Hey maybe you can help me out. Bought this Superba used. Hooked it up and Touchpad was not working properly. My husband and I took it apart to check it out and see what was going on. Everything seemed ok no broken/burnt wires, ribbon cable for the connections, solder connections, etc ok. put it back together and it worked…except having to hold the underside over hang to ground myself to the touch pad. Worked for 2 days. Started doing the same thing. Took it apart again. and the same thing-working again but I need to ground myself to it. What is wrong with this thing? Is it the pcb or the touch pad or both? The other only indicator I have is that I cannot lock the control panel. No codes are given on the display just error beeps. When we took it apart we tried locating neutral/ground, ohmed it out and got nothing. Any help is great!
JaniceD
Here are the parts
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=KGST307HBL9
Here is a service manual
https://secured.whirlpool.com/Service/SrvTechAdm.nsf/2cd44500d572193285256a45004fd9d6/62c656873f5d2b2a85256e7100568baf/$FILE/GASRANGE.pdf
When we took it apart we tried locating neutral/ground, ohmed it out and got nothing
This could be the problem.
If you measure from the ground prong on the line cord to the units frame it should be 0 ohms. If the line cord green wire is attached to the frame then probably the line cord is defective.
I’m wondering if maybe there is a bad relay? Or circuit breaker? Causing it to go to a fault?
Looking at the wiring diagram I do not think so
cannot remember what it was (thinks it was f2:E3-he said he was holding down the key for awhile)
Looks like this is the code for a stuck key or a key that is held down too long so I would say it was running OK.
Should we go through the test sequence at this time then see what we get?
Can’t hurt
Also try End of Service Test Page 6-5
I did notice that on page 6-1 that it says F1 E6, this is an unstable keyboard gain error and the cure is to replace the display board. This indicates to me that the key sense electronics are on the display board.
It seems to me that your gain is too low but I can find no way to set the gain. This is where actual schematics of the boards would come in handy unfortunately they do not publish them.
I would try the following just in case it is a dirty contact.
Unplug the unit
Open it up
Disconnect the ribbon cables from the keypad to the control/display.
Clean the edge connector.
If it is the type where there is not a connector just the insulation is removed, it can be cleaned with a pencil eraser. Do not use an ink eraser as it is too abrasive.
Check the tracks in the ribbon cable for hairline cracks. A magnifying glass helps here.
Would not hurt to clean the connector on the board. Use electronics contact cleaner or isopropyl alcohol and a tooth brush. Be gentle and do not reconnect till all the solvent evaporates.
Reconnect everything and give it a try.
PS: If this does not solve it post back and I will post this in the tech section, perhaps someone else has actually repaired this problem or have new ideas.
However with that in mind my husband asked me if was possible to trim away the area that seems to be worn.
If there is lots of conductor only area above where it fits into the connector that might work.
Another possibility is to use the rear window defogger/defroster kit that is available at auto parts stores. Basically it is a glue with copper in it.
I have used this in the past to repair cracked tracks in ribbon cables.
Have never used it on cable ends so do not know how it would stand up to connecting/reconnecting wear.
Also keypad repair kits are available from electronics supply houses.
Basically the same idea. I have used such a kit to repair remote controls.
I am going to put this thread into the tech section in the hope some one else can help out.
PS: Wear of the conductor would suggest to me that this has been in and out quite a few times. Wish I had more info on the electronics usually it should monitor the keypad and then set the gain automatically so that it is sensitive enough to pick up your finger capacitance but not sensitive enough to give false key touches. I cannot say how the electronics does it in this unit.
If the keypad at all feels greasy I would wipe it down with isopropyl alcohol. There is always a chance that they control the keypad correctly and you have too high of a background capacitance/noise.
Here is a reply I received from Gene
Denman,
Sounds like there is improper ground somewhere inside or outside the range. I would try to use a different outlet first and then check the power cord connection to the range. Hope it helps.
Thx-I have the same feeling that it is an intermittent ground. The outlet that it is plugged into is brand new, and has been tested as well. The junction that it is tied to, only has my pump for my jetted tub included on that circuit. We checked the power pcb as well as the control pcb connections and the green ground line and everything checks out ok. The only thing that we have not checked is the fan for the self clean cycle. My husband was under the stove looking at the power board and noticed that there is a cooling fan for the self clean cycle on the other side. We will have to do a ground check on everything this unt has tied to it. I have also spoken to a couple of techs where I work and they are stumped as well.
Something "new": when it is being stubborn to turn on, even when touching the underside of the control panel, if I put an open palm of my hand to the side of the body and touch the under side of the panel and the key pad at the same time, wouldn’t ya know it…it works! You just know it’s going to be something stupid!!
It’s a ground issue somewhere, do you have any links that gives us the chassis/body ground locations for this stove? Again, Thank-you so much for you time! JaniceD
It’s a ground issue somewhere, do you have any links that gives us the chassis/body ground locations for this stove?
Sorry do not have anything on this.
Here is something you could try if you have copper water pipes.
With a meter check from the water pipe to various frame/cover points on the unit.
Use your most sensitive meter scale.
You may have to use a length of wire to be able to reach.
Be sure to check the 0 on the meter in case there is an offset.
Zero check would be: copper pipe, extension wire, one meter lead, meter, other meter lead to the pipe.
I would check to the outlet first then the unit.
