[Copper Cooker]

Amana Elec. Self Clean Wall Oven
Model AOES3030WW
Serial 0011158986
Manuf. P1132347NWW

The oven is 5 years old from new addition put on by previous owners of this house.

I have been having trouble with this oven for two months. Called two repair companys and received conflicting information. Can anyone help to diagnose the correct problem.

Here is a bake session that I wrote down for diagnostic purpose. To clarify, I waited 5 to 10 minutes between settings to give oven time to adjust. I also have two thermometers in the oven for verification of actual oven temperature; both read exactly the same. One thermometer is new and one is old.

1. Set oven to 400 degrees.
2. After preheating oven pad read 400 but actual temp was 350 degrees.
3. Re-set oven to 450 to raise temp to the desired 400 degrees.
4. Oven pad read 450 and temp was at 450 degrees.
5. Reset oven to 400 and held oven door open to drop temp to 400 degrees, closed door and waited 5 minutes.
6. Oven pad read 400 but was at 350 degrees.
7. Reset oven to 425 degrees - waited.
8. Oven reached 400 degrees and held that temp while baking for one half hour even after putting in the food and during baking.

Now, I have two estimates for repair on this unit. One for $1048.00 and the other for 575.46. The expensive one, of course wants to replace everything for the cost of a new unit and the other one just wants to replace the key pay and the temperature sensor.

P.S. The heat venting fan does not come on when the oven is hot, test at 550 degrees. Previously the fan worked and also, the key pad stops working when the oven is hot. Works when the oven is cold though. There have been no error messages shown on the key pad. I would appreciate some professional help with this problem and Thanks.

[PS Staff - Sheila]

By what you have found the only thing that would have to be replaced is the ERC. (Electronic Oven Control)

The sensor is working or you would get a code.

The sensor measures resistance.

The resistance of the sensor at ambient temperature (room temperature) should be about 1100 ohms. The resistance will rise as the temperature goes up. Hold it in your hand and the resistance should go up.

The relay board receives it instruction from the ERC.

The ERC is not sending the proper command to the relay board.

The ERC should be telling the relay board to turn the fan on when it is above 550 degrees.

Here is a link to your oven model AOES3030WW.

[Copper Cooker]

Thank you so much Shelia. Your superior knowledge is a very welcome relief! Being a copper artist I appreciate the quality and knowledge of "doing it right" that "doing it yourself" affords. Thank you for the link to that end!!!

One other question; would an oven door gasket that is slightly hard, only on the corners, cause the problems with this oven? Remember that once I got the oven to the desired temperature in the test baking it kept that temperature and held that temperature for 30 or so minutes. Also, could that cause the ERC problem?

Once again thank you and Happy Holidays!

[JPG]

The oven cycles on and off it will not stay at an even 350 or 400 degrees. the whirlpool ovens when on 350 will cycle up to 400 than turn off come back on at 300 the 350 degrees is an average temp, some therometers can not keep up with the temp swings of on and off. the temp will gradually get a little closer than the 300-to 400. the thermometers u buy at store will not work or keep up with cycles....of an oven. IF I went to your house on a service call I would ck temps for 3 cycles about 30 minutes w/ an expensive digital thermometer if it is with in 50 dgrees it would b acceptable jpg

[Copper Cooker]

Well, I am not sure that I agree with your insights on this. I have been baking for 34 years now and not one oven that I have had cycled up or down 50 degrees while baking. One simply could not properly bake if that were the case. I hope that your day job is not a repair man.

You were right to say that the simple oven thermometer cannot keep up with the oven temp exactly as it heats and with the new Kenmore Convection oven, that I just purchased, I find that it takes four (4) minutes for the simple oven thermometer to come to the exact temp that the oven reads on the pannel. I guess that in reality one does not really need that expensive digital thermometer; one just has to wait a few minutes!

[PS Staff - Sheila]

Happy Holidays

Your oven gasket would not cause the problem with the oven or ERC.

[Copper Cooker]

Once again thank you Shelia for your return answer.

Since my son was soon coming "home for the Holidays" and I was running out of time to repair the old oven, I had to purchase a new oven. Luckily we were able to get the oven installed one day before my son got here and I was able to cook a few of his favorite cookies along with holiday dinners.

I very much appreciate your knowledge and help with the old oven problem and will keep the information for its repair.

Happy New Year to you and thanks again!