Regardless of the model, most convection oven parts are designed in a similar way. The insulating oven door, a heating element or burner, and some type of ignition switch and thermostat are all common parts in any oven. The interior of the oven is designed with racks to hold baking trays, a plate to cover the heating element, and, in most cases, a light. A fan or other device used to circulate air inside the cooking chamber, as well as the electronics required to activate or disable its use, are among the distinctive convection oven parts. The layout of the various convection oven parts, particularly the location of the burners, which could be placed behind the circulation fan, may differ from that of other types of ovens.
The knobs or dials that control the oven are some of the most visible convection oven parts. Actual knobs or a digital keypad attached to a control board can be used. The temperature dials are linked to a box known as the thermostat in one way or another. The thermostat senses the temperature inside the oven and controls whether or not the heating elements are turned on or off. Another switch is connected to a device known as a selector, which is capable of turning on the oven’s fan.
The actual door to the cooking chamber is one of the more visible convection oven parts. This can be a thin, windowed panel on a countertop model. Larger models may have an oven door that is a heavy, insulated structure with a changeable face to match the desired kitchen appearance. The door’s hinge can be spring-loaded at the bottom, allowing it to swing open from the top, or hinged on the sides, allowing it to open like cabinet doors.
Depending on the type of heat provided, the oven’s heating element can be made up of several parts. A conductive element in an electrical convection oven generates heat when a current passes through it. This element is connected to a circuit that can generate various levels of electricity, causing the element to emit more or less heat. An electrical heating element can be installed at the bottom or above the cooking chamber, or just behind the circulation fan.
A regulator is usually connected to a gas line in a gas oven. This could result in a device that always has a small flame burning. When gas is passed through the larger burners from the thermostat, this small flame, known as a pilot light, ignites them. An electrical starter, which is a small box that creates a spark to ignite the gas on demand, could also be present. The bottom of the oven is usually where the gas burners are located.
The convection oven’s fan is the last component inside the unit. It can be a circular device with vents along the rim, or it can be made from traditional spinning metal blades. The fan is controlled by a low-powered electric motor that is activated by a selector switch. In addition to the fan and motor, several separate pieces of metal are usually used as housings, insulation, and mounting brackets for the parts, though the design of these sections is very specific to the individual unit.