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Brand: GE
Model Number:PT916SM1SS
Main Symptom: Broil element on in bake mode
What happens & when: Oven does not reach temp because broil element is heating thermocouple
Error Code (if any):None
Parts or tests already tried:Replaced Control Board and Thermocouple
Photos / video link:
For GE PT916SM1SS, some broil-element operation during preheat/bake is normal—GE specifically says the broil element can cycle during Bake.
But if the broil stays energized continuously and heats the temperature sensor/thermocouple area enough that the oven never reaches set temperature, that is not normal.
Since you’ve already replaced the control board and temperature sensor, I’d troubleshoot the high-voltage circuit next:
Given that both the board and sensor have already been changed, my leading suspicion is incorrect/misplaced wiring at the control or a harness fault, particularly if the problem existed before and after the board replacement.
A very useful next measurement is: during Bake after preheat has been running several minutes, measure VAC across the Bake element and across the Broil element. Send me those two readings and I can narrow it down quickly.
Do you have a wiring diagram you can send me?
When I replaced the control board I wrote down and photographed the wiring before disconnecting and verified after replacement.
PT916SM3SS 31-14829-1-Mini-Manual-10379.pdf (411.6 KB)
So I need to remove the oven, access the back to get these readings?
Yes that is the only way to access the components
Got to it today. Ohm readings on broil and bake elements are within 1 ohm of specs.
Reading from elements to ground over 9 Meg ohm.
Set bake temp to 350. Broil and bake were both on constantly until board signaled at temp, then both shut off. Actual oven temperature was 275 on my thermometer. Watched it until it called for heat. Bake element came on, broil didn’t. But I didn’t get to watch it long as I bumped the clear button and it shut off. Oven actual temperature was showing about 330 when the bake element turned on again
Those readings make the elements themselves look good, and this new temperature information points us in a better direction.
A couple things stand out:
Put your thermometer near the center of the oven and set Bake 350°F.
Don’t judge it when the preheat tone sounds. Let it run at least another 20–30 minutes and record the temperature each time the elements cycle ON and OFF.
For example:
Average several high and low readings. Ideally, the average should be reasonably close to 350°F.
The fact that you saw the bake element come back on when your thermometer was around 330°F is actually encouraging. That suggests the control is responding to falling oven temperature. The earlier 275°F reading at the preheat signal may be partly the difference between GE’s calculated preheat point and the actual stabilized cavity temperature.
Because you previously had the unusual condition where the broil element was heating during bake, watch the oven through several complete cycles.
After the initial preheat, don’t expect bake and broil to necessarily come on together. What we’re looking for now is whether the oven eventually establishes a normal cycling range around 350°F.
If after 30–40 minutes you’re seeing something like 275–325°F and it never averages near 350°F, then we still have a genuine temperature-control problem. At that point I’d meter the temperature sensor circuit from the control-board connector, rather than at the sensor itself. That checks the sensor plus its wiring/connectors and can uncover resistance in the harness that a direct sensor test misses.
Based on what you’ve found today, I would not replace either heating element. The next useful piece of information is the high/low temperatures over 3–4 complete heating cycles.
Does the convection fan in bake mode only run during the preheat portion?
Watching it now.
Tempted to add indicator lights to the right of the display for each element to show if on/off
The “broil” portion is illuminated on the display, even though it appears the broil element isn’t turning on
Yes — what you’re seeing can be normal on the PT916SM1SS, and there’s an important distinction between what the display shows and which element is actually energized.
On regular Bake, the convection fan is not necessarily intended to run continuously. GE can use the fan during portions of preheat to improve heat distribution and shorten preheat, then shut it off once preheat is complete.
If you select an actual Convection Bake mode, that’s different—the fan should operate according to that mode’s cycling strategy.
So the fan stopping after regular Bake reaches preheat isn’t by itself evidence of a fan problem.
I would not assume that illuminated BROIL means the broil element is receiving 240 VAC.
The display can indicate what the control is commanding/using as part of the cooking algorithm without giving you a literal element-power indicator. Your observation is more valuable:
That could be completely normal cycling.
I like the diagnostic concept, but don’t connect ordinary 120-V indicator lamps to the element circuits. Each element is a 240-V load, and depending on the control arrangement, one side may remain live even when the element isn’t heating.
If you do this as a temporary diagnostic setup, use appropriately rated 240-V AC indicators connected across the two terminals of each element:
Bake indicator: across BAKE L1 ↔ BAKE L2
Broil indicator: across BROIL L1 ↔ BROIL L2
Then:
Light ON = approximately 240 VAC across element = element heating
Light OFF = no 240 VAC across element = element not heating
That would let you sit in front of the oven and record exactly what the board is doing without repeatedly probing a live 240-V circuit.
Live Power Warning: This involves exposed 240-V circuitry. Any permanent indicators would need proper insulation, enclosure, wire temperature rating, strain relief, and appropriate voltage rating. For diagnosis, I’d actually favor your multimeter over modifying the oven.
For the test you’re doing right now, keep recording actual temperature + Bake element state + Broil element state. Three or four complete cycles after the oven has stabilized at 350°F will tell us much more than the preheat behavior.
And that BROIL display being illuminated while the physical broil element isn’t energized would not, by itself, convince me there’s a failure.
I can get some 1/2" 240vac indicators, mount them in that blank stainless steel are on the right. Tap them into the wiring, with a mini fuse between. It would be different, but helpful and satisfy my inner geek.
So far it seems to be cycling between 355 and 345 with the setpoint at 350.
I did add +5 in the special functions
ok should be helpful
Not sure why but the keypad was nonresponsive last night. It didn’t show locked, but nothing worked. Turned power off for 10 seconds and then back on and it was okay. Weird.
Yeah sometimes you get those weird glitches. Just keep an eye on it and let me know if it keeps happening