Successfully changed the simmerstats. Found best to take one out and take it to electrical supplies shop and make sure we picked up the correct part. Then just a matter to making sure it was reconnected in the same way as the original. Cost was about $35 per simmerstat.
mazalinas,
Jul 20, 9:39pm
Yay glad it worked out. I was going to suggest buying a new stove as the labour cost to repair things nowadays can be astronomical and maybe cheaper to just buy another.
lythande1,
Jul 21, 8:20am
What? A new oven because of a simmerstat?! People have lost the skills to do minor fixes like this now. Even with a tradesman, it's way less than a new oven.
sla11,
Jul 21, 10:33am
We used to pay around the $24 mark for Simmerstats - not a lot to them . Price rise probably due to popularity of sales, as many ovens blow them on a regular basis! Progress I guess!
gennie,
Apr 26, 10:09pm
This is for an older style stove/oven (the free standing white type, Westinghouse). Not sure of it's age but it isn't ancient. One of the bigger elements on top is only doing off and full on with a red glow - can't get it part way with the heat. Questions are how much of an easy fix is this, who fixes it (do you get an electrician or a specialist appliance repair person), and what sort of $ range would a repair cost (ie is it worth while getting repaired or bit bullet and look at a new stove though would rather get repaired if possible).
captaingraham,
Apr 26, 10:41pm
It needs a new simmerstat, I think that may cost about $50 + labour,etc. I have not bought one for years, that price is a guess/estimate. Electrician or serviceman to do the job. They should carry spares in their vehicle.
tmenz,
Apr 26, 10:43pm
It's almost certainly a faulty simmerstat - the control bit behind the panel that the heat control knob operates - a common problem - sometimes caused by a faulty element, but they often fail all by themselves! Cost of the simmerstat is around $20-$30 but the cost of having a licensed repairman to replace it will be more significant. An electrician or an appliance service technician can do it if you can't DIY. They should also check the element as a matter of course, for holes or other damage.
gennie,
Apr 27, 9:52am
Thanks for those messages. If we were to DIY (my brother is quite competent at doing basic electrical permitted DIY stuff so I can bail him up next time he is around), where would we buy a simmerstat from?
jan2242,
Apr 27, 9:57am
Appliance stores that sell that brand should be able to supply or order in for you.
trade4us2,
Apr 27, 10:29am
At last I have had a simmerstat fail, so now I know why. The simmerstats fail because of faulty manufacture. They have a coil of very fine nichrome wire that is supposed to be covered by a compound to stop it rusting. If the coil is not properly covered, the wire rusts and breaks. Then the element never switches off. The wire is really too fine to replace, and almost impossible to join.
There is a shop in Penrose that has a suitable simmerstat for about $30. There are cheap ones on Trademe. However putting the simmerstat in is probably beyond the average person. The terminals on the new simmerstat are almost certainly a different layout from the old one.
fast4motion,
Apr 27, 10:55am
Electrical wholesalers (Cory's, Ideal, etc) stock them, and they're very simple for someone technically minded to replace. They're not specific to Westinghouse brand either. If your brother hasn't replaced one before, it's easiest to take pics of the wiring to it first, then remove it and take it with you when buying another one. You could just copy the wiring on the other simmerstats when refitting, but they often have extra wires looped off some terminals, which is why it's best to take pics first, and work off those.
ETA: Make sure power is off first. And check it is off, don't just rely on the switch or breaker/fuse being correctly labelled.
andrew1954,
Apr 27, 12:05pm
One other way simerstats are damaged is by the user turning the element off by turning the knob clockwise past Full to turn it off. there is a little stop inside the simerstat to stop this happening, but it is a little flimsey and easily broken. The simerstat is designed to be turned off by turning the knob back anticlockwise from full back through low to off.
lythande1,
Apr 27, 12:40pm
Easy. simmersats are about $20 (depending whether a dual or single). Take back of oven off, pull the old one, replace with new one.
tmenz,
Apr 27, 1:19pm
Search on Trademe for one - plenty on here but it's a matter of identifying a suitable type - you really need to get the old one out and examine it for numbers etc. before searching for a replacement.
bluefrog2,
Apr 27, 2:00pm
It's definitely fixable. Happened with my fisher an paykel stove too. In fact, I think another element has just gone bung, and I'm waiting for level 2 before calling a service technician. The part is not expensive, but I think the service charge was about $70 per visit last time.
nesta129,
Apr 28, 10:46am
Just a question on this though. does a qualified electrician need to do this and issue like a electrical code of compliance for the work? I was told a decade ago,this kind of work would need an electrician in case a DIYer mucked up then there's a fire. and insurance would most likely not pay up.
budgel,
Apr 28, 11:27am
I dont know the legality, but a competent DIY person should be able to do it. I have. Take a pic of how the old one is connected before removal. This is a generic video of how to do it, details may differ, but the principle will be the same: https://youtu.be/MCbVZfMCcT8
You as the home owner can fix it yourself. Otherwise an appliance tech/sparky can fix and supply the paper work. All good.
nesta129,
Apr 28, 5:16pm
thanks for the replies.Saves a lot fixing it yourself then.I got the same problem and need two or three elements sorted.
trade4us2,
Oct 12, 10:17pm
My previous stove had 3 failed top elements and a failed oven element. I sold it for $23 on Trademe, and bought a lovely fan oven with ceramic top for $27.
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