surface elements, neon pilot lights, and the oven light bulb and its associated switch. This one doesn’t even have a clock. I got it after it was removed during a remodel last year, and all it needed after 40 years was a new plastic insert for one of the pilot lights, and a new infinite switches on one of the burners.

The oven vent on my GE dual fuel slide in front control range is between the door and the left side console bezel face. There are two fans in the back to cool the electronics which are under glass. It's a 2007 model Profile. No trouble with it yet other than vacuum cleaning the fans and oiling. We bake a lot from November to January.

That sounds like the setup on our 2022 Frigidaire wall oven. It has a fan that draws a draft on the inside of the cabinet to keep the temperature down. I had previously assumed that this was to keep the cabinet from getting too hot, but it would also make sense that it would be cooling the electronics at the same time.