DIY work on electric stovetop

[msbutterbean]

My glass-top electric stove has been giving me headaches, not sure yet if it's something switch related or a problem with the burner. I'm tempted -- after some successful fixes of my washing machine with the help of youtube -- to try my hand at troubleshooting and repair. But this looks harder, more complicated, and more time consuming, not to mention more dangerous if I screw it up. Any advice?

[HipGnosis]

It's hard to give an answer w/o knowing what your problem is.  Brand, model and age of stove would help too...

[Lulee]

I like the site https://www.partselect.com/ not just for their parts but they offer lots of info and diagrams to help you fix whatever your issue is.

[jpdx]

It's hard to give an answer w/o knowing what your problem is.  Brand, model and age of stove would help too...

Yeah, this is a bit like asking "should I fix my car or not?" without saying what's wrong with it or the type of car. :)

[cofc]

What's wrong with the stove?

Is the burner temp not corresponding to the setting of the knob? If so it's probably the infinite switch, and is very easy to replace. 6-8 screws and a moving wires from one switch to another.

[Dancin'Dog]

YouTube is great for showing you how to fix all kinds of things.  You'll need the brand, model, and serial number.  Even if you can't find a video of your exact model you can probably find one that's close.  Watch a few different videos if you find more than one.

[BudgetSlasher]

I agree with the above posts, more information is needed. The first question is what is the actual problem; does a burner not get hot or dose turning a burner of cause a loud noise, bright flash of light under the glass, and the breaker to trip (like the burner my parents no longer use)?

Age of the appliance, make, and model might be helpful to some people.

Also if you have already opened it, many appliance have a piece of paper with a wiring diagram on it; I have found them close to wear the power cord attaches to deep within the guts of the system. 

[Linea_Norway]

My DH has replaced our glass plate electrical stove top, as well as the electric oven. As the old ones were plugged together for the electricity and the newer ones are seperate, he also installed a new plug and an extra electricity outlet, reusing a plug of the old top. DH is a very technical and careful person. This was at our cabin, not our home. He installed new, second hand utensils, so it wasn't all that critical if he would mess up.

So I would recommend, replace the top with another second hand one.

[nereo]

yeah.. more info is needed.

In general stoves are very straightforward to fix, but whether it is worth it to fix depends on what the problem is.
in general, Heating elements (burners) can be swapped out quickly and cheaply.  Most manufacturers use wiring harnesses so its tool-less (or nearly so - you might need a screwdriver to access). Baking elements for an oven are similarily cheap and easy to swap out. The electronic control head (the part that has the clock but also controls oven functions) can cost more than a newish range on CraigsList.

[trollwithamustache]

1. well, as always with electrical, how confident are you in your ability to turn off the power/isolate the stove from any electricity?

2. Higher energy electrical connections need to be made correctly. So don't just watch a you tube on how to fix your stove. Also watch videos just on how to make any electrical connections you have to break/make.

[msbutterbean]

Thanks, all, for the replies. Apologies for the lack of specifics in the original note and taking so long to reply. I guess when I first asked the question, it was more a "what's your rule of thumb when attempting repairs yourself vs. calling a professional," especially when there's a possibility of burning down your house.

As for the details, it's a Frigidare Gallery Series glass-top freestanding electric range, not entirely sure on age (I'd estimate about 10 years old.) There are two burner problems. One doesn't work at all, and one has lost variable control (so it's either off or on high). I haven't opened it up yet but have researched on YouTube and found and watched the videos I'd be trying to follow. First to troubleshoot to determine if it's a switch problem or a burner problem, then to fix both types of issues. My initial instinct is it will be time consuming and more complicated than anything I've attempted. I don't come from a DIY background but am trying to develop more of these skills.

[lthenderson]

I guess when I first asked the question, it was more a "what's your rule of thumb when attempting repairs yourself vs. calling a professional," especially when there's a possibility of burning down your house.

When questioning whether or not to attempt a repair by myself, I always think about several things?

1. Can I live without the item if I break it to the point it doesn't work or I can't get it back together again?
2. Do I have the right tools to fix it? I.e. does it require soldering in new electronics or is it just bolting the new part in.
3. Do I have the time to attempt it?

I've fixed things that I have thought were unrepairable when starting on them but just wanted to see how they worked. On the flip side, I've attempted what I thought would be easy fixes only to never figure things out or broke it even further to the point where I couldn't use it at all. The one good thing about both situations is that I gain knowledge for the next time.

[Linea_Norway]

My initial instinct is it will be time consuming and more complicated than anything I've attempted. I don't come from a DIY background but am trying to develop more of these skills.

Good. And if it doesn't work out, you can find another 10 year old stove top for very cheap on GL or similar.