A commercial convection oven is favored by many restaurants and cafes for its even baking capabilities. However, if your convection oven is not working or heating, it can put your operations to a halt. It’s advised to call in a commercial oven repair expert to fix the oven. That being said, here are some troubleshooting tips for fixing a commercial convection oven that won’t heat.
Reasons For A Commercial Convection Oven Not Heating
No Power
Start by checking if the oven is receiving power. Check the power cord and the outlet. There could be a warped or damaged cord. Additionally, inspect the outlet for any visible marks.
Moreover, check the circuit breaker that’s allowing power to the convection oven. If it’s flipped to the OFF position, flip it back to ON. This works most of the time, but if it doesn’t or the breaker keeps tripping, the breaker or any oven component may be faulty. A common oven component that can cause the breaker to trip is a faulty heating element. Apart from that, it can also be a malfunctioning fan motor or control board.
Other than that, electrical overload can also be a cause of the oven tripping the breaker frequently. Ensure the oven is connected to a breaker rated for the oven’s amperage. Even if the breaker is correctly rated for the oven, using multiple appliances on the same circuit breaker can also cause the same electrical overload issue and the breaker will keep tripping.
Checking power issues by yourself can be a safety risk, so hire an electrician or an appliance technician for help.
Bad Heating Elements
Heating elements are the source of heat inside the oven. So, if they are faulty, there will be issues like no heating or uneven cooking. If you notice strange noises, tripped breaker, or a burning smell, it may be faulty heating elements. Sometimes, there is also an error code specific to heating elements.
To check the heating elements, you can look for burn marks on the heating elements after making sure the oven is off and cool. Moreover, if the heating element is malfunctioning or not completely faulty, it may glow unevenly. Hire an expert who will replace the faulty heating element.
Malfunctioning Thermostat Or Temperature Sensor
The thermostat detects the temperature and signals the oven and the heating elements to turn on or off, to begin heating or stop heating. If the thermostat is micalibrated or malfunctioning, it won’t detect the correct temperatures, so it won’t send a signal to the heating element to turn on when it needs to heat up. In this case, the oven will not heat.
There is also a temperature sensor that detects temperature. Its readings are used by the control board to turn on the heating elements. If the temperature sensor is faulty, the control board may not turn on the heating elements for heating, so the oven will not heat.
In many modern ovens, a thermostat and a temperature sensor are integrated components. And if your convection oven is not heating, it’s likely a faulty temperature sensor. You can avoid many convection problems by ensuring regular maintenance.
Control Board Issues
The control board in modern convection ovens is the main component that controls the oven. Based on the readings from other sensors, switches, etc., it turns on heating and other features. So, if it’s damaged, the oven will not work correctly and may not heat.
Faulty Relay
A relay is a switch that responds to the control board’s instructions to turn on or turn off the heating elements, turn on or turn off the fan, and other components. A faulty relay won’t respond to the control board, so the oven may not heat. Hire a commercial appliances repair Arlington expert to replace the relay.
Door Issues
The door of the convection oven should be completely shut and sealed for proper operation. If the door is not closed properly due to a cracked gasket or hinge problems, it can cause either of the two problems.
- The oven will not heat at all because a safety switch near the door won’t allow the oven to work. It happens when the door or the door’s gasket is severely damaged.
- The oven will heat up, but warm air will keep escaping. It will feel like the oven is not heating or the oven will take longer to cook food. This can be a hazard because hot air escaping from the oven could affect the people near the oven.
Fan Not Working
The fan in a convection oven ensures airflow and moves the warm air. If it doesn’t work due to a clog, obstruction or fan motor failure, it will feel like the oven is not heating or it will cook food unevenly. So, check the fan and clean it. However, if the fan motor is faulty, consult an expert.
Causes Of A Gas Convection Oven Not Heating
If you have a commercial convection oven that runs on gas, some of its problems will be different from those of its electric counterparts. Here are some issues unique to gas commercial convection ovens.
Gas Supply Issues
No or insufficient gas supply won’t allow the igniter to light the pilot light or the burners. So, the convection oven won’t heat. You should check if the gas supply valve is open and there are no leaks in the gas supply line.
To make sure it’s the gas supply issue, check other gas appliances connected to the same line. If they are also not working or hinting at low gas pressure, it’s a gas supply problem.
Dirty Flame Sensor
A flame sensor is a safety device that turns off the gas supply if the oven doesn’t ignite. However, if the flame sensor is dirty or faulty, it may always detect that there is no flame and shut off the gas supply. So, the oven will not heat. Clean the flame sensor or replace it if it’s bad.
Faulty Igniter
An igniter in gas convection ovens lights the pilot light or the burners. A faulty igniter won’t perform its job correctly, so the pilot light or burner won’t light up, which means the oven will not heat.
An ignitor is an electrical component so another reason for an igniter not working is power issues. Even gas ovens need power for their electrical components to operate. So, if there is no power, the igniter won’t work.
Clogged Burners
The burners may collect dust, debris, and grease over time, which can clog them. If the clog is severe, the burners may not turn on even when the gas supply is fine. This is a safety risk because it can lead to gas leakage. So, check the burners and clean them. To avoid this problem, regularly clean your gas oven.
Conclusion
If your commercial convection oven is not heating, you should check for the above-mentioned problems and hire an expert when required. In case of a gas oven, get in touch with a commercial gas oven repair Chantilly technician.
