Front right cooktop element only goes to HIGH

[nomeatoburrito]

Model Number: JES9900BAS
Brand: Jenn-Air
Age: 6-10 years

Jenn-Air JES9900BAS. When I turn on the right front cooktop element, it heats up to HIGH heat and stays on constantly, no matter what temp I have the knob set at. I replaced the switch a few years ago when this element wasn't working at all, but ever since, it will only heat up to high heat, and will not cycle on/off to regulate the heat.

The other 3 elements has typical infinite switches that are white bodies with L1,L2,H1,H2,P connectors. But this front right element has a different switch that is a black rectangular box with two rows of unlabeled connectors. The first row has 3 connectors, which I'll call A, B, and C. "A" is off on its own on the far left side, and B and C are grouped together on the far right. The second row has 6 connectors all in a row, which I'll call 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

I turned the knob for this switch and tested every conceivable pair of connectors for continuity, and only found continuity between the pair A-1, A-2, and C-4.

The 6 connectors in a row go to the following locations:

1: red wire to 5-prong plastic connector
2: black wire to heat indicator light
3: black wire to 2-prong plastic connector
4: red wire to 2-prong plastic connector
5: yellow wire to 5-prong plastic connector
6: tan wire to 5-pront plastic connector

At the 5-prong connector, there are 2 more black wires connected there that lead to the infinite switch for the right rear element.

Any ideas what is causing the right front element to only heat to high and stay on? Should I replace this element? If so, is there a way I can test it first to see if it is causing this problem?

[nomeatoburrito]

UPDATE: I found the wiring diagram for my range. The resolution isn't great, but here is what I've figured out so far:

The right front element has a "custom control" switch (at left side in image). Per my letter/number designations in my first post, here's what the connectors are labeled in the diagram:

A: Line 1
B: (can't read this, but looks like it goes to an indicator light)
C: Line 2

And on the other side of the switch:

1: Heater 1
2: Pilot (?) -- leads to an indicator light
3: Sensor (?)
4: Sensor (?)
5: Heater A
6: Heater B

In the diagram the "sensor" at 3 and 4 appear not to lead anywhere, but on my range, 3 and 4 are connected to black and red wires respectively and lead off into the back of the cooktop somewhere.

Wires from 1, 5, and 6 lead to the "custom control element right front" at top right in the diagram.

Hopefully this info can help diagnose the problem. I'd like to figure out exactly what's going on before I order any replacement parts.

[Doc Ryan]

The temperature of the right front burner is controlled by the infinite switch. Replacing the switch should fix the problem. Let me know what you find.

Infinite Switch - WPW10185286 (PD00004550)

[nomeatoburrito]

Thank you for your response, Ryan. Just to be clear, I replaced this part a few years ago when the right front element wasn't working at all. After installing this new part, the right front element began working again, but it would only go up to high heat and stay there. Is it possible I just got a defective part? Not really crazy about spending another $100+ and finding out it's not actually this part that's the problem.

Is there a way to test this part with a volt-ohm meter to confirm that it is defective?

[Doc Ryan]

I am not aware of a way to test this part with a mulitmeter. Are you certain that you replaced the part with the correct number? Did you replace the part with a new OEM Whirlpool part?

[nomeatoburrito]

Yes, I just double-checked my parts order. I bought part #WPW10185286 from PartsSelect.com, which notes that it is manufactured by Whirlpool. Here's the link for the part I purchased:
https://www.*******.com/PS11749818-W...rol-Switch.htm

[Doc Ryan]

That is the same part number that I had provided. It could have been a defective part.

What indicates to you that the burner is staying on high all the time?

[nomeatoburrito]

Because no matter where I set the control knob (1 or 2 or 5 or 10 or whatever), the entire burner will glow bright red and stay bright red until I turn the knob to OFF. It does not cycle on and off at lower knob settings like it should. Right now, this burner is only good for boiling a large pot of water for pasta. It only has two possible settings right now: full blast and constant high heat, or off.

[Doc Ryan]

With nothing on the burner, the burner will act differently than with something on the burner.

The burner itself has a limiter built into it that regulates burner from getting too hot. You will notice this when the burner it turned on with nothing on it and set to high, this will usually cause the burner to turn off because the limiter shuts off the burner to limit the temperature and stop it from overheating.

During normal operation, the burner infinite switch is what controls the temperature of the burner.

[nomeatoburrito]

My comments about how the burner stays on high constantly apply whether or not I have something on the burner. For example, if I set a large pot of water on the burner and then turn the control knob to "1" (lowest setting), the burner will heat all the way up glowing red hot and will remain that way indefinitely, without any sort of temperature regulation happening. It will bring that large pot of water to a rolling boil and keep it at a rolling boil until I turn the control knob to OFF.

[Doc Ryan]

That definitely doesn't sound normal.