Penncrest!

[dalangdon]

While I have always had a deep appreciation for Sears in general, and the Kenmore appliance line in particular, The Sears (Roper) electric range knockoff of the Fridgdaire Flair finally exhausted my patience. So today I rescued a JC Penney Penncrest (General Electric) 30" double oven stove in - swoon - avocado!!!

It's in good shape, cosmetically and functionally: Everything works (including the clock and the "convenience outlets"), it just needs some deep cleaning. But the burners are weird: I can't tell if they are supposed to be plug-in or not, and they seem to be intertwined with the burner pans and rings.

Here's some pics. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

 

[circlew]

That should be really nice after you get it cleaned up. My Aunt Julie had the Kenmore like your previous range, and hated it from day one.

As for the burners, some GE made ranges used the type with the integral trim ring/drip pan, while others had them as separate pieces. My cousins had a GE built-in cooktop that used a combination of units. If I remember right, three of them were plug in, and one was wired in. I can't remember why that was; could have been because of one being a Sensi-Temp unit. My service manual is at storage. You may be able to find one in the manuals you can download from here.

 

[combo52]

Roughly 1970 GE built high low electric range

This is a great range worthy of restoring much better than the Kenmore roper thing that you had for Shore.

This range would have all wire in burners, I’m pretty sure it uses the dual element type burners, question do the burner control knobs do they click from setting to setting and have five heats or are they infinite heat burners? I think they’re supposed to be the five heat type.

The stove could’ve used burners at either have the trim ring permanently attached to the burner or the type where the trim ring is a separate part, their interchangeable, but it’s nice to keep it original.

John L

 

[dalangdon]

John, they are infinite heat burner controls.

Three of the burners work, but the right front is dead. Do they make replacements?

I found a fuse socket with a blown fuse behind the left rear burner. I know flairs have these, but I’m never known what they do.

Also, I can’t find a model/serial plate.

 

[circlew]

The fuse under the left rear burner is probably for the oven lights, cooktop light, receptacles, and anything else that operates solely at 120 volts on the appliance.

 

[goatfarmer]

Great save!

 

 

[combo52]

GE built high low range

Hi Dan, it should be easy to find burners for that stove. We have boxes full of good used ones If you can’t find them that we could Send you.

The fuse is for the convenience outlet and the clock only the other items that run on 120 V like the surface and light oven lights, rotisserie motor,small indicator lights,etc. are not fused separately.

John L

 

[dalangdon]

Only one of the burners is broken and will probably have to be replaced.

The clock and convenience outlets are shot, but that's not a big deal.

I need the two small knobs for the baked time thing (just for cosmetic purposes, as the clock is shot, and I've never liked that feature anyway.

But on the plus side, in addition to almost everything working, I love the center seals on the burners

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Nice how, althoughGE-built boasts a fast, high-temperature speed-burner and not a selectable burner, nor from what I see, even a temperature-sensitive such as a sensi-temp type of unit...

Nice find, and a shame the JC Penny stable of appliances never caught on as much as Sears and Wards did...

-- Dave

 

[ozzie908]

Not knowing a thing about US major appliances but.....

Dalangdon have you not answered your own question?

You say the clock etc does not function and you found a blown fuse which others have said controls the clock etc could replacing said fuse have an impact on the clock and outlets working?

 

[gansky1]

 

 

Nice save, Dan.  Good looking range.  Elements with integrated rings and new bowls are not hard to find on ebay, from John L., etc.   I believe you may be able to remove those center "P" emblems and attach them to the new elements, I did this with my 58 GE elements.  The emblems will usually clean up like new with some fine steel wool, etc.   Good luck!