Stove problem (still)

[Scott21120]

Last summer I asked about our 20+ year old Seaward Hillerange which would only attain a temperature of about 300 degrees before the burner would kick off. The extended pilot would still be lit, which is supposed to trigger the burner, but the burner would not light. I talked to the folks at Seaward (Princess) and they told me unequivocally that the thermostat needed to be replaced. At the time, a new thermostat was around $150 delivered, so I didn't do anything about it. Now I am interested in getting it working, so I pulled the thermostat to see if I could find one locally at an appliance parts distributor. I identified it as a Robertshaw part, and found to my consternation that it has been discontinued, and while it had an original price of $69.95, prices now ranged from $225 - $350! Fortunately, I was able to locate a distributor that still had some old stock, and was able to get one for $75 delivered. Today (in the -9 temps) I took my trusty heater and went to the boat to install it. Unfortunately, the oven still acts the same way. I set the oven at 400, and at 300, the burner kicked off. Turning the temperature all the way to Broil is not enough to cause the burner to relight. As the oven cools, and I turn the thermostat down, the turbo pilot reduces to normal pilot at near whatever temp the oven (based on an oven thermometer), so I believe the oven thermostat is functioning correctly. Originally I was told that if the thermocouple is bad, the burner won't light at all, or I will not get the turbo pilot, but I am now suspecting (by process of elimination) that the thermocouple may in fact be the problem. Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence that may prove or disprove my assumption?Thanks,Scott FullerO34 Dawn TreaderMilwaukee, WI

 

[MIke D]

High Limit Switch

Scott,I am certainly no expert in this oven. I have extensive experience in the heating and a/c field.Most gas heating appliances have a high limit switch. The high limit switch is a fail safe switch which will cut the appliance off should one of the other controls fail and allow the gas to remain on as the appliance approaches melt down. Clothes dryers have a fusible link. Usually when a fusible link has melted no ignition takes place. If it is thermostatic cut off however they are sometimes automatice reset upon cool down.Can you tell if your oven has one?. Is there a schematic for the oven?Just a shot in the dark.good luck,Mike D

 

[KennyH]

I think this sounds very familar

This sounds like a problem I had with this same stove on my 20 year old Cheoy Lee Clipper. The problem was in the tubing that feeds the oven. The tubing is made of aluminum and over the years had developed tiny leaks. These leaks were so tiny as to not cause a safty issue(could not smell propane) but not allow full propane to get to the burner. There where two tubing runs I had to replace. One fed the main burner the other fed the pilot light. Both had leaks when tested. You may want to check these out closely. Good luck