In most homes the water pipe is earth ground so you should be able to tell if there is a grounding problem.
If no copper pipes you could try from the metal face plate of the plug to different areas on the stove. I would flip the breaker off when doing this.
The more I think about this the more I am leaning away from a ground problem. If we had a ground problem it should not work for a couple days and then mess up.
Have you tried just just turning the breaker off or unplugging it for a couple hours or overnight and then giving it a try?
I was discussing this with my husband last night…again. We are starting to beleive that this oven might have seen an over heat with the cleaning cycle. My husband was reading over the service guide and he said that it states the when the oven reaches a temp of 205 degrrees, the cooling fan is supposed to turn on to send air to the pcb to help keep it cool.
We have used the oven a few times and I don’t ever recall hearing a that fan turn on (Going to listen for it tonight). If it has seen an over heat (granted, to affraid to even think about trying to run the clean cycle from the horror stories I’ve read!) It my have a bad component on the pcb. Control lock feature does not work no matter what I do to try to get it to work, just gives me an error beep. I may have a bad electrolytic capacitor losing charge, don’t know any more. I have access to order components so thats an easy to change out. Any recommondations? Thx JaniceD
Ok maybe I’m on to something (or not). Auxillary cooling fan for the touch pad not working. Hopefully this is simple and will help clarify some of this poor stoves symptoms! What next? Starting to sound like it has seen an overheat to the pcb. Is it at all possible that the fan not working is causing my ground issue? Or vice-versa? I’m sure I can get a new fan and install it ourselves. And could it be the switch for the fan causing the rest of the malfunction to the pcb? I hope it’s just a simple part replacement and not the entire board. I got a deal on this stove (now I know why) so a little expense isn’t too bad. But at the same time when only one in the family is working… Your thoughts on this perplexing issue greatly appreciated!!! JaniceD
P.S all the high temp solder looks good, no buldging or leaking components, but I do know that all components have high temp ceiling.
Hopefully this did not fry the memory chip.
Is it at all possible that the fan not working is causing my ground issue?
I would doubt it.
And could it be the switch for the fan causing the rest of the malfunction to the pcb?
The fan thermostat just switches 120 volts to the fan so it should not affect the pcb. The wiring shows the thermostat closing at 158 degrees so it should not be hard to find out if it is the fan or the thermostat that is shot.
Your thoughts on this perplexing issue greatly appreciated!!!
I am still leaning towards a touchpad gain problem and not a ground problem.
When you touch the frame you change your fingers capacitance relative to ground and then it works. Your body has too high a resistance to be an effective alternate ground.
I am pretty well out of ideas other than replacing boards.
If you cannot find the cause I would look around the for a supplier that will allow you to return the board if it does not solve the problem. The norm in the industry with electronics is if you try it you own it.
I just noticed that this thing may have a fluorescent light.
If it does have you been using it.
If yes try the unit without using it.
I am sitting here just shaking my head, appliance manufactures must have hired their mechanical engineers to design their electronics. Your keyboard is like a whole bunch of little antennas and these idiots put a light source in that is know to give off radiation especially when the ballast starts to go.
Just venting.
You may want to try the following forum different techs hang out here and perhaps one of them has run into this problem and knows the solution.
http://appliancejunk.com/forums/
Oh I here you on venting my friend! I work in the industry of putting these things together and yes I too wonder what the engineers are thinking!
The whole design of this unit was not worth the original cost.
It’s a great stove, but what looks good on paper doesn’t always work in the real world (in electronics that is). And to answer your question: no it doesn’t have a flourecent light. My model does not have the backsplash.
I am going to check the fan this weekend and check the power source to it and take it from there. I may just call for a service in the near future and play "stump the service tech". Let him tell me what I need and when I can swing it, order the parts! I will try the info you gave me in the meantime. I will give you the answer I soon as I get this resolved. I’m sure you will want to know too!
Thx for your time! JaniceD
Here is some more from Gene
One of friends of mine told me that he had a such problem about two years ago and he found that there suppose to be a ground wire from the control panel to the range chassis. Even if it’s there and looks good the terminals can be corroded or rusted.
Your touch panel bad.
Hi everyone,
Thx all for your replies. We jumped the cooling fan at the switch. Fan works when jumped. Going to order a new switch to fix that problem. Denman, your contact on the last message u sent me talking about the chassis ground. Would that be the green wire we were discussing before? If so, we checked it an it’s grounded ok. Weird thing though. When we plugged the unit back in to jump the switch out the display started doing all kinds of things on it’s own (I’m assuming because it did not have it’s chassis ground and we were phyically holding the panel so the caps wouldn’t ground out to anything while testing the switch. We are leaning towards replacing the pcb as well as the touch panel. The way this unit operates from the sensor touch pad into the pcb is telling me that the microchip is probably junk due to an overheat from the bad switch for the cooling fan. When you touch the pad for a command it sends the signal to the microchip telling it what to do. Do me a favor (who ever, I don’t care who) My ribbon off of the touch panel has a couple of "leads" by the connector darker than some of the rest. Is it supposed to look that way from the manufacturer? If not, I may have to replace both. I know from the industry sometimes there is a difference do to the conductivity that is needed or required. Also when trying to get the oven to work it wouldn’t turn on walked away and it started doing its own thing: clock display on and off, timer on and off, oven on start? hit cancel and the convection came on. It has to be the microchip. Thx JaniceD