Pilot light problems

[Bob Minchin]

In the past I have requested asssitance with the tendency of my gas boiler ceramic pilot jet to become constricted with a hard dark crystalline deposit. Well it has happend again and the pilot flame is too weak to work the thermocouple.

I had prevoiusly been concerned about damage to the ceramic if I were to scrape the deposit away. I now have a solution (literally). The black gunge is dissolved by hot dilute sulphuric acid. A small amout in a china mug, drop in the jet and place in the microwave. 15 seconds on full power heats the acid whereas the amount of metal in the jet (being very much smaller than the wavelength on the microwave) does not cause any flashes and bangs. A quick swirl round and rinse in lots of water yeilds a squeaky clean jet.

I can now heat the water with the pilot alone (mild exaggeration perhaps) and the thermocouple is once again happy.

Not a solution for the faint hearted but with sensible precautions ( like making sure SWMBO is not around!!) it does the job.

Oh yes - do wash the mug out before making a self congratulatory mug of coffee!!

Regards

Bob

[Thee_Psycho]

[Bob Minchin]

I assume from your post that the pilot lights are not meant to be on all the time? So what controls them? If it is an electrical/electronic circuit; perhaps there could be a spillage that has got into the switch or perhaps some grease? If the pilots are actuall lighting - this would indicate gas being present when it should not be.

Sorry I can't be more helpful but the last gas cooker I had was as a child 40 plus years ago and this had a single central constant pilot light.

Bob

[Roger Mills]

. . otherwise to old ditty might become:

"Toll the bell, toll the bell, Bob Minchin is no more For what he took for H 2 O Was H 2 S O 4!"

Roger

[Bob Minchin]

ROFL!

Thanks Roger

In all my 50years, that is the first time anyone has written (adapted) a poem for me!

Bob

[Ed Sirett]

By "automatically triggered" I think you mean that you hear ignition clicks which light the pilot light (and in due course allow the full flow of gas)?

Cookers tend to be in one of two designs: Either there is one manually operated knob for lighting all the burners. Or on the better models each knob operates it's own sparker which is no longer heard when the flame has lit because the flame shorts the sparker out, (or maybe there is some electronics tyo detect this and stop the spark unit). Some models are half way between these design with an 'automatic ignition' for the grill/over and manual for the hob burners.

I think it is likely that there is a fair bit of gunge on the oven/grill knob which is now interfering with the switch for the ignition on same.