Gas logs pilot light problem.

[TOM KAN PA]

I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same fireplace. I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife lit the logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of turning the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light. One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the pilot light stayed on. For a few minutes. So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the logs were used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few minutes, and went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time when the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again. What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is the thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never stay on.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, First thing to check is, make sure the thermo couple contact inside connection is clean(can buff it with rubber eraser) and the connection is tight as well at the valve body. Also postition of thermo couple. Next try adjusting pilot flame size. If still bad, can try new couple since it's not that expensive. I doubt the main valve is bad. Good luck, Tony

TOM KAN PA wrote:

[Rudy]

Thermocouples often operate erratically before they totally quit

[CBHvac]

Its the thermocouple, and if its defective, it can act any way it wants. Gas log units are normally a lot different than the $4 cheapy you can get at Home Depot, and the correct one will normally run about $21-50 depending on the log set you have. Replaced about 30 so far this season, and many had the exact same problems you just described... Of course, it could be a bad valve too....or even a bad O2 sensor if yours are ventless.

[jim]

No so.. the pilot light gets it gas from the other side of the valve that the pilot controls.... it always get gas... if not then you would never be able to get gas to the pilot light to heat up the thermocoupler that makes the gas valve open to set the logs on fire...... get another thermocoupler and see if that fixes the problem...... if that does not fix it then its the gas valve that the thermocoupler controls and it might not be worth fixing??? i dont know what type of setup you have... but remember that the gas always goes to the pilot..... if the pilot blows out and you get gas its not too much to cause a problem like the gas coming out of the valve if the valve is bad(it lets too much gas out)...

[CBHvac]

Actually, not so. I have not seen a set of logs like that in over 10 years.... Push and hold pilots are the norm. When the thermocouple heats enough to generate millivolts, then the pilot stays lit.

NO, it does NOT. I JUST repaired another set and its pick and hold...pick and hold...sheeeeeesh.

English??? Bad valve wont let too much gas out....bad regulators will..

It amazes me that advice this bad is even allowed out.

[jim]

why did you not tell him to go get a "professional" like you to fix it???

[CBHvac]

thermocoupler

Because you did a fine job of that with your post...you proved without a doubt that sometimes amatuers have no biz touching a set.

I am a pro...sorry if you cant deal with it...and I cant help it that you have no damn clue what you are doing. At least you made the attempt, dont be upset that someone that has a bit more experence corrected you. Most of the pros I hang out with wont even bother with this group, and the ones that do would tell you the same thing.

[John Galbreath]

The pilot on a vent free is part of the ODS assembly. Your is just dirty. Take a can of compressed air and blow the dust out. The pilot must be OFF. The ODS is where the pilot flame comes out. Go to the back of the ODS, you will see one or two holes, blow the compressed air in there. Then blow down the barrel of the ODS. If this does not fix it, email me as I am so busy this time of year, I do not read this board much anymore. I can also fax you the instructions form on of Peterson's Vent Free gas log owners manuals.