Stove Top Burner or Burners Not Lighting

Today we are going to talk a little about Gas Stove Burners.  Every once in a while you run into an issue with 1 or more burners.  Usually what I've found is that if one burner has stopped working, it doesn't get fixed.  It's usually when the second one goes is when you start looking for information on how to fix it.

Well, right now you are going to learn the biggest reasons why your gas stove burners can stop working, how to troubleshoot them, and what you need to replace to fix the problem.

This will actually be pretty simple to get you back up and running.  When you turner your gas burner knob to the light position, this sends a signal to the spark modulator, then the spark modulator sends the spark to the burners, easy enough right.

First thing we need to do is identify the problem that your having so I can tell you where to look.  So here is example problem number one.  When you turn the front right burner to light, nothing happens but you can hear the gas.  All the rest of the burners work fine.  Too make this easy, you have a bad ignitor wiring harness.  This is the piece that goes around each burner valve and tells the spark modulator that you are in the light position on one of the burners.  These come as an assembly, so if one is bad you end up replacing them for all your burner valves.

Here is example problem number two.  When you try to turn on the front right left burner, all the other burners spark, except the front left.  Well, you have a bad spark modulator.  When it receives the signal from one of the burner valves that its time to light, it sends a spark to all the burners.  Each burner has its own wire that comes from the spark modulator.  Now you have one burner with no spark, some of these are wired together, so one wire will control the two left side burners and the other wire will control the two right side burners.  If that's the case then if part of the spark modulator went bad then you would loose spark to half your burners.  Got it?

OK, here is the last, but most common problem that you will have with your stove, I saved the best for last.  Here are the symptoms of problem number three.  You turn your burner to light, the burner you are trying to light has spark, but it won't light and you can light it with a match.  This one is going to be just a little difficult to explain, but I will try my best.  In the area of the burner where your see the spark, behind the little white piece there is a hole, this hole goes into the center of the burner.  This is where the gas initially lights to light the whole burner.  If that little hole gets plugged with grease and grim, the gas cannot get to the spark and light the fire.  Usually a needle of some sort is what you would use to clean the hole.  If you closely inspect this with a flashlight you will see what I'm talking about.  I have a thin piece of wire that I carry with me when I'm out doing service just for this reason.

There you have it, hopefully with what you've learned in this post today, you are able to troubleshoot your range and have all your burners back up and working like they are supposed too.  Please take a minute to leave a comment telling me how you made out with your stove.  If you watched the video on this post, hit the "LIKE" button on the video, that helps out alot.

Thanks Again and Good Luck with your Repair!

How Much Power Does a Refrigerator Use

Today's post is going to be on a question that I get asked almost on a daily basis.

How much Electricity or Energy does my refrigerator use?  


Well I'm going to try to help give you a general idea on that.

I tested a couple refrigerators I had at the shop today and this is what I found.  Most refrigerators that are over ten years old are running about 200 watts of electricity when the compressor and fans are running.
Most newer refrigerators within the last five years or so are running anywhere from about 125 - 140 watts of electricity.

Now the compressor and the fans are going to cycle on and off throughout the day.  On average the refrigerator will run roughly 50% of the time.  So using the numbers above, an older refrigerator is like leaving a 100 watt light on in your house 24 hours a day.  Newer refrigerators are like leave a 60 - 70 watt light on 24 hours a day.

Newer refrigerators are definitely more energy efficient that older ones.  Other factors that will affect these numbers are of course going to be the lights in the refrigerator.  They use power when you open the doors.  Another thing that will affect energy usage is the defrost cycles of the machines.  On newer refrigerators the defrost cycles are run only when they are needed instead of every 8 hours or so.  This will result in some energy savings over the course of a year.  Most defrost heaters will draw about 300 watts of power when they are on.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post today.  The video below shows me doing some tests on the refrigerators that I was talking about in this post.  If you could hit the "LIKE" button on the video, this helps me out.  If you have any questions about this or anything else for that matter, leave them in the comment section on this blog or in the comment section on the video.  Thanks again for taking the time and have a good day!

