Repair of gas stoves Hephaestus: the most common breakdowns and methods for their elimination

Call a professional gasman to repair the slightest malfunction of the stove is inconvenient, agree? You need to meet him at home during business hours, often - wait for your turn, and even pay for work and a call to your home. So isn’t it better to learn how to repair Hephaestus gas stoves yourself?

After reading our article, you will be able to repair the stove yourself and carry out preventive maintenance so that the kitchen assistant works like new. We will tell you how to disassemble a gas stove yourself, we will name the most frequent breakdowns. For the same malfunctions that you can fix yourself, we will give detailed repair instructions.

How to get to the internal equipment?

For self-repair and access to all the details you have to learn disassemble a gas stove Hephaestus, but in most cases it will be enough to remove or raise the table.

It’s not difficult to figure out how to remove the top cover from the Hephaestus gas stove:

1. Remove the hotplates. Fold them in the same way as they were located on the stove, so as not to confuse the two average power and not to guess when assembling.
2. Unscrew the screwswith which the table is fixed. Most often there are two of them - under the front burners, but on some models they are placed on the front side. It may also be 2 screws under each burner.
3. Gently lift the table topso as not to chip enamel. If it still does not give in, check for self-tapping screws on the side surfaces.
4. Place an emphasis under the raised table. If the table is completely removed, lay it side by side horizontally so as not to damage the enamel or glass from falling.

It often happens that one of the bolts is stuck and does not lend itself. In this case, bend the washer and cut off the head of the self-tapping screw with a hacksaw.

Under the table you will have access to burner nozzles, gas control systems and electric ignition - almost everything that can be repaired

To repair handles and control buttons, access to gas taps, you may need to remove the front panel. It is usually fixed with two bolts from the bottom or sides, but on some models it is fastened to the latches. Note that the front panel is removed with the top cover raised and the gas enable flags removed.

The oven burner is closed by a pan. If you put it forward, you will have access to the burner itself, the gas control sensor and the piezo-ignition candle.

Repair of electric ignition of a plate Hephaestus

If you turn the knob, hear a characteristic hiss, press a button, and the gas does not light up - it means there is a problem with the electric ignition of the Hephaestus gas stove, and you can try to fix it yourself.

If characteristic clicks are heard, then somewhere the system is triggering, there is no spark only on the burner used. If there are no clicks, then the button or the block-generator of electrical impulses is broken.

One burner electric ignition does not work

It happens that characteristic electric ignition clicks audible, and one of the burners still lights up only from a match, so the problem is in the candle or wire from it.

First of all, check the condition of the candle - it can be covered with a layer of dirt and grease.

It is easy to distinguish an electric ignition plug from a gas control sensor: it is thick, in white ceramic insulation, located closer to the middle of the burner, in the notch of the divider.

A layer of fat with dust on a candle can act as an insulation that a spark cannot break through. Try to thoroughly wash the candle by removing the burner, and finally - degrease with alcohol or acetone. Pat dry with a paper towel or toilet paper, let it dry completely, put the burner back in place and check that it works.

If cleaning does not help, you should look for the problem further. Lift the stove table and inspect the wire that goes from the candle to the generator block, while trying to press the auto ignition button. Perhaps the wire touches the foil on the heater insulation, or pipes, and a spark breaks out in this place? It will be better seen in the dark or dusk - close the window, turn off the light.

If there is a spark somewhere other than a candle, wrap electrical tape around this place and move the wire so that the spark is only on the candle near the burner.

If this does not help, carefully inspect the candle over its entire height: maybe the ceramic insulation cracked on it, because of which the spark jumps lower than necessary? If so, replacement of this part will be required. Before doing this, be sure to unplug the stove.

Going to the store for a new electric ignition candle, remember where you put the clip - a crocodile, it is necessary to install a new part

To remove the candle, remove the rubber gasket from it, squeeze and pull out the crocodile clip under the candle, and then find and remove the corresponding wire from the generator block. After purchasing a new part, repeat the steps in reverse order.

Electric ignition does not click

If no burners light up from the button, there are no characteristic clicks or the button is not pressed, it is not a matter of candles. In the latter case, it is obvious that the button will need to be cleaned or replaced; if there is no such certainty, you need to check the unit's functionality.

To do this, do this:

1. Unplug the stove from the outlet, raise the table and find the unit to which the wiring from the candles and the auto-ignition button go.
2. Remove all wires from its connectors, remove from the mount (bolts or latches).
3. Insert two long connectors on the edge along a long length of cable, and into the remaining jacks, pieces of wire of the same length, stripped of insulation on both sides.
4. Place the free ends of the short wires in a row or square, at an equal distance from each other.
5. Plug the long end of the wire into a power outlet.

Sparks between free ends and rhythmic discharge sounds should appear.If so, the block is working, the problem is in the button or wiring. If not, take it for a sample and go to the store for a new one.

When connecting, the main thing is not to confuse the other two power wires with the rest. Usually the plug on them is thicker, and the connectors for them are at the edge of the block. Burner wires can be interchanged. If the unit is working, the problem is in the button or wiring.

