Replacing an electric oven fan element

Purpose of the fan element

Fan oven elements are normally circular and they sit outside of the fan. As the fan blows air in all directions the element ensures an even distribution of heat. This is why fan ovens are more efficient and provide a more even oven temperature than conventional ovens.  

Faults and fault finding

The main symptom of a fan oven element failure is that there's no heat at all in the oven. The mains trip switch may have operated as the oven was switched on (or tripped the last time the oven was used).

The element fault can usually be diagnosed visually. Most fan ovens have a cover in front of the fan and element that screws onto the back panel (1 screw in each corner). If this panel is removed the element can be inspected. An element that has blown usually has a quite obvious section of it that's damaged.

A blown element section will look similar to this:

If you can see such damage then your element has definitely blown.

Occasionally, the damage will not be quite so obvious. In this case, the element will have to be tested with a test meter. Sometimes the element can be removed by unscrewing it from inside the oven and pulling it forward will bring its associated wiring with it (be careful not to pull too hard too quickly as you might leave the wiring behind), but in most cases, the oven needs to be pulled out and its back panel removed to access the rear of the element. As with most domestic appliance elements, the resistance should be around 24Ω.

Replacing

As mentioned above, an element can occasionally be replaced from inside the oven but the standard way to do it is as follows:

1. Remove the back panel inside the oven to reveal the fan and the element;
2. Remove the oven from its housing - this is normally just 4 long screws that secure it in place;
3. Remove the mains plug from its socket;
4. Remove the back panel - this is normally a single panel held on by a lot of small screws;
5. You should now have access to the wiring that connects to the element. Make note of their positions before removing;
6. The element is usually attached via screws/bolts inside the oven. Work from the front to undo these;
7. The old element can now be removed.
8. Fitting the new one is simply the reverse of the above steps.

NOTE: run the new element on full heat for a few minutes before use as they can smell a bit when brand new!

Difficulty

Easy. Most fan oven elements are quite straightforward to replace. Most people should manage an element change in 30 minutes or so.