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Oven thermostat question

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Jesse

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May 13, 2011, 5:55:13 PM5/13/11
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Would anyone happen to know, in a typical oven thermostat set at
say 350 degrees, when it would usually kick on? At 345? At 340?
Lower?

And what would usually be the overshoot? Would it hit a high of
350? Or even higher?

I'm sure these figures vary somewhat model to model. I'm just
looking for a ball park figure.

Thanks.

ne...@jecarter.us

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May 13, 2011, 6:32:56 PM5/13/11
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Unlikely to be better than +/- 5% (17 deg). Possibly no better than
+/- 10% (35 deg).

Certainly subject to variation depending on age and technology used.
An electric oven could possibly have better control than a gas oven
(if PWM used to modulate the heating elements).

Do an online search for specs on various brands. Is Jenn-Air better
than Kenmore or GE?

John

mm

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May 13, 2011, 9:13:48 PM5/13/11
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On Fri, 13 May 2011 21:55:13 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com> wrote:

I don't konw if this helps, but you can adjust the electric oven
control on GE and probably all electric ovens now. For
non-electroncially controlled ovens, I'm sure the method is the same
for all of them -- it's part of the operating instructions for each
model --, and I'll bet there's a method for electronically controlled
too. It would be a step backwards if there weren't.

Jesse

unread,
May 14, 2011, 1:07:10 PM5/14/11
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ne...@jecarter.us wrote in
news:r4crs61s51unc56lc...@4ax.com:

> On Fri, 13 May 2011 21:55:13 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Would anyone happen to know, in a typical oven thermostat
>>set at say 350 degrees, when it would usually kick on? At
>>345? At 340? Lower?

<snip>

> Unlikely to be better than +/- 5% (17 deg). Possibly no

> better than +/- 10% (35 deg)...

Thanks. I appreciate your taking the time to respond.

Jesse

Jesse

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May 14, 2011, 1:09:04 PM5/14/11
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mm <NOPSAM...@bigfoot.com> wrote in
news:fllrs6po3jvjfl9lq...@4ax.com:

> On Fri, 13 May 2011 21:55:13 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Would anyone happen to know, in a typical oven thermostat
>>set at say 350 degrees, when it would usually kick on? At
>>345? At 340? Lower?

> I don't konw if this helps, but you can adjust the electric
> oven control on GE and probably all electric ovens now.
> For non-electroncially controlled ovens, I'm sure the
> method is the same for all of them -- it's part of the
> operating instructions for each model --, and I'll bet
> there's a method for electronically controlled too. It
> would be a step backwards if there weren't.

It makes sense that new models would be better, but I'm not
sure it would have occurred to me if you handn't troubled to
respond.

Thanks for the help.

Jesse

mm

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May 14, 2011, 2:17:27 PM5/14/11
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On Sat, 14 May 2011 17:09:04 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com> wrote:

>mm <NOPSAM...@bigfoot.com> wrote in
>news:fllrs6po3jvjfl9lq...@4ax.com:
>
>> On Fri, 13 May 2011 21:55:13 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Would anyone happen to know, in a typical oven thermostat
>>>set at say 350 degrees, when it would usually kick on? At
>>>345? At 340? Lower?
>
>
>> I don't konw if this helps, but you can adjust the electric
>> oven control on GE and probably all electric ovens now.

LOL at myself. By "now" I meant as opposed to 31+ years ago. I'm
not even sure about then, but my oven from only 30 years ago, that I
just replaced because of a grease fire, could have the temperature
calibrated by the owner, with a simple screwdriver.

And my "new" oven from 20 years ago, also non-digital, also had the
instructions in owners manual. What about microwave ovens? I'll
start a new thread.

>> For non-electroncially controlled ovens, I'm sure the
>> method is the same for all of them -- it's part of the
>> operating instructions for each model --, and I'll bet
>> there's a method for electronically controlled too. It
>> would be a step backwards if there weren't.
>
>It makes sense that new models would be better, but I'm not
>sure it would have occurred to me if you handn't troubled to
>respond.

That's very nice. Glad to hear it.

>Thanks for the help.

You're welcome.

>Jesse

Smitty Two

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May 16, 2011, 1:04:44 PM5/16/11
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In article <r4crs61s51unc56lc...@4ax.com>,
ne...@jecarter.us wrote:

The OP is asking about the size of the hysteresis band, not the accuracy
of the control. Two entirely different things. And what mm was talking
about was also an accuracy adjustment -- surely there is no user option
to adjust hysteresis.

nesesu

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May 16, 2011, 2:16:23 PM5/16/11
to
On May 16, 10:04 am, Smitty Two <prestwh...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> In article <r4crs61s51unc56lcmp2r9o9vpun4bk...@4ax.com>,
> to adjust hysteresis.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Further to your comments, Smitty, there is the hysteresis band of the
actual thermostat PLUS the significant delay in the heat from the
element [which is also slow heating an cooling] getting from the
bottom of the oven up to where the sensor usually is at the top.
In the occasional tests I have done using a thermocouple [fairly fast
responding] a measurement on the shelf in mid oven swings 30 or more
degrees F as the element cycles.

