As a home cook, cooking can be a relaxing part of your day. Whether you’re making a quick lunch or an elaborate dinner for your family, mixing ingredients to turn into cohesive dishes is part of the fun.
But doesn’t it bum you out when you’re in the swing of things, and your induction cooktop suddenly turns off? The first incident may be startling, but repeating occurrences may mean there’s something wrong.
So why does my induction cooktop keep turning off and on?
This article will explore why this can happen to your cooktop, so read more to find out how to fix these issues.
Why does my induction hob click on and off?
The digital interface of an induction burner can bring a number of advantages for its temperature control. But its advanced technology can also come with added features and issues you don’t normally encounter on a gas stove.
So why do induction stove cycle on and off?
1. Power cycling
Most induction cooktops have a safety feature that they commonly call “Power cycling”, where it automatically turns itself off when the temperature becomes too high. This is to prevent its internal temperature from overheating; that’s why it turns itself on and off to regulate the heat.
This can occur when you’re cooking for long periods, especially when using multiple burners at once.
So there’s no need to worry when your induction does this as long as it only takes a few seconds to cycle back on.
But if the power cycling bothers you, you could try turning the other burners off until your cooktop’s temperature goes down a bit.
2. Blocked air vent
Induction stoves usually have air ventilation located on the bottom of the unit. That’s why it’s always recommended to give a built-in cooktop ample clearance when installing it on a countertop.
Correlating to its power cycling feature, the air vent will allow the unit to release excess heat to prevent overheating.
When accumulated dust or foreign objects block the air from going out of the stovetop, it may have difficulty regulating its temperature. So manufacturers advise you to clean the air vent regularly to keep it functioning correctly.
READ MORE: Induction Cooktop Ventilation Requirements
3. Incorrect cookware
You might already be aware of the disadvantage that induction stoves can only function if you use them with magnetic cookware.
But another downside to using them is you’ll have to match the size of your cookware when choosing a burner, or else they won’t recognize it.
Since the sensors on induction stovetops can be sensitive, placing a pan that’s smaller or larger than the burner may cause it to turn off if it doesn’t detect it.
The same thing happens if a pot is not positioned at the center of the burner, but readjusting its position can quickly fix the issue.
4. Electrical supply problems
Since induction cooktops run on electricity, having insufficient power will affect the way it’s going to function. If your stove is clicking on and off, check its circuit breaker to see if there are any problems.
There are instances where power surges or short circuits trigger it. If you see any black burn marks on the circuit breakers, it may be possible that it’s overheated, and you’ll need to call in professionals.
Why does my induction cooktop pulsate?
If you’re a first-time induction user, witnessing your stovetop cycle on and off may be alarming. But once it starts to pulsate, you may think you’ve broken it by pressing the wrong buttons.
But before you start to panic, know that the pulsing is no cause for alarm. The issue still correlates with your cooktop’s power cycling feature to bring down its temperature.
It’s most noticeable when you’re trying to boil water since the bubbles start to simmer down when it starts to pulsate. But users say that using thicker cookware with excellent heat retention will make the effects less detectable.
How do I keep my induction stove on?
The only way you’ll get to keep your induction stove on is to find out the source of the issue, and the best way to find out is to troubleshoot it.
The first step you’ll have to do is to check the manufacturer’s manual to see if you can find any instructions that could fix the problem. Otherwise, you’ll have to trace the errors individually.
If you’re cooking on your stovetop for a while and it suddenly starts to cycle on and off, you can try turning the burner off for a few minutes to let it cool down. This should usually stop the issue, but to prevent it from happening in the future, you could avoid cooking with high heat.
If the error starts when you’re placing cookware, make sure it has the correct size and position to see if it stops turning on and off. But if the issue comes from faulty wiring or overheated circuit breakers, it would be best to send it for repair and let a professional handle it.
How do you reset an induction cooktop?
If the wires of your cooktop don’t appear to have any issues, but the problem still persists, you could try resetting your induction stove to see if that will solve it. Since each brand and model will have different resetting instructions, the manual will have directions on how to do it properly.
For instance, you can reset the Miele KM611X induction cooktop to its factory settings by holding down its sensor controls for a few seconds until it turns off. Once a red display light starts blinking, you’ll know the process is complete.
But if resetting your cooktop still doesn’t solve the issue, turn your cooktop off and then unplug its circuit breaker. After a few minutes, re-plug the breaker and turn your cooktop on again.
How do you troubleshoot an induction stove?
Each brand and type of induction stove may have its own issues, and it will take a few trials and errors to figure out what’s causing the problem.
To help you troubleshoot your stovetop, here are a few steps you could do to determine what’s causing it to turn on and off:
Why does my Bosch induction cooktop keep turning off?
Bosch has come a long way to be one of the leading appliance brands in the world, so you can consider yourself lucky if you have your hands on one of its induction stoves.
But considering it has advanced technology, you may wonder:
Why does your Bosch induction cooktop turn itself off?
As discussed above, your cooktop can automatically turn itself off when the burner or its internal parts get too hot. This protects itself from overheating, so you won’t end up breaking your cooktop sooner.
To prevent this, Bosch recommends you turn off the cooktop to allow it to cool down. Using cookware that has the same size as the burner will also help, so it shouldn’t be too small or too large for its diameter.
Why does my Miele induction cooktop keep turning off?
Modern induction cooktops now have a safety feature that allows them to turn off automatically when the burner becomes too hot.
According to Miele’s manual, several causes can trigger this operation. Heating empty pots and pre-heating oil at high temperatures are only a few triggers.
Most Miele induction stovetops also have a safety shut-off feature, which turns a burner off when it’s left on for an unusually long time. The shut-off time will depend on the heat setting you’re using, but you can immediately turn it back on when it triggers this function.
Why does my GE Profile induction cooktop keep turning off?
If you notice your GE induction cooktop shuts off after a few minutes of use, overheating can be its central issue.
If you have the habit of leaving empty pans when the burner is on or cooking at high temperatures, the cooktop can automatically turn off and display an error alert. When this happens, GE recommends you turn your cooktop off for 30-45 minutes to let it cool down.
Another cause for your cooktop to keep turning off is when something is blocking its air inlet, so check below the cooktop to see if any dust or foreign material is covering its vents.
Final thoughts
The heat efficiency of induction cooktops is one of the reasons why most users adore their units over other types of stoves. But because of its rapid heating, overheating can be a common issue.
That’s why most induction stoves have built-in safety features that allow them to shut off automatically to prevent themselves from getting damaged when the heat gets too high.
Since the power cycling feature of induction can be infuriating when you’re cooking, at least you know why manufacturers recommend you only use low-medium heat.
But if your cooktop constantly clicks itself on and off to the point where it’s unusable, there may be issues with its wiring. So make sure to contact its manufacturer or a service center to see if they can fix the problem.
Leave a Reply