Troubleshooting

Below is a list of trouble-shooting strategies that can help guide you through “easy-to-fix” problems you may experience. But again, please do not hesitate to give us a call if you need assistance. We’re here to help!

No power (no heat or lights).

• Does the cooktop have a dedicated 15-amp line? The cooktop needs 13 amps to operate and should be on a 15 amp dedicated circuit. If the circuit is not 15 amps or there are other electrical draws on the circuit, the unit is not getting enough power.
• The fuse may need to be changed. The fuse is a 250V ceramic, 20-amp fuse. If the problem cannot be diagnosed over the telephone it is likely that changing the fuse will solve the problem and is much more economical than sending the cooktop in for diagnosis.
• Has the unit been dropped or handled roughly by anyone? If so, it will need to be sent to us for an evaluation.

Power Cook and Hold Temp light continue to flash even with the pan on the unit and the unit does not heat up.

• Is the pan a CookTek pan or an induction compatible pan? These symptoms suggest the cooktop is not sensing a pan.
• The pan may be too small or too large for the electromagnetic field. The pan should be no smaller than 7″ or larger than 12″.
• Is the pan centered in the electromagnetic field? (Logo is center)

Cooktop suddenly stops heating during normal operation.

• There may have been a power shortage (brown out) at the facility where the unit is being used which would starve the unit of power. This may also occur if you are not using a 15 amp dedicated line.
• Has another electrical appliance begun to draw from the same circuit therefore starving the cooktop of power?
• Are the cooktop air vents blocked? The vents can be blocked on the outside by a wall or something similar OR on the inside of the vent by grease and food. The unit must have 2″ of clearance for air circulation at both sides and front. If not the internal temperature will become too high and the unit has a Safety Shut-Off which lasts for 15-20 minutes.
• The Safety Shut-Off will also activate if an empty pan is left on the cook surface when the unit is working full power. Again, it will shut down for 15-20 minutes before returning to full power. If it is necessary to leave an empty pan on the unit, the power must be set below 300 watts.

Pan does not get hot enough even though temperature is set on high.

• Check if the “Hold Temp” button is on because that means the cooktop will generate no more than 800 watts of power. If so, switch to Power Cook.
• Are you using an extension cord? Any use of an extension cord over 10 feet will affect the power level getting to the cooktop.
• It is possible that the internal coil supports may have “dropped” due to the cooktop being mishandled or moved often. If this is the case, it will need to be sent in for repair.

Pan cooks unevenly or does not maintain heat level and overheats.

• Is it a CookTek pan or an induction compatible pan?
• Pan may be the wrong shape – too convex/concave or the wrong size – smaller than 7″ or larger than 12″.
• Pan may not be centered on the cooktop.

Fan continues to run when the unit is turned off.

The fan will continue to run until unit is completely cool. This is a safety feature. It is designed to help preserve the life of the cooktop.

Pan coating is sticking or flaking.

Do you cook a lot of eggs or egg mixtures in the pans (i.e.: an omelet station)? This tends to cause a black carbon build up on the pans. We suggest scrubbing with a nylon brush or spray on oven cleaner. If using a spay on oven cleaner, leave on for 10 minutes and then proceed to scrub with a nylon brush, Use oven cleaner only when absolutely necessary. This should not be part of your daily cleaning routine.