Appliance Repair Vs Replace advice Thread. (Starting w/ gas range)

To many threads are getting kinda specific in this section so trying to title this broadly so it can be an ongoing thing. (Saw the brands thread though didn't quite answer my questions.)

SO newest item to shit the bed right after house purchase is my gas range. Whirlpool Gold something or other (@ work and forget now) Had been giving errors that google showed as like timer problems. Well after 2 months finally went to bake and discovered no response from Temp up/down buttons and even if we tried to bake @ 350 like the default, it gives another error. Original home owner stated they had replaced the board 5 years ago by a tech. Guessing this may be original stove from home built 9? years ago.


Not something I'm ok DIY, but any idea what kind of cost for a computer board/control board and someone to replace it? I was kinda thinking if that runs me $350, buying a 600 or even nicer 1000 gas range might be worth it. Quick perusal of lowes shows some interesting 5 burner models with built in middle griddle plates and rapid boil mega burners seem neato.

I'm already on board with the other thread above in generally being anti american appliances these days. (Whirlpool kenmore etc. Slightly more positive on GE, but generally wanting to go Samsung/LG by default.)

I got a gas range from the Sears scratch and dent place for something between $400 and $500. I did see those awesome 5 burner ones you are talking about and would love one of those!

Repairing a gas range is easy, even for a fish collector. I use ricks in greality . Outside of installing it for you, they about walk you through doing it. Make, model serial # are your basics they ask for. Replacing a circuit board is easy to replace. If you can add memory to a pcv, you can do it.
That $1K you'd drop on a new unit, could get this stove fixed and money left over for the next crisis of being a new home owner, Trust me. Wait till your second snowfall and the furnace or hot water heater crap out. If they are gas units, you do have spare thermocouplers on hand, yes ?

http://ricksapplianceparts.com/

http://appliantology.org/topic/35197...ht-sf362lxst0/

http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/oven-repair-including-ranges-cooktops/225907-whirlpool-oven-wont-light.html

What's a thermocoupler? Isnt that a star trek thing? Yes I grew up handicapped because of a distant father who was also an electrical engineer.

Thanks for those I'll look into and price it out. Think I'll be more likely to splurge on a nice bed. I did win the washer/dryer wars and go simple but good. If I buy new range I suppose I'd try to go cheap. I very rarely use oven. Use high end big toaster oven for many things. Just need burner for pot based cooking so certainly no need to be fancy I suppose. (Just got all excited about a nice burner for griddling bacon etc.)

It is a temperature sensor used for measurement and control. A very simple device used in some form or another on almost any equipment that creates heat to perform some function, ie cooking, heating, curing, drying, melting.

Probably most common cause of appliance malfunction and easiest repair to make.

lobbed from my electronic ball and chain

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fitz19d

What's a thermocoupler? Isnt that a star trek thing? Yes I grew up handicapped because of a distant father who was also an electrical engineer.

Thanks for those I'll look into and price it out. Think I'll be more likely to splurge on a nice bed. I did win the washer/dryer wars and go simple but good. If I buy new range I suppose I'd try to go cheap. I very rarely use oven. Use high end big toaster oven for many things. Just need burner for pot based cooking so certainly no need to be fancy I suppose. (Just got all excited about a nice burner for griddling bacon etc.)

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it's your money. have at it

thermocouple
http://www.hvac-for-beginners.com/th...placement.html

https://sp1.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608...9&pid=15.1&P=0

Thermocouple (no "r") or Thermister is the temperature or flame sensor on most gas fired equipment. Some have standoff IR/UV/vis flame detectors, especially the more expensive boilers, so don't freak if your unit does not have a "thermocouple" listed in the parts list.

Thermocouples (used as flame sensors typically), High-Limit switches and hot surface ignitors are the most common failure parts in gas fired equipment. The markup on the part from wholesale to retail will make you want to go into the HVAC business. A typical service call is $200+ for a part you can get on Amazon for $15 to $40.

Sometimes, if the flame sensor looks like a stainless rod, a quick burnish with a Scotchbrite gets you back in shape.