When removing the button from the latch, hold the parts on both sides so that the inside does not fall between the oven and the cabinet wall

Wash the button well first - it often sticks and stops working due to the accumulation of fat under the skirt. It is convenient to use a spray of fat, or remove the button from the panel.

Read more about why piezo ignition on a gas stove does not work. read on.

Gas Control Failures

Such a breakdown often introduces hostesses into a stupor: a burner or oven is ignited as usual by turning and pressing a knob, but goes out as soon as you release the knob. The gas control system automatically shuts off gas if the burner goes out or the knob is turned, but not pressed - to protect against children.

Usually it is enough to keep the handle pressed for 3-5 seconds, the manufacturer recommends 10-60 seconds to be sure. If even after a minute of holding the handle, the burner goes out, then the leakage protection system is malfunctioning.

Gas control can only be installed in the oven or on all burners. The tip of the thermocouple is brought out near the burner, it is metal and quite thin, it quickly warms up from the burning gas. Heat from it is transmitted through a copper tube to the gas control sensor installed in the faucet behind the burner control handle. As soon as the heat ceases to flow, the sensor magnetic valve opens, shutting off the gas supply.

It happens that the gas control sensor does not work on the practically new Hephaestus stove. The reason is simple: at the factory, the nut for fastening the thermocouple to the sensor in the gas supply valve to the burner was slightly tightened.

Just in case, check and tighten the thermocouple fastening nuts from all burners, so that then you do not disassemble the stove again

Open the cooker table, find where the copper tube is attached to the faucet (behind the burner control handle) and tighten this nut all the way.

Over time, on the sensor thermocoupleslocated near the burner, soot and scale may form. As a result, it heats up more slowly and does not work correctly. It’s easy to fix the problem - clean the sensor with a thick cloth or null sandpaper. Coarser material is not recommended: if there are scratches on the candle, the next time it will clog faster.

The reason why the oven immediately goes out in the Hephaestus gas stove is usually also due to problems with the thermocouple, but another option is possible in the oven.

The oven burner is large, and the sensor is located at its very edge - at the first gas nozzles. It happens that the flame does not reach the sensor, or it warms up too weakly. Try bending the sensor with a screwdriver, or unscrew the fastening screw and push the thermocouple forward a little.

When none of the 3 proposed solutions helps, the thermocouple needs to be replaced. It is fastened with a nut on one side and a clamp on bolts on the other. After removing the defective part, be sure to take it with you to the store - for a sample.

Usually a thermocouple is inexpensive, but if you are ready to give up gas control on this burner, there is a free solution: connect directly, bypassing the sensor.

The solenoid valve that shuts off the gas supply during an extinct burner can be locked in place - just don’t wind too much

To connect directly, do this:

• turn off the gas;
• unscrew the thermocouple - a copper tube from a gas tap with a sensor;
• with a key 17, unscrew the sensor housing from the back of the crane;
• the sensor looks like a plug with a rod on a spring. Lock it and insert it into place;
• screw the sensor housing into place, tighten. Screw in the thermocouple;
• open the gas in the riser, check for leaks with soap suds.

Errors in the assembly of the valve threaten with a gas leak and the possibility of an explosion - be careful and be sure to check the gas valve for leaks after assembly.

Burners burn weakly

It happens that no matter how you turn the knob, the burner burns only at minimum power. If you do not take any measures, over time it may stop burning completely. Most likely, the reason is that the nozzle supplying gas clogged.

Runaway food rarely gets into the nozzle, because during cooking it is protected by the upper part of the burner. Most often, cleaners, especially those based on soda, become a clog.

Cleaning the nozzle is easy enough: first you need to remove the top of the burners and raise the table, in some cases it may be necessary replacement of nozzles on the stove. The burner nozzle is a small part, the top of the gas pipe, with a thin hole in the middle.

This hole must be carefully cleaned. This is best done with a toothpick. It is not recommended to use metal objects for cleaning, so as not to damage the hole.

Runaway food rarely gets into the nozzle, because during cooking it is protected by the upper part of the burner. Most often, cleaners become the cause of clogging, especially based on soda

In order for the cleaned dirt to fly out and not wake up in a gas pipe, we recommend that you periodically open the gas supply to this burner - literally for half a second, but at full power. For safety, you need to open a window or turn on the hood.

You can read more about how to increase the power of a gas burner. in this material.

Problems with burner knobs

Gas handles on the burner are one of the most necessary parts, without them it is impossible to use the stove. Behind the outer flag with the skirt that you turn, there is a gas tap, into which a gas control sensor can be integrated.

Electric ignition, built into the handle, is rarely found in Hephaestus stoves - it is usually brought out with a separate button.

Over time, the handles may stop turning, begin to jam or scroll. What to do with it, we will tell further.

The handle pushes and rotates poorly

Such a problem is not uncommon, if you start it, the handle may completely stop turning. The cause is usually the fat that has accumulated between the flag, skirt and the front panel of the plate.

Hot, it splashes during cooking and easily flows into all the cracks, and then cools, thickens and turns into a kind of glue.

Gently pry the skirt and handle with a knife, screwdriver, or other flat object. Do not use much force - enamel or plastic may be damaged.