Refrigerator Not Cooling - What to Check

Today we are going to talk a little about Troubleshooting a Refrigerator that is not getting cold and a few things to check to get you going in the right direction in repairing the problem.

There are a couple things that need to happen for your refrigerator to get cold.  The compressor has to run, the evaporator fan has to move the air around the refrigerator to cool down the entire inside of your fridge and freezer.  There are a couple components on your refrigerator that are going to control when the compressor and the fan run.  One being the defrost timer, the other being the thermostat or also called the cold control.  I have made a couple videos explaining how to test each one of these parts and what they look like to help guide you along in your repair.  I am still going to try to explain a basic walk through of what I would do if I was at your house.

The first thing I would check to make sure the Refrigerator was getting the proper voltage.  If you open up the refrigerator and the light is on, we can move on.  If you don't have a light inside the refrigerator, test the outlet that the fridge is plugged into and make sure that there is voltage at the plug in the neighborhood of 120VAC.  Now that we have gone over that lets move on.


On a no cool refrigerator after I have determined that power is not an issue, the next thing I would do is open up the freezer door.  There are a couple things that we are going to look for.  First thing you are going to want to listen for is the fan inside the freezer.  If the fan is running, good, if not, we have to figure out why the fan is not running.  The two parts we talked about earlier are in control of the freezer fan.  


If your fan is not running, check the compressor.  It is the black round motor in the back of the refrigerator that pumps the freon through the sealed system.  Is the compressor running?  If the compressor is running and the fan is not running we need to check the evaporator fan first.  If the compressor is not running we need to check the defrost timer and the thermostat first.

First thing I'm going to go over is checking the evaporator fan.  Most fans inside your freezer are 120 VAC fans.  When the compressor is running the fan will also be receiving voltage at the same time.  You are going to need to access the evaporator fan for this test.  At this point you are going to want to unplug the refrigerator from the wall and remove the back panel of your freezer.  You are going to need to access the evaporator fan motor.  The first test is going to be seeing if the fan is good or bad.  With the refrigerator unplugged from the wall, remove the wires that are plugged into the fan and test the resistance across the two  terminals on the fan motor.  You should not read and open circuit. Normally you should read something like 100 to 125 ohms or so.  If you test the fan and have an open circuit, the fan is bad and will need replaced.  For the next test with the fan we are going to see if the fan motor is getting the correct voltage when the compressor is running.  From here you are going to place your meter on VAC so we can test the current going to to fan.  So plug the fridge back in and test the wires going to the fan motor.  Make sure you can hear the compressor running when you do this test.  If you hear the compressor running and the fan is not getting 120 volts, the defrost timer is bad.  If your refrigerator does not have a defrost timer but has an ADC board, then its bad.  The ADC board and the Defrost timer do basically the same thing.  One is mechanical the other works off a control board.

Moving on, now we are going to run some tests for a refrigerator that the compressor and the evaporator fan are not running.  You are going to want to first locate the defrost timer on your machine.  The first check is going to be to see if it's stuck in defrost.  The fridge will go into defrost about 3 times a day.  So for around 30 minutes the compressor and the fan are shut down and the heater is turned on in the freezer to clear the frost and ice off the coils behind the rear panel.  The refrigerator does this to make sure that the cold freezer air can easily circulate throughout the whole unit, keeping everything cold.  Now for the test, grab yourself a flat head screwdriver and find the dial on the defrost timer.  You want to turn the dial clockwise.  You will hear some clicking as the timer moves.  There are two distinct clicks, first one being the timer entering defrost mode and the second distinct click coming out of the defrost cycle.  If the compressor and fan come on when you turn the dial, great, now you know that you have a bad defrost timer.  Now if that didn't make the fan and compressor come on then we have to test the thermostat.  The thermostat will also shut down the fridge when it reaches the correct temperature.   However if its defective, then it will shut down the goodies when it's not supposed to.  How to test the thermostat is pretty simple.  Unplug the fridge from the wall, remove the two wires that plug into the thermostat.  With the thermostat set to the factory setting, the midway point or so,  test the resistance across the two terminals.  If the thermostat is bad, it will read an open circuit.  If the thermostat is reading a closed circuit, then the timer is bad and not letting any voltage reach either the fan or the compressor.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and watch some videos.  I hope that the information in here has helped you locate the problem with your refrigerator and you are able to fix it.  If you have any questions or need some more help, I try to answer all my comments on my posts, either with a new post or in the comments themselves, so leave a comment with any questions you have or let me know if this helped you out.  Make sure you thumbs up the videos and add them to your favorites, that helps me out alot.

