Fixing Commercial Ovens: Not Cooking Evenly

All the thermostats have a capillary tube with a bulb attached to the end of it.  This is the part that senses the temperature in the oven.  The bulb is attached to clips inside the oven.  If the bulb is not put back in the same place, i.e. it’s just stuck in the oven cavity and left hanging, then the thermostat will run “wild,” meaning the oven cooks unevenly.  Fixing Commercial Ovens: Not Cooking Evenly

Remember to get that bulb back into those clips no matter how hard it may be. 

If your oven is running wild check and make sure the bulb is installed properly.  Another reason for the oven running wild is that the thermostat is totally defective and in this case must be replaced.

There are two types of gas thermostats: BJWA and FDO type thermostats.  BJWA thermostats are the most common type and older ones can be identified by the nickel sized hole on the front where the knob attaches.  (See picture above)  However, newer BJWA thermostats may not have that hole.  FDO thermostats are usually found on pizza ovens and can be identified by the disc with numbers on it that sits behing the knob stem.

About Greg McGuire

Greg has blogged about the food service industry for four years and has been published in industry magazines like Independent Restaurateur and industry blogs like Restaurant SmartBrief. He lives in Colorado with his wife and two sons and enjoys reading, live music, and the great outdoors.

2 Responses to Fixing Commercial Ovens: Not Cooking Evenly

  1. george January 20, 2013 at 6:30 pm #

    lp oven is not burning right, yellow flames shooting up at the air valvue of the burner. other oven is fine.?????

    • Molly Patterson January 23, 2013 at 7:20 am #

      Sorry for the delayed response. Our service techs on-site believe it could be a faulty regulator, a clogged flue or buildup on the pilot orifice. If you can call Tundra Restaurant Supply at 1.888.388.6372 and describe the issue in more detail they may be able to better pinpoint the issue and get you the parts you need for your unit.

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