To get rid of the problem, the flag with the skirt needs to be removed from the stem and washed thoroughly. The handle needs to be pulled over - it is simply tightly mounted on the rod, without latches or other clamps. For convenience, you can grab it with pliers, preferably through a non-slip rag, of those that are sold for cleaning.

The skirt usually flies itself after handle removal, but if it does not rotate with a flag, it can be fixed with a latch. In any case, you can pick it with a knife. Remember its position, so that during assembly the latches close to the panel or to the flag.

In many models, the handle has a reinforcing metal plate, do not lose it. Having washed all the parts, as well as the front panel under the handle, put everything back in place. Remember to insert the spring if you had one.

Checkbox scrolls or jumps

Such a problem is rarely found in Hephaestus plates, but it still happens. The reason usually becomes that a metal plate has dropped out of the flag and is lost, which clings to a recess on the rod.

You can cut such a plate from a metal lid for preservation and insert it into a special groove, or buy a new flag.If on your model the handle is completely plastic and its inside is lapped, only buying a new one will help.

The handle pivots tight

It happens that even after the flag with the skirt is perfectly washed, the handle still turns tight. The reason is that grease has developed on the gas taps.

It is better to invite a specialist to carry out the prophylaxis, because errors in such repairs threaten leakage or clogging of the gas supply pipes

If you decide to lubricate the gas taps yourself, buy a special graphite grease for this. Shut off the gas supply to the stove. Then remove the handles and the front panel - how to do this, we described above.

In Hephaestus plates, the stem is fixed in the tap with a flange connection, in order to remove it, it is enough to unscrew the 2 bolts on the sides. Wash the stem immediately from grease and dust.

Then the spring and the plug of the crane are removed - the latter and needs lubrication. This is a cylindrical part with a through hole and a saw cut on its side, through which gas is supplied to the burner. Lubricate the cork very little, the layer should be invisible, but palpable to the touch. It’s more convenient to put a little grease on your finger and rub the cork.

After assembling the crane, do not rush to reinstall the front panel. First, put a flag on the stem without it, open the gas and apply soapy water to the tap. If no bubbles appear anywhere, wipe dry and assemble the stove.

How to fix the Hephaestus stove timer?

You can only remove and repair the mechanical timer yourself, it is better to consult a specialist with an electronic one. The alarm mechanism looks like a big metal tablet.

To get it, remove the handle, lift the plate table and unscrew the fasteners. Then open the timer housing, blow and brush off the dust with a brush, grease the pendulum and gears.

In order not to pour too much, use machine oil in a special oiler with a thin nose or an ordinary syringe

Try turning the knob while starting the timer. Started ticking? So you can assemble and install in place. No? Try to take it to a watch repair shop, or buy a new one.

Oven door

Most often, there is only one claim to the oven door: it does not close well. A well-adjusted door should be slammed to hold a sheet of paper.

Otherwise, the gap is too large, which means that heat loss will be higher, dishes will be cooked unevenly, and the top panel and plastic handle will turn yellow. Problems can be prevented by timely repairing and adjusting the Hephaestus gas stove oven door.

The manufacturer uses 2 types of hinges for fastening the oven door - on the latch, collapsible, or solid, screwed on.

The first ones are easily removable: it is enough to lift both latches, close the door and pull up and slightly towards yourself. Then the door can be conveniently washed, or immediately returned to its place, already in the correct position. After inserting the door into the grooves, pull it up a little, and then fully open and lower the latches.

To adjust the door on one-piece hinges, the screws securing them to the door must be loosened, but not completely unscrewed. Then loosen the door so that the hinges snap into place and tighten the screws.

The design of most of the nodes of these budget plates is clear intuitively, and a simple repair of your model is described in the instructions

In addition, over time, it may be necessary to replace the rubber seal - it dries up and cracks due to temperature. It is fixed on hooks, held under tension, so the only problem that may arise is the search for a suitable new gasket in stores.

In addition to repairing the door, it may be necessary to remove the glass in order to wash it from the inside or replace the broken one. The outer glass at the bottom is inserted into the metal guide, and on top is pressed by the door handle. To remove it, it is enough to unscrew 2 or 3 screws holding the handle on the oven door - just hold the glass so that it does not break.Do not forget to wash and dry the handle itself, otherwise drips from it will stain the glass during the assembly process.

The inner glass attaches differently, depending on the size. Small on top and bottom are bolted with large washers. To remove the inner glass, which occupies almost the entire door, you need to unscrew the fasteners on the lower end of the door.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

We suggest watching a video on how to eliminate the most common malfunctions of the Hephaestus plate.

Cleaning the gas burner nozzle:

How to disassemble and wash the handles on the front panel:

Now you know more about your stove and its repair, and you will no longer call the gasman for every little thing. However, we recall that any repair associated with the dismantling of the gas pipeline — lubricating the faucets, replacing burners or nozzles, replacing the gas control sensor in the tap — is best left to a professional.

Did our article solve your problem? Perhaps you encountered other malfunctions of the Hephaestus plate or repair methods? Write your stories and questions in the comments.