[diracdelta]

My GE gas oven (Model JGBP28EEK3BB) will not maintain its temperature, half the time it will not even achieve the appropriate temperature. The variance is typically on the order of 50-100 degrees cool. It doesn't matter if I try to raise the temperature to get it to increase its temp again, it will just state that it is already at appropriate temperature. What is the likely cause of this? Is it a faulty thermocouple, sensor, control board?
Help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Josh

[applianceman]

Since the oven is actually heating to some extent I would say it is the sensor or the electronic control. The senor should be 1000-1100 ohms at room temperature. If the sensor is out of range replace the sensor. If the sensor checks good at room temperature replace the control. Hope this helps! Range Repair Guide

[diracdelta]

The thermocouple registers at 1090 ohms, so I replaced the electronic control board. Unluckily the oven still will not maintain temperature. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Josh

[applianceman]

Typically if the sensor checks out ok at room temperature it is ok. It is possible that it is inaccurate at higher temperatures but unlikely. What types of thermometer are you using to check the temperature inside the oven? Have you tried another one to eliminate the chance of that thermometer being inaccurate? I mean is the burner working I wouldn’t think anything was wrong with that because you are saying the oven is pre-heating and it continues to heat although it is at a lower temperature is this correct?

[diracdelta]

I have been using a meat thermometer (which I know is not the best choice due to its +/-30 variance, but I don't have an IR thermometer), but really it acts only as a guide as every time I've tried to bake anything recently it fails miserably because of the low temperature. So far as I can tell the burner is fine as it preheats appropriately, but the oven simply won't maintain the temperature. I will sometimes try raising the temperature by 10 or 20 degrees to get the oven to heat further, but the oven registers as already being heated to that temperature when I do so. Is there a chart that details what the resistance of the thermometer should be at higher temperatures? I may be able to check through the rear leads with the oven heated and then quickly powered down. Thank you for your continued help, by the way.

[applianceman]

I don’t know of such a chart if there is one. The only information GE has ever given me is how to check it at room temperature.

What I think you should do is take the bottom out of the oven so that you can see the flame. Then turn the oven on to the temperature that you usually cook on. If possible place the thermometer so that you can read it with out opening the door. Watch it to determine what the temperature inside the oven is when the flame goes out. Then wait for it to come back on and note the temperature when it comes back on. Note that the thermometer should be placed close to the center of the oven. Also note that I wouldn’t necessary say anything was wrong if the temperature is less than 30 degrees off given the accurately of your thermometer and the variance of the range itself. Post the results of this test.

[denman]

I normally do not mess with gas but can help with your sensor specs.

Here is a good link
http://www.applianceaid.com/gas.html

Check out #22, at the bottom of that page is "Checking temp sensor" info.

[diracdelta]

I've tried a couple trials and set the range to 350, it then fell to about 275 before reigniting, back up to 350, down to 275 and back up to only 300. Not sure what this means, but a 75 degree drop before even trying to heat back up seems pretty excessive.

[applianceman]

Since it does cut off at the right temperature I would think the sensor is ok.

Sometime earlier this year I had a customer the saying that the oven wouldn’t hold temperature just like you, on a gas range. So I when out prepared to check temperature inside the oven just as I described for you to do. When I turned on the oven it took forever for the flame to ignite due to an igniter bad. Now typically if an igniter is bad it won’t ignite at all.

Sometimes a dirty burner will cause this same problem.

Your range is getting up to temperature but it is taking a long time to cycle again, which may be due to the flame taking a long time to light.

Check to see if the burner is dirty. The only way to check an igniter is with an amp-meter.

If you have an amp-meter check the amperage that the igniter is drawing. If your igniter is round, the amp meter should read 2.5 to 3.0. If you have a flat igniter then the amp meter should read 3.4 to 3.6. If the amps are not in this range, the gas valve will not open to release gas to the igniter. In the oven I was talking about above the igniter was just out of range and would eventually ignite the flame it would just take forever. I hope this helps!


Gas Oven Repair Guide