Many electric ranges, wall ovens and countertop ovens have two heating elements, a baking element at the bottom that provides heating for most settings and a broil element at the top that generates high temps for tasks like searing meats, melting cheese and toasting breads.
Conventional ovens feature heating elements on the top and bottom of the oven cavity. Convection ovens have these elements in addition to a fan that helps circulate hot air throughout the oven cavity. This can help dishes placed on different racks bake at a similar rate.
Working of an Electric Oven
The electric oven consists of a control board, temperature sensor, broil element, and bake element.
Many ovens appear to have two heating elements, but that's not entirely accurate. Keep in mind one of the basic rules of thermodynamics: heat rises. The bottom heating element is your Bake Element, the top is your Broil Element. When you're baking, the top element doesn't normally come on.
Most ovens feature a lower bake element and upper broil element. Some have a third convection element located behind the oven cavity rear panel. The lower bake element is the one most commonly replaced because it's used the most.
Like the Hidden Bake element, the interior conceals the lower oven element to eliminate hard-to-reach areas that collect food and spills and is easy to clean. This also makes the oven cavity seamless.
During the bake cycle you can see that the bake element is working because of the bright orange glow it gives off. The broil element may cycle on to provide heat from the top for better cooking results.
True convection features a third heating element at the back of the oven. This takes the fan from simply creating better airflow within the oven, to actively blowing hot air into the mix. The additional heat source contributes to temperature consistency and can help cook some dishes faster.
Common since after WWII, these ovens can do two things. The top element is generally used for “broiling” and is used to mimic the heat from a traditional grill, except from the TOP. The bottom element heats the oven compartment to a steady, set temperature for “baking”. Both elements are used in “self cleaning” cycles.
The element has blown. There are bright spots or uneven patches on the element when the cooker is in use. The oven trips the electricity when the element is turned on but may work using another i.e. Grill.
Most oven heating elements last quite a few years, but just like any other appliance part, eventually they wear out or can break if something falls onto them. No need to panic. Thankfully, replacing your oven's element is a simple repair to make, as you only need a screwdriver.
You can buy a replacement oven element through the oven manufacturer or through online appliance parts retailers. All you need is the appliance's model number, which should be printed on a metal plate that's located in one of several places: On the oven door jamb, at the top, sides, or bottom, when the door is open.
Many electric ranges, wall ovens and countertop ovens have two heating elements, a baking element at the bottom that provides heating for most settings and a broil element at the top that generates high temps for tasks like searing meats, melting cheese and toasting breads.
You can , but you will get very uneven heating. All the heat will come from the top. It may cause burning of food near the top of the oven. Be sure to heat the oven up well before you use it.
This means the top and bottom heating elements will radiate heat, which is the standard for all electric ovens.
Some recipes will suggest regular bake or convection, but as a general rule, don't use the convection setting for delicate desserts and pastries such as custards, souffle, chiffon and angel food cakes, to name a few.
Do I need a single or double oven? 'If you need increased cooking capacity and the ability to cook a wide variety of dishes at the same time, then a double oven is perfect,' recommends Po. 'Single ovens take up less space and offer the consumer more choice in terms of price, design and innovation. '
If your lower oven is not turning on at all, but the upper oven is working fine, then a blown fuse is likely to be the culprit. A blown fuse will happen suddenly and is more likely if your oven has experienced a power surge or you've used a very high-temperature setting, like a self-cleaning setting.
Achieve consistent and even baking on all racks with the Convection Pro feature, boasting a third heating element and a fan for uniform air circulation. Unlike regular convection ovens with only two heating elements, the Convection Pro ensures consistently golden results across every dish.
The metal 'spirals' that form the oven element can expand by as much as 10mm when they are fully heated. This constant expansion and retraction can play a huge part in the wear and tear of the element, and eventually lead to them being unable to function correctly.
No Heat: The most obvious sign of a bad heating element is when your oven fails to produce any heat at all. If you set the temperature, but the oven remains cold, it is likely that the heating element needs to be replaced.
If it's possible, take note of the element's part number, which can be found in the manual or on a digital parts list. The packaging on the oven heating element replacement will list the manufacturer, model number and part number it replaces.