Broil element not turning on.

[bootsnslicks14]

As the title states, the broil element in my old Tappan won't turn on. The indicator light on the panel will light up when I turn the thermostat to the broil position but no heat.. Could it be the element it self? Or something else I may be overlooking?

 

[bootsnslicks14]

[No message]

 

[rp2813]

If you can extract the entire broiler element assembly, examine the coil closely from end to end to see if there's a break in it.   Should you find one, you can purchase a new length of heating coil and weave it through, providing the connection points at the ends aren't too deteriorated from years of use and you can secure the new coil to them.

 

Twisting the broken ends together will only be a temporary fix.

 

[bootsnslicks14]

@rp2813: Thanks for your reply. Haven't got a chance to remove the element yet to get a closer inspection. Let's say I do and I can't find any breaks in it, is there anything else that would keep it from turning on?

 

[tomturbomatic]

is there anything else

A broken wire somewhere leading to the broiler, perhaps.

 

[bootsnslicks14]

So after having no luck trying to remove the broil element due to very rusty screws that probably haven't been removed since the stove was new, and removing the back panel to closer inspect the wiring (and what I'm guessing is the junction block?) with no luck, I wedged my self as far as I could inside the oven to get a better look at the element and saw no breaks... Confused since I could hear the current when I turn the thermostat to the broil position I thought I would move the element around since I thought it may have been bad ground and sure enough it was! It works again for now, I really should take it all apart and clean all contacts really good but it's kind of hard to when the stove is your only one and you have rusty screws to deal with. Guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed and hope it was just a bad ground... Thanks to everyone who responded.

 

[bootsnslicks14]

[No message]

 

[rp2813]

Well, maybe it's good for 50 more years now. 

 

I didn't realize that the element assembly wasn't removable.  The one on my mom's '49 Westinghouse had prongs that allowed the whole thing to be pulled out for cleaning, inspection or replacement.

 

[passatdoc]

at least the element still works.