Can I manually light my gas oven manually?

Question: The ignitor on my General Electric gas stove burned out. Can I manually light my stove? The burners on the top of the stove work fine.

Answer: No, this is not possible due to the gas being controlled by the gas safety valve. You need the ignitor to be working properly before gas is allowed out of the gas safety valve.

The ignitor is a small round or rectangular (flat oven ignitor and the round oven ignitor) device located near the burner and is wired in series with the gas safety valve. When the ignitor is cold, it has a lot of resistance, meaning it gets most of the electricity in the circuit. As the ignitor heats up, its resistance drops allowing the heat to pass to the bi-metal strip in the gas safety valve, which then allows gas to be released to the burner assembly. The gas then gets ignited by the glow-bar ignitor. The ignitor glows the whole time the burner is on, keeping the gas safety valve open. The thermostat senses when the desired temperature is reached, and cuts off electricity to the gas safety valve and ignitor.

DavesRepair.com has an article on “Gas Oven Glowbar Igniters” along with photos and some helpful tips if you plan on making this repair yourself. He also offers some helpful suggestions on the two different types of igniters: the flat oven ignitor and the round oven ignitor and how to tell which shape your gas oven takes.

APWagner.com also offers a helpful article on How Gas Ovens Work which might help you troubleshoot any problems. Also you can buy any of these replacement gas oven parts online at APWagner.com.

Examples of a Flat Oven Ignitor and a Round Oven Ignitor for your gas oven:

General Electric Flat Oven Ignitor Part Number WB2X10016

Flat oven ignitor that is commonly used on gas stoves and ranges from GE and others.

http://www.apwagner.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_174&products_id=157402

Price: $79.25

Read more about this part or buy it now.

Universal Round Ignitor

Part Number 5304401265

Universal round ignitor commonly found on gas ovens from Frigidaire, Tappan, Westinghouse, Gibson, WCI, and others as well.

Price $70.46

Read more about this part or buy it now.

http://www.apwagner.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_186&products_id=78137

Common refrigerator problems you can fix yourself (and when you should call a professional)

Ice and frost build-up in the freezer – This usually means that there is a problem in the self-defrost system. Test the three components in the self-defrosting system, the defrost heater, the defrost thermostat, or the defrost timer.

You may have damaged refrigerator or freezer door gaskets. When you open the freezer door, you also let in a blast of warm, often humid air. This moisture usually freezes onto the evaporator coils immediately.

Test the seal by placing a dollar bill half-way in the freezer door and then tug on it. If there is some resistance, then the seal is good. You can also test the seal by placing a high-powered flashlight in the freezer directed towards the door. Close the freezer door and turn off the lights in your kitchen. If you can see any light leakage, you may have a bad seal.

Water is inside at the bottom of the refrigerator – This is usually caused by blocked drainage tubes. Be sure to unplug your refrigerator before doing any work. The drain tubes can be found either on the inside of your refrigerator, at the top next to the temperature controls, behind the unit (disconnect the drain tube to clear it) or by accessing the main back panel of the freezer under the cooling coil. Diagrams showing the drainage tube locations for your refrigerator and freezer can be found online.

You can use a turkey baster to flush hot water into the drain tube to clear any obstruction. If it seems like the drain tube is frozen or plugged up with ice, use a hair dryer to defrost it.

Your refrigerator feels warm or is cycling on and off frequently – Clean the condenser coils located at the bottom of your refrigerator behind the kick plate/grill.

Leave it to the pros if you hear any of the following –

• Your refrigerator is not cooling and you hear a hissing noise.
• The condenser coils become damaged or there is a hole in one of the coils.

Refrigerator Repair Help Guide

Freezer Repair Help Guide

How to fix a noisy Frigidaire Clothes Washer

Question: I have a front load Frigidaire Clothes Washer, model number GLTF1670as0, that has started making a loud noise when spins. It still spins the clothes dry however, you can hear it spin from the other room with the door closed. Why is my clothes washer so loud?

Answer: It could be a bad rear tub bearing. Spin the tub by hand and see if it still makes noise. Also, take a look at the rear pulley to see if there is a grease or small water train coming from the center bearing.

Read more about causes and clothes washer repair solutions.

Find Frigidaire Clothes Washer replacement parts

Why is my dishwasher making noise?

If your dishwasher is getting loud or making a weird noise, you should check the heater fan, motor, water-inlet valve, and pump. Sometimes the bearings in the heater fan may get worn out or rust. If this happens, it may become very noisy, either grinding on the bearings, or scraping against the rust. If this happens you need to replace the fan motor. Sometimes, a fan blade may come loose, and you need to replace it.

Sometimes it’s the motor that makes the noise you hear. The motor has bearings in it which may become worn or get rusty. When the bearings get worn, they allow the shaft to wobble which can get quite loud. If there is a spin seal leak, water may get inside the motor, washing the bearing grease away. If the spin seal is leaking, you’ll notice water leaking from under the dishwasher.

There is also a disc attached to the top of the motor called a slinger. It sometimes breaks off and spins around the motor's shaft while it turns, causing some noises. You will need to replace the motor if the bearings are bad. You also need to replace the motor if the slinger is broken as well.

