Kenmore Elite Electric Range 790.99012100
Right Front Burner heats only barely as it turns on and then off quickly.
This is a large burner element with outer and inner elements that are controlled with the same potentiometer.

I have checked continuity and short cut on both elements (inner = 45 ohms, outer = 35 ohms, not short cut detected).
Cables seem fine. As measured between ends of each element when the control is turned on, the voltage jumped to 245 volt and then goes back to about 12v instantly or few seconds later. It does stay rarely at 245 volts for even few seconds; I am not sure what makes the duration changes once in a while (range reset or hot surface switch activated does not seem to impact the behavior).

The hot surface switch seems to be working as well as the temperature limit switch (I did shortcut the temperature limit switch and it did not change the behavior).

I suspected the power board relays to be bad and even change one of the relay, but no success.
Any other specific test recommended to determine the power board need replacement?

Thanks.

Hi,

I had one do this before and it was the burner switch, but I haven't worked on this model before with the potentiometer. So I can't really say that a new potentiometer will fix it, but it seems everything else you checked is fine, so that basically leaves the potentiometer as being the problem.

Manufacturer part number 316239601 is RepairClinic item number 891943
316239601

If you purchase parts from our links here and you install them and it doesn't fix the problem, you have a 30 day full refund when you return them.

Jake

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I did not exclude the potentiometer as the potential root cause. However the digital display showing the level of heat selected works fine. As 3 cables go from the potentiometer to the display unit, it would mean that one (working) output would be used for the display unit and one (not working) output would go to the power board (through the display unit).

Ok, yes, i'm not sure, like I said, but I'll ask another tech. if they've seen this problem before on your model with the potentiometer.

Jake

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Just my two cents. The potentiometers are fine, otherwise you would be getting an error message. And lets face it, they generally don't break, and in reality do not control the cycling of the surface units. The likely failure would be the surface unit relay board in the back. You mentioned you changed a relay, but they are simply switches that turn on and off based on microprocessor control outputs. You need to verify the voltage output from the relay board just to make sure you are getting the same thing you measured at the element. If it is the same, then I would suspect the board as being the problem. To be sure, do a little substitution troubleshooting and swap the user interface boards from one side to the other (and the potentiometers if you so choose) then see if the symptom follows the components. If not, then you are back to the relay board. And even on that board, with a little creativity, you can attach a different element to the outputs causing the problem to see if the symptom follows. It's always better to know which part has failed, than guessing which part has failed. Use the components provided to narrow down the problem. Then you can be confident in your assessment.

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I did check the outputs (inner and outer) of the power board.
Those 2 outputs (L2) feed each burner element mounted in parallel with opposite phase (L1) at the opposite end.
When disconnecting only one output from the burner, I got 120v stable after turning on the related switch (between this output and neutral). When disconnecting both, I get only 11v on any of the output.

I will switch this output to another element to verify if the behavior follows.

Thanks.

This was not the potentiometer. I checked the potentiometer by switching the Left Front with the Right Front. There was no change in behavior.
This might be the power board. I switched the power board output between left element and right element. The right front elements (inner and outer) were able to work normally with the outputs from the left elements. I am ordering a new power board.

A new power board effectively fixed the problem.
Thanks for the pointers provided.

Glad it worked out for you.

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