Friday, October 12, 2018

Polly's Adventure in Replacing GE Large Gas Oven Igniter

It's not often that your home appliances begin to wear out "one after the other".   Like an avalanche, you try to dig yourself out of the situation.  It's happening in my kitchen.   A couple of months ago was my Kitchen gas oven.  
Last year was my refrigerator's motherboard.  I did not know that my refrigerator is equipped with a $340 motherboard.  Then, the broken Garage door motor chain spoke.  So, I assume the responsibility of a home ownership in making sure that they are in tip top shape.  I have replaced a couple of electric circuit breakers at the box.  About four light switches, too.  And here is my adventure in gas oven igniter replacement.  After 18 years, my gas oven would not fire up.   It took many research on YouTube but most of the YouTube demo were 'after the fact' video recording.  Can't exactly find the details on how they removed their igniter as every model seems to be configured slightly different.  No details on how they replaced the wire plugs on the new Igniter to match the old ones.  And how they removed the angled igniter to the main internal gas oven pipe.  If it was not in the angled position, I could just screw it off without removing the internal gas oven pipe.  But in my case, I have to remove it in order to remove the bad igniter and install the new ones. I had to figure out a few things on my own.  Some experts on YouTube suggest to remove the lower back panel in order to get to it, etc.
Symptoms of my Gas oven: you hear the the gas releasing, but you don’t hear the flame ignition/combustion.  
My personal Diagnosis:  Igniter has gone bad. 
Solution: Find and purchase the correct Igniter replacement parts and Replace it.

Prep Work
Take photos of parts as you remove.
Remove all racks and object to make the oven lighter. 
1.  Pull out the oven away from the wall to expose gas line and electric plug.
2.   Unplug from electric outlet.
3.   Shut down gas valve.
           I had to spray WD-40 on gas valve in order to change to Shut Off position
Work:
Remove all parts and take photos as reference.
Locate the Igniter.
Understand which wire goes where.




Unplug
Take photos of all nuts and screws you removed from and keep them in a container.



The challenge was to find this white plug replacement.
I had to figure out how to remove the pipe with igniter.  And making sure how it was attached once removed.
Yeah!  I got it removed.
The replacement now should be fairly easy.  Except the connectors!!!   The new igniter came with bare metal.  I have to find a way to make it 'look' like the original with correct parts.
The salmon color crimped connector was easy.  Cut the wire and crimp a new one to replace it.  But the white plug!!!  I am not sure what you call it, but I searched for the parts high and low.  I thought I would just YANK it out... 
After Yanking it out, then, I realized, all I had actually needed to do was to push the pin out from the top.  Then, the butterfly pin wings would collapse and slide the pin out.  But I did not know that.  Too late.  Now I need to find out where to get this connector and the pin.
After a couple of weeks search at Fry's Electronics and online, finally, finally at DigiKey, I found it.  I don't know how many hours and days I spent at DigiKey and similar vendors to find the parts, but finally I decided to start a Chat with the DigiKey.  After some questions and answers with the DigiKey "Expert", he identified the parts!!  I was so thrilled and relieved.  They shipped the parts right away.
I highly recommend to chat with DigiKey expert.  https://www.digikey.com/?WT.srch=1&utm_adgroup=General&utm_source=gemini&utm_term=&utm_campaign=BR_Digi-Key_E&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=7Yu7kx3F_pcrid_%5Bcreative%5D_pkw__pmt__pdv__slid___pgrid_%5Badgroupid%5D_ptaid_%5Btargetid%5D_
Now, it's time for me to splice them.  Actually, that's what I should have done.  Just cut the old wire and splice them to the new igniter wire.
My old splicer tool was just sufficient.  I even bought new tools to do the job, but naaa.   Just the simple crimp tool for 18 or 24 gauge wire would do.
2nd try
Not bad.  Accepted.
Now, push the pin into the MLX Housing Cap.
Attach the new igniter back on the pipe.  Time to put it back in.

Push it back in the same back panel hole as it came out.
Reconnect the plug.

Return all screws.


Plug back in.
Turn Gas Valve to Open  position.

Push the unit back in gently and carefully into position.
Turn the gas oven ON.  Test bake something.  And very luckily, no gas leak and it is working just perfectly fine.
Now to the next new adventure - How to replace Kitchen garbage disposer.   It's been two months now that my sink is in disfuncted.  I will post it later the other joy of responsibility of home ownership story.

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