Toaster repair. Can toaster elements be repaired

Putting a toaster through its paces. When a toaster's carriage lowering lever is depressed, it closes a switch that turns on the heating elements. As the bread toasts, a heat-sensitive bimetallic arm bends and trips a solenoid switch, whose position is set by the light/dark lever. The solenoid lets the carriage pop up, turning off the heating elements at the same time. To keep the toast from being thrown out, the dash pot a spring loaded cylinder with a vacuum action-slows the rise of the carriage.

If the toaster does not heat, check the cord for continuity and the switch for dirty contacts. Replace the cord or clean the switch if necessary. If the carriage throws the toast out or rises too slowly, clean the dash pot with alcohol. If this remedy fails, replace the toaster. If the bread toasts but does not pop up, check the solenoid for continuity. If it is faulty, replace the toaster. If it is not faulty, the solenoid switch or the bimetallic arm may be defective. Check their performance by toasting a piece of bread with the toaster housing removed; do not touch any parts of the mechanism as the bread toasts.

If the arm does not trip the switch and activate the solenoid, replace the toaster.

Adjusting the light/dark setting. To determine the length of time the bread stays In the toaster, the light/dark lever controls the distance between the solenoid switch and the bimetallic arm. The farther apart they are, the farther the arm must bend to reach the switch and pop up the carriage and the darker the toast gets. A calibration knob on the toaster bottom can be used to adjust this distance.

To recalibrate the light/dark scale, move the lever to medium and toast a piece of bread. Then unplug the toaster, turn it over, and open the crumb tray Observe the action of the bimetallic arm and the solenoid switch as you turn the knob a quarter turn each way. Move the switch farther from the arm if the toast was too light, closer if too dark. Test the adjustment by toasting another slice of bread, and continue readjusting the knob until the medium setting produces toast properly browned for your taste.

Replacing the elements in a toaster oven. 

The temperature control lever of a toaster oven operates a thermostat that regulates the heating elements for dual functions: baking and toasting. Recalibrating the thermostat is best left to a professional, but on some models you can replace heating elements that fail to heat. Unscrew one side panel of the oven, or unlatch the panel by sliding a lock bar sideways: slip the elements out of their sockets. Test the elements for continuity, using a multitester. If there is continuity, the problem may be in the electric cord. If there is no continuity, replace the defective elements, making sure that the ends are seated firmly in their sockets.