Checking my oven thermostat

I think my oven is not maintaining the correct temperature anymore because the pumpkin custards I bake frequently are taking much longer to cook than they previously did.

I have a mercury-type oven thermometer and a DMM with a temperature probe. What is the best place for me to position the thermometer? What is the best place for me to position the probe from the DMM? Should I keep the probe from touching the wire racks?

How long should I wait after the oven indicates that is up to temperature before I look at the thermometer? Is there some other way I can check the thermostat? The oven is a Frigidaire model FEB24S5ASB. It was made in September 2003. It has a digital control panel.

Thank you in advance for all replies.

Reply to
Daniel Prince
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where your food will be-- and see how much variation there is as you move it around.

What's the difference? Hopefully your mercury thermometer and dmm thermometer will give you the same numbers. If they don't- then fix or toss the one that doesn't pass the 'boil water' test. The DMM is the only way you'll be able to watch the temp in all the corners of the oven without opening the door.

Yes-- and watch how much the temp varies as the oven turns off and on. About 30degrees is acceptable- though it seems like that is a lot.

If you have to open the door find another way to check the temperature.

Treat yourself to a remote thermometer. About $40 & it will let you stay in another room and keep track of that roast in the oven.

$31- on Amazon

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I bought one for smoking meat, but have used it as much in the house and have learned a lot about how my oven works. Buy extra probes.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Dan,

Reply to
Dave M.

Dan,

Not sure what you want to do with the DMM. Put the oven thermometer where you normally place the custards. Turn on the oven at the proper temperature (350 deg, maybe). Wait about 20 min. till the oven is clearly up to temp and cycling. Look at the thermometer. It should be +/- 5 deg. If it's not right you can go here for the calibration procedure. This cal. is pretty easy.

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Dave M.

Reply to
Dave M.

Dan,

Not sure what you want to do with the DMM. Put the oven thermometer where you normally place the custards. Turn on the oven at the proper temperature (350 deg, maybe). Wait about 20 min. till the oven is clearly up to temp and cycling. Look at the thermometer. It should be +/- 5 deg. If it's not right you can go here for the calibration procedure. This cal. is pretty easy.

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Dave M.

Reply to
Dave M.

Sorry about the repeats

Dave M.

Reply to
Dave M.

You need to place the probe where the oven probe is.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

That would tell him if the oven probe was accurate. It wouldn't tell him that there is no longer any insulation in the back of the oven-- or that the door seal is leaking like a sieve.

I still say- put the remote probe in several different spots in the oven- anywhere the food you're cooking is likely to be.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Agree. To make it simple to handle and not touch the racks, put the probe through a small potato. It should to all the way through and stick out the other side. Only the tip is doing the reading.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

-snip-

BTW- Be sure to check the bottom rack position and the top one. 'common sense' tells us that heat rises, so the top one is hotter. Reality is, that the heat is coming form the bottom so the bottom rack is hotter.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

It would tell if the oven thermostat is working properly.

Then, you can go about investigating other areas.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

It's hotter for a while, while burner or element is on. Then it cools down, and the top is hotter.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

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