Good Luck with your repair, I hope I was able to save you some money by you not having to call out a professional.


How to Clean a Smooth Top Stove - #1 Best Way

Today we are going to talk about cleaning your glass top stove.  Too many times I will run a service call on someones appliance, other than the stove, and notice how dirty or stained up their glass top range is.  Every single day I end up giving someone a cleaning lesson on how to keep their cooktop looking brand new for years to come.  Of all the stoves that I've cleaned for people, one thing I have found out is,  nobody does it like I do.  Not sure why.  It is actually a very simple process.

You want to think of the smooth top on your stove like the paint on your car.  You must clean and protect it from dirt, grease and grime.  Regular cleaning is an absolute must when you own one of these.  There is no way around it.  But, if you want it to look like garbage, then stop reading now.  If you are interested in keeping your cooktop looking like its brand new, read on my friend.

There are a couple of supplies that you are going to need to begin.  Number one being being cooktop cleaner. Whether it's generic or Cerama Bryte or whatever, you will need this.  Do not use anything else other than cooktop cleaner.  Stop using Windex, bleach water, soapy water or whatever home concoction you have been using.  By using these products you are making cleaning your glass top much harder than what it really needs to be.  Seriously.

The next most important cleaning supply you are going to need is a green scotch brite pad.  These are very cheap and readily available pretty much anywhere.  There is no reason to not have a box or two of these around.  These are very effective for cleaning off burnt grease and and water stain marks.  Don't even think about using your washcloth. It does not have the scrubbing power.  The glass top on your stove will be just fine.  You will not hurt it at all.

Number three is going to be a razor blade scraper.  You will need this if you have not kept up with your cooktop cleaning duties.  I can tell you right now that you will not be able to properly clean your stove without one of these.  So make sure you have one when you are ready to begin.  You would be surprised of how many people don't realize or are afraid to use a razor blade on their stove.  Now you know that it is OK, let's move on to the last thing you will need.

The last supply that you are going to want to have are some paper towels.  You will need precisely two full sheets.  Do not use the paper towels that feel like cloth.  They may work for other cleaning purposes, but not for this.  Just trust me on this, they suck for this job.  Cheap paper towels work the best.  This is based off me cleaning hundreds of stove tops for people as a courtesy.

Now that you know what you need, let me tell you how to accomplish this mission.  Make sure that you are not cleaning your stove when the top is still hot from cooking.  Let it cool before you begin.

Step one is going to be applying the cooktop cleaner.  You want to use a generous amount to make sure that you can rub on a thick coat of this stuff.  Step two is going to be to use your green scotch brite pad to rub and scrub as much grease and grim off the cooktop as you can.  While the cleaner is spread around this is where you want to razor blade the areas that will not scrub off.  Once you have gotten off all the grease and grim that you can, its time to buff it clean.  Use a paper towel or clean rag to wipe off most of the excess cleaner.  You want to leave a thin coat still on the top.  This thin coat will haze over.  After it hazes over, go ahead and use a clean part of your rag or a new paper towel to finish buffing the top to a shine.

This method will work every time.  This should be the only way that you clean the top of your stove.  I am without a doubt sure that if you clean it like this regularly, your top will look brand new the entire time you own your glasstop stove.

