mannoble
Member
Model Number: JPG932KED2CC
Brand: GE
Age: More than 10 years
I had to post this somewhere since I've seen no other similar reports anywhere... Today, while cooking on our GE Profile JPG932KED2CC cooktop, I heard and saw two small "explosions" coming from the control knobs of the burner I was using. They appeared to be like the ignition of trapped gas (or so I assumed). The flame under my frying pan also seemed to be unusual - it seemed bright orange, but I don't trust my memory. I immediately shut off the gas, both from the knob and from the gas valve below the cooktop.
I did an internet search about these symptoms and returned to the stove to examine all burners for possible blockages. I removed all knobs for examination, and saw nothing unusual. About an hour had passed since the initial "explosion" sound. I was going to give up troubleshooting it when while standing a short distance from the cooktop, what sounded like an electrical short started crackling in two of the knobs, and they both burst into flames (spontaneously!), emitting black smoke, and fire, and the smell of electrical wires burning! I wasn't even touching it! The gas was off, but I had not unplugged the cooktop (it uses 110 volts for ignition).
With a fire extinguisher nearby and my hand on my cellphone to call 911, I dove to unplug the stove from electricity, and when I did so the fire dwindled. Crisis averted. In this video, if you look carefully, you can see black wispy smoke rising from the knobs after the fire died down https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bk9kbq5YDx0Wzfs73 Had we not been home, our house might be gone now, because the cooktop burst into flames so spontaneously - just while we happened to be watching it. It was very scary. I'm grateful we were there and still have no idea how this happened. This cooktop was installed some 14 years ago by previous owners. Suffice it to say, I am replacing it, but I'd sure like to know what happened. Were the first two "explosions" I heard and saw gas or electrical in nature? Should the circuit breaker the cooktop was on have flipped (it didn't)? I'm glad we're alive, but would have rather skipped today's fun.
Brand: GE
Age: More than 10 years
I had to post this somewhere since I've seen no other similar reports anywhere... Today, while cooking on our GE Profile JPG932KED2CC cooktop, I heard and saw two small "explosions" coming from the control knobs of the burner I was using. They appeared to be like the ignition of trapped gas (or so I assumed). The flame under my frying pan also seemed to be unusual - it seemed bright orange, but I don't trust my memory. I immediately shut off the gas, both from the knob and from the gas valve below the cooktop.
I did an internet search about these symptoms and returned to the stove to examine all burners for possible blockages. I removed all knobs for examination, and saw nothing unusual. About an hour had passed since the initial "explosion" sound. I was going to give up troubleshooting it when while standing a short distance from the cooktop, what sounded like an electrical short started crackling in two of the knobs, and they both burst into flames (spontaneously!), emitting black smoke, and fire, and the smell of electrical wires burning! I wasn't even touching it! The gas was off, but I had not unplugged the cooktop (it uses 110 volts for ignition).
With a fire extinguisher nearby and my hand on my cellphone to call 911, I dove to unplug the stove from electricity, and when I did so the fire dwindled. Crisis averted. In this video, if you look carefully, you can see black wispy smoke rising from the knobs after the fire died down https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bk9kbq5YDx0Wzfs73 Had we not been home, our house might be gone now, because the cooktop burst into flames so spontaneously - just while we happened to be watching it. It was very scary. I'm grateful we were there and still have no idea how this happened. This cooktop was installed some 14 years ago by previous owners. Suffice it to say, I am replacing it, but I'd sure like to know what happened. Were the first two "explosions" I heard and saw gas or electrical in nature? Should the circuit breaker the cooktop was on have flipped (it didn't)? I'm glad we're alive, but would have rather skipped today's fun.
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