Newer dishwashers may make a squealing or rattling noise on the first run. This is because it has not had any water in it yet, and the motor seals are dry. You may hear this in a unit that hasn't been run in a week or more as well. You should operate the dishwasher regularly to keep the sump water from getting smelly, and to keep the seals lubricated. You can add a quart of water to the sump before running it.

Rattling noises may be produced by dishes rattling inside the dishwasher due to the water pressure from the sprayer arms on the dishes. To determine if the rattling is a loading issue, run the unit empty. If the sound is persistent, it may be that there is debris in the pump.

dishwasher water-inlet valves are noted to make a hum that lasts about 60-90 seconds several times during a washing cycle. This hum is a different hum than the sound of the motor running.

A rhythmic knocking or thumping sound may be caused the sprayer arms hitting something as they go around and around. Rearrange the dishes and resume the wash.

A clunking or clanking may be heard when the detergent cup or detergent dispenser opens; while a clicking sound may be produced by the timer or electronic control panel.

A solenoid makes a snap sound when it opens. This happens about six times during each load.

Pipes rattling or banging may be caused by a water hammer effect. Water hammer sounds are caused by a valve closing in the system, and yet the water in the pipe is still flowing because of its kinetic energy. The sound is caused by the water slamming into the closed section of pipe. A plumber can install an anti-hammer device.

Small objects can sometimes get stuck in the pump. When this occurs, you’ll need to open the pump and then remove the item that is making the noise or replace the pump. The dishwasher pump is usually mounted directly to the motor and runs off the motor as well. The pump is also attached to the bottom of your dishwasher.

GE Dishwasher Recall

Today General Electric in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall including as many as 2.5 million dishwasher units.


The recall hazard involves the liquid rinse-aid dispenser which can leak into internal wiring of the dishwasher and may cause an electrical short or overheating, resulting in a possible fire hazard for consumers and homeowners.

 

General Electric says they have received 191 reports of overheated dishwasher wiring. There have been no injuries reported, but 56 claims for property damage and 12 cases of fire damage. The 12 reports of fire have resulted in limited damages mainly to the actual dishwasher or the area adjacent to the dishwasher.

 

The General Electric dishwashers included in the recall were manufactured in the U.S and sold for the price of about $400.00 in appliance and department stores from September 1997 through December 2001.
If you are using one of the recalled dishwashers you should stop using it now and contact General Electric for free repairs, a 150 rebate for a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate for a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.

The dishwasher recall includes GE built-in dishwashers sold in the colors of almond, bisque, black, stainless steel and white with the brand names of: 

• Eterna
• GE
• GE Profile™
• GE Monogram®
• Hotpoint®
• Sears-Kenmore

To find out if your dishwasher is part of the recall be sure to have the following information ready:

 

The brand name which is printed on the dishwasher’s front control panel.

 

The model and serial numbers are located inside the front of the dishwasher tub on the left side.

 

For more information contact: General Electric toll-free at (877) 607-6395 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday. Consumers also can visit the Web site Here

 

Homeowners, may want to keep a master list of all their home appliances, including the model and serial numbers as a part of the Household Inventory. This information is important to include for replacement values in the event of a loss but, may also help determine the hazard responsible for a loss.

 

This article was originally posted here.

 

For GE Dishwasher Parts and Accessories, check here.

Wolfgang Puck Toaster Oven/Toasters Recalled

W.P. Appliances Inc. Recalls Wolfgang Puck Toaster Oven/Toasters

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Wolfgang Puck Toaster Oven/Toasters

Units: About 7,040

Importer: Frontgate of West Chester, Ohio and The Home Shopping Network (HSN) of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Manufacturer: Kingpower Electrical Appliances of China

Hazard: The toaster oven can remain “on” after the toast pops up, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received seven reports of the toaster remaining on after the toast popped up. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled toasters have model #WPTOT010 with date codes 3608, 3908, 0407, 0607, or 0807 or model # BTOT0010 with date code 0207. The model numbers and date codes are located on an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label, which is affixed to the back of the unit. The black and stainless steel toasters have “Wolfgang Puck” or “Wolfgang Puck Bistro Collection” stamped on the lower front right corner. They feature a stainless steel handle on the oven door, three black knobs for controlling cooking, and a black push-down lever for toasting. Two slots for toasting bread and similar products are located on the top of the toaster.

Sold by: Frontgate catalogs and HSN nationwide from March 2007 through March 2009 for about $100.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled toaster/toaster ovens immediately and contact W.P. Appliances for instructions on returning the toaster/toaster ovens for a full refund. All known purchasers have been notified directly by mail.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact W.P. Appliances toll-free at (866) 510-9670 between 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or e-mail the firm at ovenrec@wphousewares.com

Recycle Old Gadgets

With Christmas quickly approaching, many of us will be getting fun new gadgets, tv’s, appliances and more.

Don’t just throw your old ones away, recycle them! Visit Earth911.com to find a recycling center near you.

Just click on the type of item you want to recycle, it can be anything from paper to metal to computer electronic equipment.

Then just put in your zip code and a recycling center near you will be found.