KEBS207SSS04 Kitchenaid Double Oven blowing thermal fuse

[DblDH5L]

Model Number

KEBS207SSS04

Brand

KitchenAid

Age

6-10 years

I have replaced both of the thermal fuses multiple times now. No other symptoms. We do not run the auto clean cycle since the first thermal fuse went out. The ovens are both kept very clean. i.e. always use foil, no messes, exist to build up and catch at high temps.

We've never baked at above 425 degrees, and never use the convection setting. It's not an overly expensive part but it's a real pain in the butt to replace by yourself. I've tried turning it off at the breaker and letting it sit for up to a day and turning it back on. Each time I remove the thermal fuse and check it with a continuity tester and they're bad. I put the new ones in and juice it up and it works for a month or so and poof, out again.

I'll take whatever advice you got. I'm not skilled, I have no special tools, other than the ones it takes to do what I've mentioned. The dang thing is about 37.50 away from the curb.

 

[Jake]

Hi,

That's very strange why it would keep blowing the thermal fuse, This problem only started happening after the first and only self clean you did?

Here's the thermal fuse for your model:
Manufacturer's Number: WP8304452


Jake

 

[TwoLeftThumbs]

I have had the same problem for a few years - this is a problem that Kitchenaid has known about for many years and DOES NOTHING to fix. I replace the fuse myself (are there 2? I can only see 1 in mine). Replacement fuses are about $30 (although I bought some fuses from a company called NTE for under $2 each and am experimenting with them - they require you to do some wire crimping as they are just fuses with a bare wire.) Replacing the fuse involves pulling the oven out of the wall a bit and then removing the doors (heavy!) and unscrewing the little panel that runs across the top of the oven. It is really quite easy - just remember to turn off the power at your fuse-box. I had a new problem today with removing and replacing the doors. There are a couple of spring loaded metal pieces (prongs) on each door and those are supposed to slide into slots in the side of the oven. The metal pieces on on door did not spring open properly when I removed the door. That made putting the door back impossible UNTIL I got the idea of using a huge wrench (18 inch stillson) to exert leverage on the prongs and thereby twist them open - problem solved.
In our experience, cleaning the oven CAN burn out the fuse, although the most recent incident did not involve cleaning. Instead, it quit working right after using the grill in the upper oven. If you think about it, the grill is located close to the fuse (at least it is in our double wall oven) and I guess it could heat the fuse up. So, we plan to avoid using the upper oven grill and just use the lower oven for grilling. OF COURSE none of this absolves Kitchenaid for their fraudulent behavior in continuing to make and sell ovens that break when used normally (I'd call running self-clean a normal use of the oven). There have been a few lawsuits over this issue - haven't googled lately to see if any of them would apply to me.
Why does this happen? Part of the problem may be that the particular fuse in the Kitchenaid trips at too low a temperature. As part of my experiment with NTE fuses, I selected a fuse with a higher temperature threshold. (This could be a risk as it may be too high and cause something to overheat - then again 150 degrees fahrenheit does not sound excessively hot to me. Using Kitchenaid replacement fuses has been costing me $30 each and I have to go through this performance once or twice a year. NEXT TIME - I may experiment with lengthening the leads on the fuse wire so that I can relocate the fuse to somewhere cooler - like on top of the outside of the oven instead of inside the area behind the control panel.

 

[Jake]

I just remembered something I told a customer back when I worked for Sears when hers keep blowing.

What the solution is only do the self-cleaning cycle on cold days, and open up the kitchen windows to get the kitchen as cold as possible, then run the self-clean. I never went back to her house again.

Jake