Operation of gas fire logs?

[M.Burns]

I'm selling a vacant house that has gas fire logs and can't figure out its operation. I've seen them lit a year or so ago. The control has an "off" position, then slightly to the left is an "IGN" position, just to the left of that is a "PILOT" position, and rotated all the way at the bottom of the dial is the "ON" position. I can see where the pilot is, and I even see what appears to be the little wire igniter. But putting the knob in any position (including with the pilot button depressed) does not appear to activate either the igniter, or the hissing sound of any gas. At all positions I also tried to manually light the pilot or burners with no luck. I also intend to go back just to make sure there is not some kind of shutoff valve in the pipe leading up from the basement. What is the correct sequence for firing these up? Also with the igniter I see some light gage wires, but what is the electricity source that actually creates the electrical spark?

Advise and thanks.

[Charles Spitzer]

on mine, you put it in ign, then you have to push in the button whilst hitting the igniter switch. when it lights, you continue to hold in the button for a minute, then rotate to pilot.

[M.Burns]

I'm not sure I understand. I can turn the dial from Off to IGN, but are you saying after doing that there is a separate igniter switch somewhere? ..or do I try to push the dial in to activate the igniter. I'm not sure if it can be pushed in. My recollection is that the dial (button) can only be depressed when in the "pilot" position. If any more info, let me know. Otherwise I'll go back over to the house and investigate again.

[Art]

Do you have a red button to pushdown to create a spark? If not then it may require a match to light the pilot. In my old logs I moved it to pilot, and pushed it in and held a lit match to the pilot and it lit. The knob would have to be pushed down for another minute until the pilot pipe got hot enuf to keep the safety pilot switch on. Then you could let go and move it to on. If you let go too soon the pilot would go out andyou had to start all over. Usually the instruction are on a metal panel attached by chain to the ignitor.