How to Replace A Burner Switch On An Electric Range

If you’re frequently making use of your electric range in the kitchen, the chances are that it might stop functioning every once in a while. This can be disrupting your entire schedule and have you sustain on takeout instead for a whole week. But you don’t have to do that – fixing a faulty burner switch on your electric range is actually easier than you might have previously anticipated.

You don’t have to wait around for the repairman any longer – save up on your finances and put on your DIY hat to get your electric range to full functioning capacity once again. All you need is the right equipment and plenty of patience for the procedure on how to replace a burner switch on an electric range.

Precautionary Measures

Since you’re going to be working with sources of electricity here, make sure to unplug everything first so as to avoid a short circuit or a fire hazard. It is very easy to forget that there are active sources of power around, and it is best to be safe than sorry. Wear rubber gloves throughout the entire procedure if you want to be extra careful.

Another thing you will want to do before beginning with the procedure is distancing your stove from the wall or any other surface near it. You’ll require plenty of room to replace your burner switch on your electric range, and you don’t want to be working in a tight nook.

What Do You Need to Replace A Burner Switch on an Electric Range?

Thankfully, you can find most of these pieces of equipment lying around your house, so you won’t have to take that trip to the hardware store anytime soon. The only thing you will need to purchase is the functional burner switch that you’re going to replace your faulty one with.

• New burner switch
• A pair of pliers
• Rubber/work gloves
• A flathead screwdriver

These are the fundamentals of what you will need for your range switch replacement procedure. Be careful to pay special attention to the types of screwdrivers, as it is extremely important. If you wish, you can also bring in an old towel to place in front of the stove to prevent any scratching to the floor itself.

How to Replace a Burner Switch on an Electric Range?

Now for the part that you’ve been waiting for: how do you actually go about replacing the burner switch? Follow these steps exactly to get the desired results.

Step 1: The first thing you will need to do, as we mentioned before, is pull out any connected sources of power around you and drag your electric range away from any nearby surfaces, so you have greater ease of access while working.

Step 2: Next, you will need to dislodge the backplate of your control panel. It must be held together by several screws in place, which you will need to unscrew with your Philips head screwdriver. You will need to be careful here, as this backplate can be heavy – so unmount it as gently as possible and set it down. The unmounted screws should also be kept safely, as they need to be re-screwed back in after the procedure is done.

Step 3: At this point, you will have to remove the control knob of the burner switch that is faulty. Once you do this, you will observe two mounting screws that hold the switch in place. You will have to unscrew these and set them aside as well.

Step 4: If you’ve done the above steps correctly, the switch that you just unscrewed will now be loose and ready to be removed. The only thing holding it in place now is the set of wires that are attached to it through a wire connector.

Step 5: This step is extremely important – you have to remember the positioning of the wire connectors in reference to the burner switch. You can quickly take a picture of the same if you feel that you’re going to forget. This is crucial since you will have to reattach the connectors to the switch in the same way.

Step 6: Use the flat head screwdriver to pry open the wire connector from where it is attached to the burner switch.

Step 7: Your faulty burner switch is no longer needed, so you can dispose of it immediately.

Step 8: The new burner switch is now ready to be installed – almost. You have to check if your switch stem is the same length as your old burner switch’s. If not, then you will have to shorten it.

Step 9: To shorten the switch stem, you will first have to remove the tensioner that is holding the stem sturdy, with the help of the screwdriver. Then, take your pair of pliers and cut the stem to the desired length. The tensioner can now be reinstalled into the stem, and your new burner switch is optimized to be installed into your electric range!

Step 10: Retrace your steps: the wire connectors now have to be connected to the correct terminals in the new burner switch.

Step 11: After this is done, attach the connector to the control panel of the burner switch. Screw in the mounting screws that you’d kept aside previously.

Step 12: Take your control knob and fit it into the stem of the burner switch that is sticking out of the control panel.

Step 13: Finally, all you have left to do is to attach your control panel backplate to the back of your electric range. First, align the top half and then the bottom half so that the process becomes easier for you.

Step 14: Mount the screws back in that you had removed previously.

Step 15: All you have left to do is to plug in the power once again, and you will now have replaced your burner switch efficiently and all on your own!

Conclusion

One last thing: attempt to check if the new burner switches are fully functioning and are not stuck in one setting. If it still doesn’t work, the problem might be a bit more complex than expected, and you’ll have to contact your repairperson anyway. But in case it does work, congratulations! You have now successfully fixed your burner switch in only a few easy steps and for completely free. Enjoy making full use of your electric range once again.