Southbend Convection Oven Troubleshooting

Southbend Convection Oven Troubleshooting Restaurant and commercial kitchens have been relying on Southbend for years. Their line of convection ovens are some of the best in the foodservice industry, evenly heating and baking foods to perfection. Like any heavy-duty equipment, a problem can pop up on a rare occasion. Luckily, we have some troubleshooting tips for Southbend convection ovens to help you out. The issues and solutions listed below are associated with popular gas and electric models, including G, SL and B-Series convection ovens.

Southbend Convection Oven Troubleshooting Solutions

Click Issues Below to Read More:

  • Oven Doesn’t Hold Correct Temperature
  • Hot Surface Ignitor Doesn’t Glow Red (gas models only)
  • Burners Don’t Come On (gas models only)
  • Only the Burner Next to Ignitor Lights (gas models only)
  • Burners Go Out Within a Few Seconds (gas models only)
  • Blower Motor Doesn’t Come On

Oven Doesn’t Hold Correct Temperature

If your convection oven isn’t holding the right temperature, here are the possible causes:

  • Out of calibration – The oven could be out of calibration. Recalibrate the temperature according to the instructions in your unit’s operation manual.
  • Poor ventilation – There could be inadequate ventilation in the kitchen. Check the ventilation hood to see if it’s running properly.
  • Faulty temperature probe or control – Contact an authorized service technician to check the temperature probe and control. If either are broken, have the part replaced immediately by an authorized technician.
  • Low gas pressure (gas model only) – The unit requires a 7-inch manifold water column pressure for natural gas and 11 inches for propane. If that’s not the issue, you may have to contact your local gas company about the facility’s gas supply.

  • Small gas supply line (gas model only) – If the gas supply line is undersized, that can affect stop the oven from holding the correct temperature. The ID gas line should be 3/4″ of an inch.

Hot Surface Ignitor Doesn’t Glow Red

When you don’t see a red glow from the hot surface ignitor on gas models, look for these issues:

  • No power to the power switch – If the power is out of the power switch, see if the power cord is unplugged. If the cord is plugged in, have an authorized technician check for switch continuity when the switch is closed.
  • No power to the ignitor – There could be low or no voltage supplied to the ignition module. Have this checked by an authorized technician.
  • Broken ignitor – See if the ignitor is cracked or broken this can prevent it from starting properly. If you notice damage, have the part replaced by an authorized technician.
  • Insufficient power to transformer – Have a certified technician look at the power to the transformer.
  • Blower motor not functioning correctly – The motor should turn once the power switch turns on and the temperature calls for heat. If this isn’t working properly, contact an authorized technician.
  • Temperature control not calling for heat – When the temperature control doesn’t call for heat, have an authorized technician check for continuity. If faulty, the control might need to be replaced.

Burners Don’t Come On

If the hot surface ignitor glows red but the burners don’t come on, check for the potential causes below:

  • No power to gas valve – The ignition box should be supplying power to the gas valve. Contact an authorized technician to check and repair the issue.
  • Broken main gas solenoid – When the main gas solenoid is defective or broken, have it replaced by an authorized technician.
  • Broken ignition module – If the ignition module is broken, have it replaced by an authorized technician.
  • Closed shutoff valve – Check if the manual shutoff valve is closed. Open the valve to help the thermostat call for heat properly.
  • Gas valve off – See if the manual valve on the gas valve is turned off. If it is, open the valve.
  • Hot surface ignitor in wrong spot – The hot surface ignitor should be in the front of the rear end burner. Reposition the ignitor if it’s in the wrong spot.

Only the Burner Next to Ignitor Lights

Whenever the first burner next to the ignitor lights but the flame doesn’t carry across the other burners, check for the following:

  • Unaligned burner and orifice – Readjust the burner and orifice on the unit. The orifice should be able to inject gas down the center of the burner.
  • Clogged burner orifices – Dirty burner orifices can affect ignition. Be sure to clean them out if they’re dirty or clogged.
  • Low gas pressure – The unit requires a 7-inch manifold water column pressure for natural gas and 11 inches for propane. You may have to contact your local gas company about the facility’s gas supply.

Burners Go Out Within a Few Seconds

When the burners lights but go out in a few seconds, you’ll see the ignitor glow for about four seconds. After the burner doesn’t ignite, the ignition module will try three more times to light before locking out. The two most common causes are a faulty flame switch or bad gas valve heat.

Blower Motor Doesn’t Come On

If the blower motor won’t come on, look for the following:

  • No incoming power – Check if the unit is off or unplugged from the outlet. If neither is the problem, see if there is a blown fuse or if the breaker needs to be reset. You may need to contact your local electric company.
  • Broken motor – If power is supplied but the motor won’t turn, the motor needs to be replaced by an authorized technician.
  • Bad contactors or wiring – Loose wiring connections or bad contactors can keep the blower motor from turning on. Have an authorized technician check and correct the issue.
  • Faulty shutdown switch – A bulk of the power comes through the shutdown switch. Contact an authorized technician to have continuity checked or repair the issue.

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