Neil S.

spamtrap1888

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May 16, 2011, 3:39:57 PM5/16/11
to
On May 16, 11:16 am, nesesu <neil_sutcli...@telus.net> wrote:
> On May 16, 10:04 am, Smitty Two <prestwh...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > In article <r4crs61s51unc56lcmp2r9o9vpun4bk...@4ax.com>,
>
> >  n...@jecarter.us wrote:
> > > On Fri, 13 May 2011 21:55:13 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com> wrote:
>
> > > >Would anyone happen to know, in a typical oven thermostat set at
> > > >say 350 degrees, when it would usually kick on? At 345? At 340?
> > > >Lower?
>
> > > >And what would usually be the overshoot? Would it hit a high of
> > > >350? Or even higher?
...

> > The OP is asking about the size of the hysteresis band, not the accuracy
> > of the control. Two entirely different things. And what mm was talking
> > about was also an accuracy adjustment -- surely there is no user option
> > to adjust hysteresis

>


> Further to your comments, Smitty, there is the hysteresis band of the
> actual thermostat PLUS the significant delay in the heat from the
> element [which is also slow heating an cooling] getting from the
> bottom of the oven up to where the sensor usually is at the top.
>  In the occasional tests I have done using a thermocouple [fairly fast
> responding] a measurement on the shelf in mid oven swings 30 or more
> degrees F as the element cycles.
>

We used to take nine-point profiles of our little industrial ovens; it
never occurred to me to profile a cooking oven.

Digital oven thermometers are cheap -- the OP might want to answer his
own question and get back to the group.

Cydrome Leader

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May 16, 2011, 6:44:06 PM5/16/11
to
nesesu <neil_su...@telus.net> wrote:

> On May 16, 10:04?am, Smitty Two <prestwh...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>> In article <r4crs61s51unc56lcmp2r9o9vpun4bk...@4ax.com>,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ?n...@jecarter.us wrote:
>> > On Fri, 13 May 2011 21:55:13 GMT, Jesse <je...@nospam.com> wrote:
>>
>> > >Would anyone happen to know, in a typical oven thermostat set at
>> > >say 350 degrees, when it would usually kick on? At 345? At 340?
>> > >Lower?
>>
>> > >And what would usually be the overshoot? Would it hit a high of
>> > >350? Or even higher?
>>
>> > >I'm sure these figures vary somewhat model to model. I'm just
>> > >looking for a ball park figure.
>>
>> > >Thanks.
>>
>> > Unlikely to be better than +/- 5% (17 deg). ?Possibly no better than

>> > +/- 10% (35 deg).
>>
>> > Certainly subject to variation depending on age and technology used.
>> > An electric oven could possibly have better control than a gas oven
>> > (if PWM used to modulate the heating elements).
>>
>> > Do an online search for specs on various brands. ?Is Jenn-Air better

>> > than Kenmore or GE?
>>
>> > John
>>
>> The OP is asking about the size of the hysteresis band, not the accuracy
>> of the control. Two entirely different things. And what mm was talking
>> about was also an accuracy adjustment -- surely there is no user option
>> to adjust hysteresis.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Further to your comments, Smitty, there is the hysteresis band of the
> actual thermostat PLUS the significant delay in the heat from the
> element [which is also slow heating an cooling] getting from the
> bottom of the oven up to where the sensor usually is at the top.
> In the occasional tests I have done using a thermocouple [fairly fast
> responding] a measurement on the shelf in mid oven swings 30 or more
> degrees F as the element cycles.
>
> Neil S.

How long did each temperature cycle take, assuming this 30 or so degrees
swing?

nesesu

unread,
May 16, 2011, 10:59:58 PM5/16/11
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On May 16, 3:44 pm, Cydrome Leader <prese...@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:
> swing?- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

That sort of swing happened every time that the thermostat cycled
which was dependant on the heat loss, oven temperature and mass being
baked. Presumably a convection oven would have much tighter control of
gradient in the chamber with a fan blowing the hot air around.

Neil S.

PeterD

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May 17, 2011, 9:21:01 AM5/17/11
to

Mechanical or electronic thermostat? Big difference likely.

--
I'm never going to grow up.

JeffM

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May 18, 2011, 8:44:34 PM5/18/11
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PeterD wrote:
>Mechanical or electronic thermostat? Big difference likely.
>
When verifying the calibration of a thermostat,
the interval between the hash marks on the dial is the tolerance;
e.g. if the last mark passed is 350 and the next mark is 375,
the expected reading is considered to be 350 +/-25.
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