Embarrassing question about how to light a built-in propane fireplace

[Jim]

Thanks for that advice. I received an email back from the company (see below) which is weird because it says it's a "wood burning fireplace" with gas added.

I'm not sure what that means because, any open fireplace is a wood burning firplace, isn't it?

Here is their email:

Hello and thank you for contacting Lennox Hearth Products. The pictured fireplace appears to be a wood burning fireplace with the option of a gas line installed for using a vented gas appliance. You may log on to our website to find a dealer in your area for parts and service.

Thank you and have a blessed day, Angie Parish NFI Certified Gas Technical Service Specialist

1-800-655-2008 731-886-8491 Fax [e-mail] (remove Xs)

[Smitty Two]

Nope. Many of them have fake logs and burn only gas. Yours has gas with which to light the logs, so you don't have to build a fire with kindling.

[Jim]

I didn't realize that mine could burn wood because the "logs" inside the fireplace are heavy ceramic like fake logs.

The spark igniter jumps a good half inch with a blue spark. But I have to figure out how to get the gas going. I'm still reading the threads though. So I will keep trying.

[David L. Martel]

Jim,

I don't know what to make of that answer. They didn't send you any help, advice, or operator's manual. The "Marco label" is on the fireplace so it's possible that some other manufacturer made the gas logs. That's all I can think of I think you'll need to get someone out there to look at it and advise you. Your propane guy could light it so give him a call to arrange a visit or call a plumber with a gas license. Learn how to start it. Get the name and model number so you can get an owner's manual. I still think you'll get it running before Christmas.

Dave M.

[TomR]

Did you watch the YouTube videos? I have a hunch that you have to light the pilot according to the instructions (push in a hold, etc.).

Or, maybe you could to go to the gas source and from there see if there is any branch off piping that goes to the fireplace that has a shutoff valve in it.

[Ashton Crusher]

Just from what I see I would think that the Key is not a "master valve" but is simply the on-off switch for when you want to turn the fire on and off. I would think the round black knob is the master switch and it works just like one on a water heater. Can't read what it says on it but I would assume that you push it in to light the pilot, might have to be turned to on or off or in between to push it in. Once the pilot is lit and has heated the pilot tube you would turn it all the way to ON and the pilot should stay lit. Then to turn the fireplace one and off you would turn the key. Of course I could be wrong but if you can leave the key in the off position and still get the pilot lit then clearly the key is not a master. OTOH if you can't light the pilot unless the key is on it must be a master.

[Jim]

Thanks to the great advice, I finally figured it out!

The key, turned all the way right, just like a water faucet, shuts off the propane feed. It takes a few turns to the left to fully open it up.

The round black knob, it turned out, was the key! It controlled the starting of the pilot light - and then it controlled the gas that came up through the bottom of the fireplace.

You were correct. The pushing was important because otherwise the pilot light wouldn't ignite even though there was a huge spark from the push button below and to the right of the black knob.

Again you were correct. The black knob won't push in until it's moved to the correct position!

Yup. That's exactly what happened.

That makes sense because that would then burn out all the propane left in the pipe between the key valve and the fireplace. Turning the black knob to the OFF position also put out the fire.

[Jim]

Yes. That was a key piece I was missing.

That igniter, almost hidden below the knob, made a fat blue 1/2 inch long spark when I pressed it.

I had to TURN the pilotlight black valve first, before it could be pressed - but yet - I heard the hiss (and smelled the gas)!

That did the trick!

It's warming the house right now!

That gas valve was a good ten inches deep in the woodwork!

[Jim]

Why would anyone C clamp open the fireplace flue?

When I tried to open the flue before lighting the fire, I noticed that the handle to open and close the flue didn't move. It was stuck in place.

I didn't realize there was a special C clamp on the flue plate until I went to the other fireplace, which looks like it has never been used. There, I saw the same strange C clamp only without the black soot: Why would anyone C clamp all my fireplace flues open?

[Jim]

I took some of the vermiculite away from my unused fireplace and I noticed there is a pipe that doesn't seem to have any visible holes in it and there is steel wool UNDER the vermiculite.

My guess as to how it works is that the gas comes out from the UNDERSIDE of the pipe, and flows through the air pockets of the steel wool, and then rises up out of the vermiculite.

Because when I light the fireplace, the whole thing explodes into flame, making it seem like the vermiculite itself is on fire.

[Jim]

Thanks to you guys, I finally got both fireplaces to light for Christmas!

PROBLEM 1: The problem with one was I had not known the procedure (see below).

PROBLEM 2: The problem with the other is that the gas is shooting out too fast & the sparks are flying in the wrong places so it won't easily light on its own.

Here is the procedure that works on the good fireplace:

1. Open the keyed gas valve about one full turn CCW (master switch).
2. Turn the large gas dial to the central position (pilot position).
3. Push the large gas dial in for about 10 seconds (pilot flow).
4. Push the small piezo-electric lighter a few times (light pilot).
5. Slowly release pressure on the large dial (pilot should stay lit).
6. Turn large dial 1 quarter turn CCW (the gas flow will audibly hiss).
7. Whoosh. The entire fireplace should light up in flame.

[bob haller]

tp://imageshack.us/a/img21/3803/lightgasfireplace6.jpg

there may be a bad regulator on the one that appears to have too much gas........

i had a regulator failure on my gas grill that acted like yours.

for safetys sake get it checked