Lacanche oven not heating: a burnt selector switch
When a Lacanche oven stops heating completely, the cause can be a single burnt switch rather than the elements or the thermostat. That is what LE Company engineers found this autumn in a home in South London, on a Lacanche double-oven range cooker whose electric oven side had stopped working. One switch was broken; the owner chose to renew the whole oven control set, and the cooker is working again. Here is what we found and why. For our full Lacanche service, see Lacanche repair in London.
Why is my Lacanche oven not heating?
On arrival the oven was not working at all: no electrical supply was reaching it. On a Lacanche the usual cause of this symptom is the high limit switch, the safety cut-out that disconnects the oven if it overheats, so that was our first suspect. We lifted the hob top to reach the oven controls and wiring.
What we found: a burnt oven selector switch
The fault was not the high limit switch. The oven selector (function) switch, the knob that chooses the oven mode, had burnt: its terminals and the ends of the wires connected to it were charred and heat-damaged. All the power for the oven passes through this switch, so when its contacts fail the oven gets nothing.
We then tested the rest of the oven circuit. The oven thermostat passed its electrical test, and the high limit switch was working. Both, however, were old, and there was no record of when they had last been changed.
A temporary fix the same day
So that the family could cook in the meantime, our engineer removed the switch, cleaned its contacts and refitted it. The oven started working again. This was a temporary measure only: a switch that has burnt once cannot be relied on, so we ordered a replacement.
Why we renewed all the oven controls, not just one switch
Only one part had actually failed. But the thermostat and the high limit switch had been working for the same years in the same heat, and their history was unknown. Replacing just the switch would most likely have meant another call-out, and another wait for parts, when the next old part gave up. The owner agreed to renew all three at once: the selector switch, the oven thermostat and the high limit switch.
On the return visit in November we fitted the three new parts and tested the oven. It is heating normally. In our engineers’ experience, renewing the oven controls in one go like this gives a Lacanche another five to six years without needing attention.
Can I keep using a Lacanche oven with a burnt switch?
No. Burnt terminals mean the connection has been overheating. If your Lacanche oven has stopped heating, or the selector knob feels loose or smells hot, switch the oven off at the isolator and have it checked. A clean cooker also helps: grease and spills that reach the controls under the hob shorten their life, see how to clean your Lacanche oven. If you are choosing between French ranges, see Lacanche vs La Cornue: an engineer’s comparison.
Book a Lacanche repair in London
LE Company’s call-out is from £175 + VAT and includes the first 30 minutes on site, when the engineer finds the cause of the fault. The cost of the repair is agreed with you before any work starts. We repair Lacanche, La Cornue, AGA and other range cookers; see also our electric oven repair and oven repair in London pages, read how we can help with your Lacanche oven, or call +44 203 603 7172, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Prices and parts are covered in our frequently asked questions.