Oops! Issue With Stove Due to Power Surge/Outage (washer, furnace, Air Conditioner)
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Last Thursday am (5/08) we had a brief power surge; at 8:30 pm there was an outage that affected several hundred homes which lasted about 3 hours. At 11:30 p.m., power came back on for about 5 minutes and then off again for another 20 minutes. No more problems...I thought.
The next morning I went to turn on the stove and there was a loud “pop” sound from the burner. I immediately turned it off and went outside to the electrical box to make sure the switch hadn’t flipped – it had not. Went back in and even though the burner was off, a yellow light that says “element” stayed lit. I’ve had to turn the stove off completely at the box for the element light to go off.
Yesterday, a family member said it’s probably safe to use and suspects that something on the stove’s motherboard fried due to the surge. I’m a bit concerned since my pea-sized brain is telling me that electricity must still be engaged since the light won’t turn off unless we turn the unit off from the electric box.
Does anyone know if it’s safe for that light to constantly stay on?
There is something not right with this stove. When I turned the burner to high last night, the coil was a much brighter red rather than muted which is the norm. This morning, the element light was also so bright that there were reflections of orange on the wall coming from the back of the stove behind the light. I have now turned the stove off from the outside box.
Due to a surge from a different stove (initially in the home she purchased a few years ago) which caused a huge, visible arc that destroyed not only the stove, but also her microwave, tv, and computer, I am worried.
Also get a "whole house surge protector" installed in your main electric circuit breaker panel. That is the same as a surge protector power strip people use to protect computers, but it protects the entire house including the electronics in the newer electronically controlled ranges.
Actually almost EVERYTHING electrical these days has electronic controls which should be protected by a surge protector. But you can't buy surge protector power strips for an electric range or electric clothes dryer!
Was not even aware they have those whole house things although all of our other electronics are on good surge protectors. Just paid this family member $100 to tell me everything was good and not to worry about the element light. This is my mom's house and she lives on low-tier social security only so not sure what the solution will be. She has been taken advantage (ripped off!) numerous times by unscrupulous service repairmen so I am very wary. It might be wise to just purchase a new stove.
... It might be wise to just purchase a new stove...
Also there are some second hand stores which sell used ranges. Get an old fashioned one with on/off dials, dial clock, etc. (non-electronic). That will be inexpensive. Some of those come with a warranty. And you will not need to worry about voltage surges wrecking the electronics (as it does not have any!)
In my area the have "St. Vincent de Paul" which is a large charity with 2nd hand stores. So somewhere like that.
Note: I've started buying some older things even though I have the money to buy new. Older things last longer and are better built! I've had too many new gizmos break after just a couple of months or not work new out of the box!
I bought a used Kirby 1930's vacuum cleaner for $4 and it is still working perfectly fine!
And I've bought old "Western Electric" phones for the entire house because they work when the power goes out, whereas a new phone caused all the others to not work. They are SUPPOSED to be designed to work when the power goes out.
Older things last longer and are better built! I've had too many new gizmos break after just a couple of months or not work new out of the box!
Yes, I agree! The stove in the home in which I grew up served her well for over 45 years. Her 2nd stove, simple and without all the bells and whistles, was still perfect when she moved. This one, well, we went all out and bought newfangled high-end and regretted the decision from the beginning. Keep it simple is my motto. I doubt the electric company would assume even an iota of responsibility. Oh well, we just do what we have to do!
Thank you very much.
P.S. She just asked me if I wanted some biscuits, gravy, bacon and eggs - I think we'll be having cold cereal instead, lol.
Was not even aware they have those whole house things although all of our other electronics are on good surge protectors.
One 'whole house' protector is completely different from another device called a surge protector. A protector adjacent to an appliance must somehow block or absorb a surge. Even its spec numbers say it cannot. The other and proven solution connects a surge to earth. Then no surge is inside hunting for earth destructively via appliances. And blowing through grossly undersized power strips.
The 'whole house' solution is the only solution found in any facility that cannot have damage. And is essential to protect power strips. In rare cases power strips have caused fires since they are undersized. But they sure are profitable.
If anything needs protection, then everything need protection. Including all CFL bulbs, air conditioner, bathroom and kitchen GFCIs, clocks, TVs, dishwasher, dimmer switches, recharging mobile phones, furnace, and the refrigerator. Only one 'whole house' protector does that for about $1 per protected appliance. This best solution is also the least expensive.
Never assume any protector does protection. Protection is defined by what absorbs hundreds of thousands of joules. No protector does that. Only an effective 'whole house' protector makes a low impedance (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to protection (single point earth ground). Earth ground (not any protector) is the protection. A requirement ignored and not discussed by power strip protectors to protect sales that may cost $25 or $80 per appliance. No earth ground is why power strips do not claim to protect from destructive surges.
Earthing is also an art. Not all electricians and linemen understand why earth ground is so important and how to make a low impedance (ie no sharp wire bends) connection.
Only solution found in any reliable facility (even 100 years ago) was a 'whole house' solution. Only that solution says where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate. And why even direct lightning strikes cause no damage. Also essential to protect power strip protectors and the most important device should a surge occur: smoke detectors.
Electric company bears no responsibility. Only the homeowner is responsible for installing that 'whole house' solution AND properly upgrading and maintaining what is even more important: single point earth ground. Most homeowners do not know this. Some even thing a 'whole house' and power strip protectors do same. They are completely different devices. Only the 'whole house' solution claims to protect from destructive surges - which is a homeowner's responsibility.
"There is something not right with this stove. When I turned the burner to high last night, the coil was a much brighter red rather than muted which is the norm. This morning, the element light was also so bright that there were reflections of orange on the wall coming from the back of the stove behind the light. I have now turned the stove off from the outside box."
"Just paid this family member $100 to tell me everything was good and not to worry about the element light."
Get your $100 back. What you are describing sounds suspiciously like the loss of a neutral connection allowing twice as many volts to go through the burner and light as normal. Get a professional out there and keep the thing turned off at the breaker until then.
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