The pilot light on my gas fire won't stay on

[Chris]

The pilot light on my gas fire won't stay on.

Any ideas?

As soon as I release the gas push-button, after the recommended twenty seconds, the pilot light goes out.

[Sparks]

It is probably the thermocouple

if you look at the flame (while holding the button) is there something the flame is licking round?

Sparks...

[Chris]

In article , Sparks writes

Well ... I think so - and the manual makes reference to a thermocouple. The stove is a Jotul GF 3 BV CE. It's four years old. For the first three years I left the pilot light on - but for this summer I turned it off - and last week it wouldn't stay on. Should I have left the pilot light on throughout the summer? How much gas would that use, anyway?

[Sparks]

I think is is somthing like £15-20 per yer IIRC

If it's this one

looks like it may well have a 5 year warranty

Sparks...

[Set Square]

The pilot light heats up a thermocouple which produces a very small amount of electric current - but sufficient to feed a coil in the gas valve which holds the gas on. Pressing the button over-rides the flame failure device, and allows the pilot to be lit.

If the pilot doesn't stay lit, the possible causes are:

• Pilot flame not strong enough to heat the thermocouple

• Incorrectly aligned thermocouple

• Crud in the pilot jet, deflecting the flame away from the thermocouple

• Duff electrical connection between thermocouple and gas valve

• Duff coil in gas valve

So check that the flame is of a reasonable size, and that the TC is in the hottest (blue) part of the flame. Check the connections and, if necessary, check the continuity of the coil to which the TC connects.

[Rob Morley]

I have a "living flame" gas fire that does this - the thermocouple doesn't get warm enough and the gas cuts out because it thinks the pilot light has gone out. If I warm the thermocouple with a blowlamp the pilot light manages to keep it warm and the pilot stays lit. It could be that the thermocouple is faulty or wrongly positioned, or that the pilot jet is partially blocked.

[Dave Fawthrop]

| > Any ideas? | >

| > As soon as I release the gas push-button, after the recommended twenty | > seconds, the pilot light goes out. | | It is probably the thermocouple | | if you look at the flame (while holding the button) is there something the | flame is licking round?

I have had a thermocouple which was there by the above test but did not work. Thermocouples are commonly available and easily replaced.

[Ed Sirett]

For many gas fires the pilot is also an atmospheric sensing device. These are usually sold as complete units. I think the manufacturers don't trust anyone to install the t/couple in the right position. The positioning of the t/couple is crucial to the correct operation.

However with a bit of luck you just might have some debris stopping the flame neatly hit the end of the t/couple.

[Kevin]

The pilot light on my gas heater won't stay on

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Must be pretty old, Pilot lights went out with the dinosaurs. Brian

[alan_m]

The fire was 3 years old 14 years ago when the original question was asked!