80s? GE Americana Hi/Lo advice knowledge sought

[1980Americana]

I just moved into a new house and have loved my ca 1978 electric range at my old house. I picked up this Americana Hi/Lo for $10 and had a 50amp line run for it at the new house (which had a gas samsung range ca. 2018) I replaced the lower door gasket which was frayed, found the meat thermometer on ebay for $8, and have the griddle (won't use it due to teflon) and the rotisserie which the previous owner found in a closet after I picked it up. Seems to be missing some sort of holder or rack for the handle side of the rotisserie if anyone has one they are willing to part with.

We moved in last week, I sold the Samsung on Facebook for $250, put a 4 wire plug on and started using it. two of the burners pop the breaker. The Sensatronic burner works fine, and the one behind it, but the two left burners both pop the breakers, the burners test ok, but the ceramic receptacles look beat up, I ordered new ones to replace.
The top oven works, but the bottom also pops the breaker. Looking for any advice on what to check next if the coils work OK, is there a way to test the infinite switches? or am I looking at replacing those?

Any info on how to get to the ballast for the surface light, or how to get to the back of the switch panel would be appreciated, as the surface light is finickey and at the very least I would like to clean the switch, and/or replace the ballast.

hooking up the exhaust is also on the list as this sits against an outside wall...

I have also owned and refurbed 2 chambers gas stoves if anyone needs any advice or help with those.

Thanks!

 

[combo52]

Beautiful stove these were great ranges

Does the circuit breaker trip instantly when you turn on one of the left burners or the lower oven?

This is a most unusual problem, but something is shorting obviously if the other two right burners and the top oven work all these items work on the 240 V power that comes from the two 120 V lines feeding the range

If the breaker trips almost immediately when you turn one of these items on, there’s some pinched or shorted wiring somewhere, it’s very unlikely a bad infinite switch, but possible but something common to these three items is causing the problem, obviously.

John L

 

[1980Americana]

Hi John, thanks for the note. The Breaker does not trip immediately takes 10-40 seconds. At first I thought maybe it was some sort of issue with the coils, but I checked the resistance with a meter and they seem to be in range. The ends of the coils that go into the ceramic receptacles had definitely seen better days, I sanded them and used some dielectric grease on them. I have ordered new receptacles as I figure can't hurt to replace all three (other than the sensatronic)
I was thinking about taking the controls apart to clean out any dust, grease etc and give the infinities switches a little cleaning perhaps with a CRC electrical cleaning spray.

 

[kb0nes]

Hi John, thanks for the note. The Breaker does not trip immediately takes 10-40 seconds. At first I thought maybe it was some sort of issue with the coils, but I checked the resistance with a meter and they seem to be in range. The ends of the coils that go into the ceramic receptacles had definitely seen better days, I sanded them and used some dielectric grease on them. I have ordered new receptacles as I figure can't hurt to replace all three (other than the sensatronic)
I was thinking about taking the controls apart to clean out any dust, grease etc and give the infinities switches a little cleaning perhaps with a CRC electrical cleaning spray.

 

[kb0nes]

Seems like an odd problem being that the breaker is slow to trip. If something was shorted the trip would be instantaneous. Also odd that other surface elements seem to not trip the breaker. There really aren't too many things that can fail in the appliance that cause an increase in current draw that won't cause a more catastrophic failure in short order. I would suspect the breaker itself might be the problem. Being new in the house you don't have a lot of history to go on.

Do you have an amp clamp to allow you to measure the current draw?

Phil

 

[1980Americana]

Thanks Phil,
I just changed out the three ceramics and the old ones were ugly for sure. but this did not solve the problem. the two left burners both got nearly to boiling 1/2" of water and then the breaker tripped.
I have an amp clamp and that's next for sure. The house came with a gas stove, and I had an electrician put in the 50A line and 50A GFCI breaker. I suspect that the GFCI is actually the problem. The breaker is new but I think there must be something about the load variation that is confusing it. I agree that if it was an immediate trip I would suspect a short and something more catastrophic.
I do have an amp clamp, and that's the next thing I am going to check for sure.
The glowing diode for the stovetop also doesn't come on, and the ones for the lower oven blip when you turn on the oven, but don't stay on.
Do you happen to have a schematic for these? and any advice on how to access the infinite switches to clean contacts would be appreciated.

 

[kb0nes]

The GFCI is almost certainly the issue. A permanently installed grounded appliance should never be on a GFCI although unfortunately code may (misguidedly) require it. Odds are there is a tiny amount of insulation leakage, probably in the element, that is tripping the GFCI. I'd bet the range would function perfectly on a traditional non-GFCI breaker.

I don't have any information on the appliance itself. The lamps are probably neon and just are done at this point. The infinite switches will likely outlast all of us without any additional attention

 

[1980Americana]

The GFCI is almost certainly the issue. A permanently installed grounded appliance should never be on a GFCI although unfortunately code may (misguidedly) require it. Odds are there is a tiny amount of insulation leakage, probably in the element, that is tripping the GFCI. I'd bet the range would function perfectly on a traditional non-GFCI breaker.

I don't have any information on the appliance itself. The lamps are probably neon and just are done at this point. The infinite switches will likely outlast all of us without any additional attention

I confirmed no continuity between the ground pin and neutral pin on the plug, so off to the hardware store later to get a 50A 2-pole breaker and we're off to the races. then to fix the surface light, that may be the switch or lamp starter, as it worked fine for a few days, and I confirmed the fluorescent tube is good in another fixture. but maybe needs a new ballast. and to plumb some duct for the vent fan.