Stove Ovens

Stove Ovens - Appliance Repairs in Port Elizabeth

WHIRLPOOL

Each stove oven differ from Model to model but at the end of the day they more or less work on the same principals. They also have the same components in them to do cooking. All Ovens has the following working parts; an energy source (element or magnetron), energy regulator (thermostats), Selector controls and an oven chamber.  

The different electrical ovens;

1.  The Radiant oven (traditional oven)

2.  The convection oven

3.  Microwave oven

Radiant oven

The traditional oven is called a radiant oven and it has two elements, one for bake and one for grilling. A thermostat then controls the oven temperature by switching the elements on and off.

The more expensive model has three elements and a separate selector switch for the various oven control setting. The third element is there just to heat the oven to a preheat setting and once the oven has reach the preheat setting it does not come on again during the cooking process.

Convection Oven

Apart from the normal elements the convection oven also has a heating element at the back of the chamber with a fan that blows the hot air into the cavity and then sucks it back again. This constant air movement elements cold and hot spots in the oven camber, making it possible to cook on all the shelves and achieve the same results on all the shelves.

Food gets cook 25% faster in a convection oven saving you money on electricity usage, 

Microwave Oven

The ultra modern oven has a magnetron build into it making it possible to do microwave cooking will baking something inside it. This oven is very similar to the traditional convectional microwave oven except that this oven is bigger and it has a bake element.

In the next post I will cover more about the elements and thermostats

Happy cooking

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Washing machine letting water in slowly

Appliance Repairs in Port Elizabeth 083 52 52 52 2

Solenoid inlet Valves

Solenoid valves control the water intake of a washing machine and if it takes a longer time to fill the Washing machine with water, the fault is at the solenoid valve.

Lg Washing Machine Hot and Cold Solenoid valves

The valve opens and closes by means of an electric current that gets turned on/off by the Timer (programmer) of the washing machine. 

Common Problems

• -      Water runs slowly into the washing machine drum 
• -      No water is entering the washing Machine
• -      The washing machine programmer stops halfway through the wash program

Most Washing machines has two solenoid valves 

• one for the cold water inlet and one for the hot water inlet 
• some washing machines has three solenoid valves – the third valve is for fabric softener intake
• when your machine only have one cold water solenoid valve, then it means that your washer unit have heater element build-in. The element could also be a reason why the washing machine takes a long time to complete a washing cycle but I will cover that in another post.

Hoover Triple Solenoid Valve - Leaking

Common preventable Mistakes

1.  Tap is closed

This is by far the most popular mistake. Somebody has turned the mains off or open the water-feed tap halfway. When the water tap is not fully opened and the water runs slowly into the washing machine it takes a long time for the washing machine to complete a washing cycle.

2.  Inlet hose is Kink

This happens when you push the machine back and the hose gets twisted or bend. Its mostly with the hot water inlet hose that it works fine then over a period of time, then heat from the hot water makes the pipe soft - kinks and stops the water flowing freely  

Make sure the bend-end hose connection is attached to the washing machine solenoid.

3.  Solenoid valve filter is dirty

Where? – Inside the solenoid-valve is a small mesh-filter that prevents small particles and debris from entering the solenoid valve. The filler get blogged over time, especially in a area where there is a lot of development happening or when your area’s water supply pipes are old. 

Unscrew the water hose at the washing machine solenoid, use a long nose pliers to pull the mash filler out of the solenoid housing. Wash and rinse the mash-filter under running tap water. 

When none of the above mentioned mistakes are present then you have to open the washing machine, use your multitester and do continuity test across the poles of the valve solenoid. A good test should give you a .38 ohms reading across. If there is no reading just replace it

If you need to do an emergency repair before you can get to me, just wedge out the solenoid coil and change it over with the fabric softener solenoid valve coil. This is not the right way but it will buy you time.

Hope your repair project is successful, if not just shoot over to facebook and ask me for more help or advice.

Cheers

083 52 52 52 2

Microwave oven waveguide cover

Microwave oven waveguide cover - Appliance Repairs in Port Elizabeth 083 52 52 52 2

If you think you can do a thing or that you cannot do a thing in either case you are right. - Henry Ford
Microwave oven waveguide cover are the biggest reason why microwave ovens fail, to be more specifically why microwave magnetron's fail - and this failure is preventable.

Most people don't even know their microwave oven has a waveguide cover, which should be replaced regular.

