The first fork with a radiant cooktop element that isn't heating is whether one element or the whole cooktop is affected; after that, the element, its limiter, the switch or board that controls it and the wiring between them are tested in turn. Telling the technician which element, whether it glows at all and whether the hot surface light comes on will steer the first test.
Before the visit
- •Model and serial number. On many ranges the label is on the frame behind the storage drawer or oven door; on cooktops it's often under the unit.
- •Which element, and whether it's a single or dual-ring element.
- •What it does. No glow at all, a dim glow, only the inner ring, or glowing then going dark.
- •Controls. Knobs or a touch panel.
- •Any crack or chip in the glass.
- •Access to the cooktop, the range or the cabinet below a cooktop, and to the breaker.
Safe pre-checks:
- Make sure the control lock isn't on. Whirlpool's guide to glass cooktop elements not working says the Control Lock feature prevents use of both the cooktop and oven.
- If nothing on the range works, check the breaker. Whirlpool says to reset the breaker or replace the fuse and to call an electrician if the problem continues.
- Don't use a cooktop with cracked glass. Turn it off and leave it until it's checked.
The checks, in the usual order
| Step | What's tested | What it rules in or out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whether the element is cycling normally | Rules out normal on-and-off glowing as a fault |
| 2 | One element or all of them, and the oven | All dead points to power or a lock; one dead points to that element's circuit |
| 3 | Control lock and power at the range | Rules out a lock setting or a tripped breaker |
| 4 | Element resistance, with power off | An open element can't heat |
| 5 | Limiter continuity | An open limiter cuts power to a good element |
| 6 | Switch output (knob models) or relay output (touch models) | Shows whether power is being sent to the element |
| 7 | Wiring and terminals | A burned connector can stop one element |
| 8 | Hot surface indicator | Helps confirm which circuit is or isn't getting power |
Cycling catches many people out. Whirlpool explains that radiant elements have a limiter that makes them cycle on and off to protect the glass, even on the HI setting, and that this is normal. Its glass cooktop guide also notes that electric ranges need a 240-volt receptacle on a dedicated circuit. The wiring diagram in Whirlpool's tech sheet for one range (W11393926) shows the parts involved on that model: an infinite switch for each element, a "cooktop on" indicator and hot surface indicator lights.
Tools you may see
- •Multimeter, for element resistance, limiter continuity and switch output. Resistance checks are made with power off; live checks are for trained technicians.
- •Infrared thermometer, to see whether an element is reaching temperature.
- •Service mode, on touch-control cooktops, to run each element on command.
Questions you'll probably be asked
- •Which element, and does it glow at all?
- •On a dual element, does the inner ring work but not the outer one?
- •Does the element glow, then go dark and come back?
- •Do the other elements and the oven work?
- •Is there any crack, chip or burned spot on the glass?
- •Did it stop after a spill or a boil-over?
What the findings usually mean
- •Element cycles on and off: normal behavior controlled by the limiter.
- •Everything is dead: the breaker, the supply or a control lock, before any element is tested.
- •One element reads open: the element has failed.
- •Element is good but the limiter reads open: the limiter is stopping the power.
- •Element and limiter are good, but no power arrives: the infinite switch on knob models, or a relay or control board on touch models.
- •Only one ring of a dual element works: the element's second ring or the selector switch.
For induction cooktops, see how an induction cooktop that keeps shutting off gets diagnosed.
Sources
- •Element(s) Not Working, Glass Cooktop, Whirlpool Product Help
- •Smoothtop Radiant Cooktop Element Cycling On and Off, Whirlpool Product Help
- •Tech Sheet W11393926 (range), Whirlpool
Good to know: An element that glows, goes dark and glows again is usually doing exactly what it was designed to do.
To have a cooktop element checked, call TrueFix San Antonio at (210) 401-3007 or see our cooktop repair page.