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Kitchenaid downdraft electric range- model KSEG950ESS

Tanya Amarasinghe

last month

last modified: last month

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a KitchenAid downdraft range (KSEG950ESS). I had no issues using the stovetop, but when I tried to use the oven today and set it to preheat, my trip switch kept going off every time I turned it on.

Thinking it might be an electrical wiring issue, we called an electrician. However, upon inspection, the electrician found nothing wrong with the wiring he had installed during our recent kitchen remodeling. Upon unscrewing the back paneling of the oven, he discovered that one of the orange wires was detached, and there was a black burn hole near the wiring (please see pictures). After reconnecting the orange wire, the oven started working again. However, when we tried to use it later, during preheat, the broil element produced heat, and the trip switch went off again when switching to bake.

Could someone please help us understand what is happening here? Particularly, can someone explain the burn hole area near the wires, as it appears that something is stuck in it? Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Featured Answer

kaseki

last month

Here is a wild guess from a possibly great distance.

The two terminals appear to be the 240 Vac connections at the back end of either broil heater coil part "6" or bake heater coil part "7." The other orange wire must have fallen off its terminal and contacted the (presumably) grounded chassis, shorting mains power to ground, triggering the circuit breaker, and fusing part of the lug into the frame. (Given the recent purchase, this is in my opinion a factory defect.)

As to why the breaker is still tripping, one would have to measure resistance of each coil's terminals (with power off, of course) to the frame to ensure that there is no other short involved. This would be done with the connections removed. Then the connections themselves with the power disconnected would have to be tested vs. "bake" oven control position.

Or you could demand the oven be replaced.

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Comments (9)

Tanya Amarasinghe
Original Author
last month
Thanks so much for answering. It seems valid. We purchased this about three months ago from best buy and return window (60 days) has unfortunately passed. One year warranty is still available. Has any one gone through something similar and able to replaced the unit by calling the manufacturer? Thanks
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kaseki
last month
Generally, manufacturers will want the customer to use a manufacturer-approved repair company, who should visit and, finding a problem, either fix it under warranty or inform the manufacturer that it can't be fixed. Abject cynicism suggests that reality may intrude into this process thereby dragging it out, starting with successfully contacting the manufacturer.
dadoes
last month
There should be wires on both of the terminals in your 2nd photo. The element (presumably the bake element, being at the bottom of the oven cavity) won't energize with only one wire on it.
dan1888
last month
last modified: last month
^^^ What he said. You should find a loose wire, likely Black, with the same terminal end we see on the Red wire.
kaseki
last month
I had assumed that the photo was taken in the midst of evaluating the problem. If the wire was off without the OP realizing that it needed to be connected there, then the circuit breaker issue may be that the loose wire is still contacting the frame somewhere and causing a short.
Tanya Amarasinghe
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
Thanks for responding. Yes, we connected the disconnected wire, and it worked during preheat, but then the circuit breaker went off. We're not sure if we need to switch these wires with each other for it to work properly. We've contacted both Best Buy and KitchenAid technical assistance, and they will be here in a couple of days.
dadoes
last month
Post a pic of the power cord/terminals to confirm the cord is connected properly.
kaseki
last month
Do you have a volt-ohmmeter and know how to safely use it? If so, measure voltage across the two terminals (hooked up) and between each terminal and the frame.

With the terminals disconnected and power off, measure resistance between each terminal and the frame. Perhaps internally to the heater "element" there is a short between the internal coil and the element exterior tube and hence to ground via screw "8." Also, dadoes suggestion is important.

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