Make sure you watch the video on this page.  This is me giving a demonstration on what this article is about. Give the video a thumbs up on YouTube.  Leave some comments if you have any questions or just want to say something.  I do my best to respond to every comment left on my YouTube channel.  Thanks for taking the time to read and watch this.  Good Luck with your new cooktop or your dirty cooktop that is going to look its best in years.
To read more on Caring for you Stove follow this link.

Washer Overflowing / Overfilling How to Fix

So the problem is you loaded up your washer, turned the dial to start, then you flooded your laundry room.  That is never a good day.  Lets talk a little about what happened and how to troubleshoot this problem to find out what malfunctioned on your washer to let this happen.

There are a couple things that control the water coming into your washer.  The first thing is going to be the water inlet valve.  Basically how this works is you set the washer to fill with either hot, warm or cold water.  When you turn the timer on, the temperature selector switch is going to tell which valve to open and let the water in.  The timer only says it needs water, the temperature selector switch controls which valve lets it in.  Basically the water valve is going to get 120 VAC, the solenoid will open and water will flow.


Normally when a water valve goes bad it will not let water in at all when it receives the voltage from the temp switch.  However, it is possible that the valve has stuck open and is not able to close when the voltage is removed.  You will know if the valve is stuck open because the only way you will get the water to stop going into the washer is to shut the water supply off to the washer.  So to make this clear, you will be able to unplug the washer from the wall and water will continue to flow into the machine if the water supply is turned on.  Got it?


Now, if you push the timer knob in and the water stops flowing into the washer you have a different problem than what we just went over.  This check is going to bring your attention to the pressure switch and the pressure switch hose.  The pressure switch is going to be whats attached to the load size knob.  How this works is, as the washer fills with water, air gets trapped inside the pressure switch hose.  As the water level rises the pressure inside the hose becomes greater.  So if you set the washer to a small load, it only takes a little pressure inside the hose to tell the pressure switch to cut the water off and tell the timer to agitate.  If you set the load size for a large load, it will take a lot more pressure for the pressure switch to cut the water and tell the timer to move on.  The pressure switch hose is attached to the bottom of the wash tub and runs up and connects to the pressure switch.  


Let's say you overloaded your washer and it was banging around and you didn't catch it right away.  You hear the machine going nuts, run down fix the load so its balanced and bounce.  The washer still has to go through a rinse cycle or two.  Because your machine was off balance and shoot violently, it could have ripped off the pressure switch hose that's attached to the bottom of the tub.  Now air cannot be trapped inside the tube and your pressure switch is not going to have any idea how much water is in there.


Sometimes the a hole can develop in the hose from rubbing on the frame somewhere over years of use.  If that happens that will leave out the pressure and you'll overflow your washer.  If you have a problem with the switch or hose, the water will shut off to the washer simply by pressing in on the timer knob.


Please make sure you watch the video on this page.  This is me explaining what I've gone over here in this article.  Plus you get to see how to troubleshoot each part on your washer so you'll be able to tell if the hose is bad, or if the valve is bad and how to diagnose each part the controls the flow of water in your washer.


The last thing you want to have is a washer that overflows, but if you did and that's what brought you hear, I hope I was able to help you solve your problem and point you in the right direction getting you washer back up and running like it should be.


Be sure to give the video a "Thumbs UP"  hit the "LIKE" button.  Leave some comments either on this post or on the videos main page.  I will do my best to answer your questions.  Thanks for taking the time to read this and good luck with your Appliance Repair!

Kenmore / Whirlpool Washer Not Spinning

Kenmore / Whirlpool Washer Not Spinning


Today's post is going to be about Kenmore and Whirlpool Washers.  These washers are probably one of the most popular and well built machines on the market today.  So much so that if you were to buy a Maytag washer at the time of this post, it's actually a Whirlpool built washer.  They haven't changed the way they are made in almost 15 years.  That should tell you something right there.  So let's move on.