What is a Microwave oven waveguide cover

Microwave waveguide cover is made out a `dielectric` material like Mica (or plastic) and it's sole purpose is to protect the magnetron Antenna from foodsplater and other foreign objects entering the wave cavity. (a microwave is a radio on steroids  creating radio waves (no ionising radiation) that agitate molecules.

The Microwave wave cavity is situated  behind the controls on the right hand side or at the top inside the Microwave Oven.



 Ways to know when your waveguide needs replacing

The most frequent indication is when an electric storm happens inside the microwave - (arcing)
It gets even more spectacular when the wave cover starts to burn inside the microwave.
When mica (wave cover) becomes darker
Dark dots and spots appear on Waveguide
Waveguide cover is soft and soggy 




Replacing the Wave guide cover

Normally there is a screw or a grommet keeping the mica in place. just unscrew, then lift the mica by inserting a knife between mica and Microwave casing

Clean wave-cavity with soft dishwashing liquid but be very careful not to mess water on the Magnetron antenna. Insert new mica - Voila!

Where to get Mica


You can buy a small piece of Mica from most reputable microwave repairs shop. if you take your old  mica templet with they will even cut it for you at a little extra fee.


Just a word of caution never try to substitute the mica with cardboard, it gets wet from the the steam - THEN. . . . .

> using Plastic or duck tape will burn after a while


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Ps; We replace waveguide covers all the time in our all appliance repair workshop when we do microwave oven services - If you don't come right you can always drop me line and I will gladly send some of the  "magic material" to you. (mica comes in different sizes)

Provincial Hospital Uitenhage going Italian

Appliance Repairs in Port Elizabeth

Recently I had the privilege of tasting the pasta from one of the talented chef cooking at Provincial Hospital in Uitenhage and believe-you-me even my Italian friends mother ( Mama Albonetti ) will approve.

Industrial Frying Pan

One of the perks repairing appliances in a industrial kitchen you sometimes get to taste the end product but only when the chef is in a good mood and only he/she will serve you.

I learned early in my kitchen-repairs-career chefs are like a artist, most of them are extremely sensitive and emotional. If you want to see emotions fly - touch a chef pot or pan without his permission.

RESPECT

Fortunately all the kitchen-artist I work with - know I appreciate their creations and masterpieces just as much as they do. (most times they let me have a sample)

Cooking 300 to 700 healthy meals in a hospital while achieving that individual result of a home cook meal, just takes a special kind of person.

Bon Appetit

Vintage Maytag Washing Machine

Appliance Repairs in Port Elizabeth

Those were the days when manufacturers build reputations and machines to give you service for a very long long time.

One can only dream about buying an appliance days that is going to last you have as long - without having some of appliances repairs done to it.

Don't you  just love old appliances and gadgets

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Refrigerator Troubleshoot in Port Elizabeth

Refrigerator repairs in South Africa

Whirlpool refrigerator

A refrigerator is one of the most important and also the most used Appliance in a home. When the Fridge or Freezer starts playing up there is normally panic and chaos in the Household. Most of the time it is not something serious and with a little help from me you can sort your refrigerator out yourself.


The best way I can help you is for you to help me troubleshoot the Refrigerator. Go down the list below of common faults and diagnoses. Sometimes you might find that your refrigerator has two or more of the below symptoms.

A

Whirlpool Refrigerator Back

1. Freezer is icing up but the Fridge side is not Cold
2. Fridge side has big lump of ice-build on the one side
3. Fridge is freezing food like milk, eggs and vegetables 
4. Food do not last long in fridge
5. Fridge is starting to smell (odors)
6. Refrigerator is running continuously but not making ice

B

1. The light is on but Refrigerator is not running
2. Refrigerator light is off but refrigerator is working
3. The light is off and refrigerator is not running

C

1. Refrigerator is running continuously and making to much ice
2. Refrigerator is making strange noises
3. Refrigerator is making "clicking" sounds
4. Refrigerator stops and starts too infrequently
5. Refrigerator defrost it self.

D Water Leaks

1. Water are Dripping  from inside the refrigerator
2. Water are on the floor (cannot see where it is coming from) 

There are Plenty more signs and symptoms but I will cover that in a later post, for now this will give you something to work with.

Keep Cool!

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Ps. I will be covering each diagnose with a individual post. If your problem arises before I could cover it just go to our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Appliancesa and pop the question .    I will gladly answer any questions
you might have.