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Jon,

Looks like a rust hole to me from that photo, need I send you a good lens so we can see what YOU are seeing? ;)

Surely it is possible that 240v would EDM its way through sheet metal, but two things: How do you get 240v AC to chassis which is presumably grounded? Secondly why wouldn't the discoloration be centered about the perforation if it were caused by an arc?

From the size of the discoloration I'd say it was burner induced too. I can't say want caused the hole from the photo though.

Great restoration, neat to see the old girl cleaning up and coming back to a second life!
 
Well Phil

to answer your questions:

 The range was rewired by NOT an electrician. See the second picture on this thread:  The wire used to wire the burners was melted, corroded, exposed, and oxidized.  The insulation melted off two sets of wiring. The burners were not connected due to the fact the repair had been done with low temperature blade connectors which had also melted off the burner contacts so that the wiring had fallen down onto this sheet steel below. I have seen  many holes punched this way, when 240V wiring contacts grounded sheet steel.

In fact I can show you the burn hole in the solid copper plate that was jammed behind my stove.

 

 I can't speak to the burn pattern, that would have to do with the angle of contact , prevailing winds, and day of the week it occurred on. Western patterns on Tuesdays, eastern patterns on Wednesdays.

 

 You are right it will polish up to be an acceptable range once I work all the bugs out. And there are A LOT of bugs in this range.

 

 
 
Arced Hole In Steel Sub-Top

Since the range is grounded the damage was actually done by 120 volts shorting to the grounded metal panel which is very easy to due when you consider that a range like this is fused to either 40 or 50 amps, just like in welding its the amps not voltage that melts the metal.

The terminal connections that failed where connected to the element was likely caused again by BAD-warped cookware, even when Frigidaire built these ranges they used ordinary brass terminals on both the switch end and the element end of the wiring. This is not to say that Hi-Temp terminals are not a good idea, but they are certainly not necessary either.
 
I recently learned what can happen when you connect switches incorrectly on a US range with no fuses!

I did replace a regular King Seeley (which was working fine) with a NOS correct type hydraulic-type Robertshaw Heat-Minder switch and rewired it. I took care to connect the same wires L1 and L2 terminals and everything seemed fine. The Heat Minder 8" and the other burners worked perfectly as I tested the Heat Minder and then the 3 other burners simultaneously. 

 

<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Then I <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">switched the Harvest Gold panels with white panels, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">installed the range at home. The next day, I was using the Heat Minder and then turned on the front 6" burner I heard "POW"! The 40 amps breaker had tripped in the basement...</span></span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> After checking a few things, I did reset the breaker and I noticed that the infinite switch for the small burner had gone bad but at least, my NOS Heat-Minder switch seemed fine! </span></span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I looked at the wiring again as I suspected that I might have pinched a wire somewhere when I changed the range's color panels but everything seemed fine. I looked at the wires at the switches to be sure the L1 and L2 on each switch was on the same circuit and they were. So I looked at my parts inventory, had a NOS 6" burner infinite switch with the same part number, so</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I installed it</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...</span></span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span>

Then I quickly reassembled the thing to finally cook my meal, turned the Heat Minder on and then the front 6" again and another "POW"!  This time, both the new Heat Minder and the new infinite switch went bad!

 

So I looked a bit further, dismantled the Robertshaw Heat Minder switch that went bad as well as the King Seeley Infinite switches and I noticed that the pilot light circuit was wired to the L1 on the KS switch and on L2 on the Robertshaw!

 

But then, I had to find replacement switches and I I didn't have other new spares... I was able to find a another 6" switch that works with a different part number (but it's a correct replacement according to my parts interchange book) and I took parts from a much older, used Canadian-made Robertshaw Heat Minder switch from a damaged 1964 cook top that I had (which was assembled with Robertson type screws rather than flat screws) and I was able to save the damaged switch. 

 

I ate a bit late that night but at least, everything has been fine since! Now, I can use the 4 burners simultaneously (unless the oven is locked for cleaning, then the rear 6" is switched off).

philr-2014061110153107320_1.jpg

philr-2014061110153107320_2.jpg
 
Blown Infinite Switches

Sorry to hear about your loss of two orignal Frigidaire switches Phil, this unfortunately is a lesson that most appliance techs have learned the hard way [ including me ]. I am still careful to check for 240 volts across the pilot light terminals from the new switch to one of the old switches every time I replace an Inf Sw, unless the replacement Sw is Identical to the bad one.
 
Be sure that I'll check that in the future!

At least, I wasn't stuck with non-working parts while searching for hard-to-find spares as I managed to repair everything that evening!   The longest part was to recalibrate the reassembled Heat-Minder switch so it would start to boil at the right temperature but I think I got it right! There is an adjustment screw that's sealed but I didn't bother using it, instead, I carefully bent the tabs so the contact points would close and open in the correct temperature range. 
 
Oh Phil !

Thats one of those learning bummers! I will definitely check the replacement switches on my rebuild Flair although it was in service before I got it only one burner was working. 

So replacement switches can switch which terminal goes to the pilot lights? Hmm thats something I wouldnt look for. The pilots run off 120v don't they, never 240v?

 

 

 

 
 
Jon,

Not only replacement switches but the original type and factory-installed switches too. But that doesn't include the Heat-minder switch in your Flair as it should be a Proctor (or King Seeley) just like the other infinite switches and the L1 and L2 terminals are on the same spot on these. Also, the pre-1964 Flairs have a pilot light for each burner so reversing the two hot wires on your range's switches shouldn't cause such a problem! 1964 "H" model and newer Flairs started to use just one pilot light for all four burners (two on Canadian models) and they also started to use the Robertshaw hydraulic type Heat-Minder switch, just like the 1964 cooktop I parted out, my 1966 Custom Imperial range and my 1973 Custom Deluxe range.
 
Repainted Burner Sub-Top

Looks Great Jon, but I always though it was a shame when you consider how much these Flairs cost that they did not use a porcelain coating on these sub-tops, even the Hotpoint Hallmarks just used paint on these and I had to repaint the ST on my 30" HM range.
 
I think that the only thing that was porcelain-coated on these Flairs with the chrome ovens were the burner drip bowls.
 
I agree John

that was a silly choice as most foods that drip down seem to be on the acidic side. Phil the drip pans so far are the only piece of enamel I have found.

 

I found a weird conundrum yesterday with the burners on this Range.

Calling out the exact same part numbers the burners are different lengths so that makes them sit in the holes on the cooktop at different places!

 

It depended on where they spot welded the rotating connectors. Some burners have longer legs than others! Very odd!

 

 

jetcone-2014061607010104132_1.jpg
 
Ooh, you know how I love it when you do things right!

Can't wait to try some space-age cooking on this Flair! You know Terry is smiling from ear to ear that you're going to have a Frigidaire range...
 

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