New wire for my RDE3340 Whirlpool electric range

[wnlewis]

OK. I got the rocker switch figured out thanks to the good advice on this forum.

Now I need to figure out the correct wire to go to the switch from the broiler element and from the oven element.

This is a Whirlpool RDE3340 electric range.

The common wire on the switch appears to have a high temperature insulating material. I am guessing that both the wire to the broiler and the wire to the oven elements also need relatively high temperature insulation. What do I need to look for? The broiler is rated at about 2400 watts.

Where may I find parts manuals for this series of ranges?

Thank you for your help.
wnlewis

[CapLeaker]

Not sure if my coffee didn't get down there yet, or am I still tired this morning? Why is there a wire of the broiler element on a toggle switch? What problem are you trying to repair?
Did the broiler element go? Upload some pictures of that turkey.

[wnlewis]

Not sure if my coffee didn't get down there yet, or am I still tired this morning? Why is there a wire of the broiler element on a toggle switch? What problem are you trying to repair?
Did the broiler element go? Upload some pictures of that turkey.

The broiler power (3400 W) goes out of one side of the rocker switch. The oven element goes out of the other side of the rocker switch and the center of the rocker switch goes to power from the thermostat.

The insulation on the center wire failed due to age. It was close enough to one of the two other wires to get jostled and make contact so that power flowed to both elements.

God was watching after me or there would have been a fire. As it was, everything shorted out so that both elements got power each time the thermostat closed.

I noticed that the metal of the control area got warm and figured out that the switch probably needed to be replaced.

After unplugging the stove, and opening it up, I found out what was going on. As you can see, it did not end well for the rocker switch.

I have a NOS switch on its way. I also bought a new switch of the same type from a different source for backup.

The wires - the one to the broiler, the one to the oven, and the one to the power - must be replaced as well. I don't trust the insulation on any of them.

That's why I want to find out the type of wire that should be used.

Thanks for the question.

P.S. Too late to get back in the stove tonight, but I will try to get some pictures of the wires themselves tomorrow. The broiler element and the oven (baking) element are fine.

[redwire]

Inside it's generally "AWM" wire, which is UL approved for appliances. It's usually PVC for low temps to 105°C or XLPE insulation for 125°C or silicone jacket for 200°C.
It would need to survive the high temps mainly where the connection is at the heating elements, that is where it's the hottest.
You can usually get samples from wire and cable suppliers. Or phone some locals up.
Problem is, nobody really uses it- making appliances that is done in Mexico lol.
SEW wire is silicone with fiberglass jacket for high heat 200°C. MGT is 538°C/1000°F mica fiberglass for kilns and stuff.

Also the crimp connectors can be thin metal and make a high resistance connection that cooks. Make sure that is good as well, at the switch.

[CapLeaker]

I agree with redwire. I never seen a rocker switch to switch between the broiler and the stove element on an appliance. Weird. The switch is FUBAR. Putting in a replacement shouldn't be a problem at all as you can take anbout any switch with the same configuration and ratings. As for the hot temperature resistant wire, you can get this form appliance suppliers and even from Amazon.

[stj]

silicone insulation with a fiberglass outer layer is best - if you can find it.

[redwire]

This is an old stove, comes in avocado, copper, gold or white colours. Likely made in the USA. I'd keep running it compared to modern junk.
My old stove's selector switch is a rotary switch, between oven broil-off-bake.

OP's switch is up top on the backguard, away from the heat, so wiring on that end does not need to be oven temp rated.

I assume some of the old wire is still OK going down to the heating elements? You could do a splice, somewhere cool and not so hot, to new wires with solder.

Sometimes a switch will burn up if their contact resistance goes high, too much heat is generated. This is a common failure on stove components etc. you see melted wiring and switch bakelite all burnt.

[stj]

i would NOT solder wires in an oven.
atleast use a crimp-sleeve to do any joins.

[redwire]

Solder splices are awesome until say 200°C as I recall. Insulating that is the challenge. One place I worked we changed to silver solder, teflon, porcelain for those products.
It's not super hot outside the oven and a ways away from the heating elements in the back panel so I thought it OK.

I can't find butt-splice connectors that are any good quality. china has turned them into a joke - thin metal and heatshrink or PVC jacket. Has to be good for 15A.
So the wire+splice is good for heat but not the insulation of that.

[stj]

i would use bare copper or brass crimp-tubing and then add a fiberglass or heatshrink sleeve.