Test whether the cooktop still works
If the surface elements heat and the oven does not, that pattern points at the supply rather than at the oven. Switch the breaker fully off and fully on, and if nothing changes, the fault is between the consumer unit and the appliance. That is an electrician's question, and it is a far cheaper one than a new control board.
What you find
- The cooktop works but the oven never heats — The classic half-supply pattern on a freestanding range.
- The clock and display are entirely normal — Electronics running on the part of the supply that is present.
- Neither the oven nor the cooktop works but the clock is lit — Also consistent, and it still points at the supply.
- Everything is dead including the display — A complete loss of supply rather than half of it.
- The breaker looks on but the oven still will not heat — A breaker can trip on one side while appearing on.
- NEAR MISS: an oven that heats slowly but does reach temperature — A different fault; half a supply produces no oven heat at all.
Ranked for a range
- Part of the supply missing — First. It leaves the electronics and some functions working while the oven elements have nothing, which is a uniquely misleading picture.
- A breaker tripped on one side — Second. A double breaker can trip in a way that looks on from the front, so cycling it fully is essential rather than optional.
- A degraded connection at the appliance — Third. It carries the largest load in the house, and a failing joint can open one side of the supply.
- An oven element or control fault — Last, and it becomes the suspect only when the supply is confirmed complete.
Compare functions, then cycle the breaker
- Test the cooktop and the oven separately — The comparison is what reveals a half supply.
- Switch the breaker fully off and fully on — It clears a trip that is invisible from the front of the panel.
- Note whether the clock is lit throughout — Electronics working while the oven does not is the signature.
- Call an electrician rather than a technician for this pattern — The fault is usually upstream of the appliance.
Owner steps
- Switch on a surface element briefly and check it heats — It establishes whether part of the supply is working, which the display alone cannot tell you.
About 5 min
- Set the oven to bake and check whether the cavity warms at all — Cooktop working with a completely cold oven is the pattern that matters.
Tools: notepadAbout 20 min
- Switch the range breaker fully off, wait, and switch it fully on — A breaker can trip on one side and still appear on from the front of the panel.
About 10 min
- Note whether the clock and display stay normal throughout — Electronics alive with no oven heat is the classic half-supply picture.
Tools: notepadAbout 5 min
- STOP before the rear cover or the terminal connection is opened — That connection carries the largest load in the house, and it is not owner work.
Before anything is opened
Safety
Switch off the circuit at the consumer unit before inspecting anything at the back of the range, and prefer the breaker since a range is rarely practical to move. Never reset a breaker repeatedly. Never open the terminal cover. Let the cavity cool completely before working near it, and stop at once for any smell of burning.
When to call
Call an electrician when the cooktop works and the oven does not after the breaker has been fully cycled, because the fault is usually in the supply or the connection. Call an appliance technician only once the supply is confirmed complete. Say which functions still work: on a range that pattern is most of the diagnosis.
Nearest pages of this class
Scope
Written for the GE oven and range class rather than one model line, with freestanding electric ranges in mind because the split supply is the distinctive factor. Supply arrangements belong to the installation, and an electrician is the authority on them.
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