When your Direct Drive washer is not spinning, there are a couple things that you are going to want to check.  First thing being the Lid Switch.  Basically when you have a problem with the lid switch, the washer will fill up, then stop.  It will not Wash, Agitate or Spin.

The next check is going to be the Motor Coupler.  This is the plastic gear like piece that connects the motor to the transmission.  When this part breaks, your washer will sound like its trying to spin, but won't actually be spinning.  Most of the time a quick peek up under the machine will help you determine whether that is bad or not.

So lets say the switch and the coupler are fine.  This is the main reason for this post here.  I haven't really found any good videos on how to check the clutch on a Kenmore or Whirlpool Washer.  So, I decided to make one.  This troubleshooting tip is specifically for a washer that sounds like its spinning, but it's not.  Changing the clutch on your washer is not going to be that hard of a job.  All you need to do is pay close attention to the video and you will be just fine.  

I always tell people when I'm out doing service, this is one machine that if it does break, get it fixed.  Do not get rid of it.  The parts for these washer are readily available and relatively easy for the average homeowner to repair.  All you guys need is some help with troubleshooting so your replacing the right parts.

Make sure you follow my Blog here and also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, ApplianceOutlet.  Leave some comments on the video, and make sure to add it to your favorites.  Thanks for taking the time to read this and check out the video.  I check my comments almost daily, so feel free to ask for some help or request  a video for me to do.  I have access to tons of appliances, so it's likely I can show you what you need to see to tell you what you need to know to help out.  Again, Thanks!


Dryer Not Drying or Taking Too Long To Dry

Dryer Tips and Troubleshooting - Cleaning your Dryer

Today I want to help you troubleshoot your dryer that is taking too long to dry your clothes.

When a dryer is taking too long to dry, people usually think that their dryer is about to go, or the heating element is wore out.  Most of the time this indicates an airflow issue.  Airflow issues with dryers can also cause the safety thermostat to trip or the thermal fuse to blow.  Usually when one of these two parts go out, it's caused by one of the three things that i'm going over today.
Dryer Lint Filter
The first thing I want to cover is your lint filter.  It is very important that you clean your dryer's lint filter before each load of clothes you dry. You would be surprised how many people don't do this.  The lint filter is where the hot damp air needs to pass through before it leaves your dryer.  If the lint filter is blocked up, air can't pass through it and your clothes aren't going to dry very well.

The second thing I want to cover is your dryer vent hoses.  I would recommend having them cleaned at least once a year.  Over time the inside of the hose will build up with lint. This lint build up will cause the air inside the venting to slow down causing poor dry times.  If the dryer venting is longer than 10 feet, you might want to clean them out every six months or so. Depending on how and where your venting is run, that's going to determine how you need to clean them out.  One thing you need check regularly, maybe every month or so is where the venting leaves the house.  You want to make sure the flap on the outside of your house is able to completely open up when the dryer is turned on.  Plus, make sure an animal didn't build a nest in there.

The last thing I want to cover is the dryer itself.  This is just as important as the first two that i've covered.  If you want to keep your dryer running effieciently you have to clean the inside of your dryer too. I'm not talking about where you put the clothes, but inside where you can't see.  The dryer isn't exactly air tight, so if you have some sort of venting issue, lint will accumulate inside the dryer and cause other problems, including dryer fires. Over time the lint will accumulate inside the bottom of your dryer and basically cover all the components with a thick layer of lint. This can cause the motor to overheat and eventually stop working. Lint can also build up on the pulleys and rollers causing them to not spin freely and you could be replacing dryer belts more frequently then you need too.

Lately my wife has been telling me that our dryer is taking forever to dry our clothes.  So I'm going to take this opportunity to show you guys how to clean the inside of your dryer.  I have an Electric Kenmore dryer, so this will apply to most all Kenmore, Whirlpool and Roper Dryers. This Video below is basically me reading this page and showing you what you need to do and check.  Remember to use common sense when attempting to do your own repairs.



If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them on this article or on the video itself.  Thanks for taking the time to read this and watch the video, I hope this helps you out with your appliance repair!