Electric stove element repair

I have one of those quartz top electric ranges. One of the "burners" quit, it has a Nichrome waffled ribbon snaking around a pattern partially imbedded in asbestos or the equivalent. The problem is where the ribbon connects to a 1/4" male spade lug that is in a ceramic block, the spotweld has failed. Is there any way to repair it? I bought a new one with the temp control (only comes as a unit) for $130...OUCH! But, if I can repair it, I can save buying the next new one. Somehow I think my 250 amp spotwelder isn't the right tool.

I never thought I would have liked electric but this thing is WAY cool!

Reply to
Buerste
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Perhaps check with the experts on s.e.j.w

From what I've seen the folks who insist that you have to cook on gas and that electric is terrible don't actually know how to cook. Real chefs just cook on whatever appliance they have in front of them and produce consistently perfect results regardless of gas, halogen, cal-rod, induction, etc. The gas envy thing mostly results from the fact that it is used in commercial kitchens largely because it is cheaper per BTU than electric and commercial kitchens use a *lot* of BTUs.

Reply to
Pete C.

Thanks for posting it there! The thing I liked about gas is instant heat control but this electric DOES that! Gas leaves dirty, greasy, sooty spooge on everything.

Reply to
Buerste

in the past when I've needed to connect to Nichrome, I've used silver solder

Reply to
Bill Noble

My Mom always preferred electric - the problem I've had with it is, when you turn off the power to the burner, it stays HOT HOT hot hot beyond your cooking time, and you have to move the pan. I don't know how Mom did it, but everything always came out perfect, but that could be just because she was Mom. ;-)

I just got a tabletop gas grille for $25.00 new, and last Friday did four burgers.

They came out edible!!! :-) :-) :-)

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

This thing is amazing! The element cools instantly, the quartz top is hot to the touch but cooking stops immediately. The element doesn't have different heat levels, it pulses the element on and off at full power; the higher the control is set, the more "on" pulses it receives. The pan heats up from radiant heat not transferred heat, if the pan bottom isn't perfectly flat, it doesn't heat correctly. Cheap pans work terribly, my Cuisinart pans are flat and heavy and work well as does cast iron.

Reply to
Buerste

I'll try it if that the alternative, but I think it might get too hot in use...but the connection IS at the end.

Reply to
Buerste

Use high temperature rated silver solder and then squash a small U shaped piece of steel on the nichrome wire very close to the joint. This acts as a heatsink to reduce the wire temperature just before it enters the soldered joint.

Jim

Reply to
pentagrid

Can you replace the 1/4"spade lug if the heat damages it?

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

the low melt silver solder is 1600 deg, as I recall, the high melting one is about 1900 if memory serves.

Reply to
Bill Noble

No, COOKING WITH HEAT does that, as does Cleveland. I find my new electric just as dirty as the loving old gas Cadillac I used to cook on. She was a beaut. 4 burners, large chrome griddle in the middle, separate lever-raisable broiler on the left, oven on the right. One thermostatically controlled burner on top, dropdown glass shelf, and only about 300 pounds of cast inside the 12ga steel shell. I sure miss her!

-- Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly. -- Plutarch

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I suspect that you already know Jim, but for others that may not be familiar with heating element terminations, the terminals are generally always (and definitely should be) stainless steel terminals, not copper, brass or other weak metals.

Low-priced discount store Chinese household appliances many times use plated brass, and they're often the first parts to fail.

Johnstone Supply and other good electrical parts suppliers normally stock stainless steel terminals, and some may be clearly marked Hi-Temp.

While properly crimped HT terminals can be used on stranded heater wires, resistance weld, or capacitor discharge spot welds need to be used on solid conductors (stainless steel washers, screw and nut, also ss, being an alternative method, if properly installed).

Reply to
Wild_Bill

TIG. Use a very small (.040") tungsten.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Don Foreman fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I think it might be JUST the right tool. Use electrodes with small tips.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

I can recal the "Oldtimers" telling me that they used to repair electric heating elements made of resistance wire by putting a little borax on the broken ends, then touching them together while energized. The borax acted like flux. This memory is from at least 60 years ago.

Reply to
Nadogail

Taking things sideways. In a winter storm taking down power lines, my furnace is useless but my gas range will still work and will heat the house. Sorta matters near 45N

Wes

Reply to
Wes

is useless

Propane or fuel oil are the alternatives to electric heat around here. :(

Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Yes it is flux. The wires are normally brittle as all get out.

What I do is get some nichrome wire - wrap it in a loop and make it ~ width of the wire - then clamp or crimp a loop over the two ends - and paint the connections with Borax. Turn on power.

You can find Borax in the food store - be sure you get the mineral and not the soap!!! I use it as a flux on my furnace. Don't have the box anymore - I put it in a bucket I can seal. It makes a nice glassy layer on the metal.

In chemistry, this is used to make balls of material on a stick and then introduce a chemical. The white ball turns a unique color of the new mineral.

Mart> I can recal the "Oldtimers" telling me that they used to repair

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

I got an induction top to replace a cracked top. Gas isn't an option because the range is on a center island, and I'm not paying for chipping up the floor and installing a propane tank. I prefer the induction top to gas anyway. Instant on, instant off (depending on the thermal mass of the pan), massive heat (big burner is 3.5 kW at double boost), plus very low heat. I melt baker's chocolate directly in a pan at a setting of 2 without scorching (chocolate pecan pie). And lastly, since the top only gets hot from conduction from the pan, cleans up with one wet paper towel and one dry one. Did need new pans, they have to be magnetic.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Pete Keillor

We had like advantage some years ago - Living in mountains - my neighbors had piped in gas. I had propane - my house was last to be built and many roots.... Put in a tank.

They lost electricity and gas and hot water!! after the earthquake.

I had gas stove, gas dryer - generator drove washer. - wood stove for heat. We helped some of the neighbors who were not cooking with Coleman stoves some cooking for them. Did some laundry. But our hot showers were nice to have after a lot of work outdoors. We baked bread and cake out in the Bar-B-Que on the deck. It was propane naturally.

Semi-off grid makes for a better lasting ability.

Mart> "Pete C." wrote:

is useless

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

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