gas fireplace won't start when control knob is release

My fireplace won't start when I released the control knob. I installed this fireplace about 3 years.It worked well the first year, the second year it worked now and then last year when I pressed the control knob, press ignitor button, it light up, but when I released the control knob, it died.

I tried again today, there was not pilot light. Please help. This is the first time I tried to do it by myself. Please give me simple, easy to follow instruction. Thank you. Kim

Reply to
kimbinh
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on 10/6/2007 11:40 AM snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net said the following:

There probably is air in the gas line from sitting so long. You have to hold the igniter in for a minute or two until the air is pushed out of the line by the gas. This happens to me every year upon its first start of the season.

Reply to
willshak

Hi, Or thermocouple may be bad or loose in it's connection at the valve side.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

on 10/6/2007 12:20 PM willshak said the following:

I just went up to start my fireplace and purge the air from the pipe before I really need to start it this winter. I took me almost 3 minutes of holding the dial in to purge the air before the pilot would light. Let's check some steps since this is your first time lighting it alone.

  1. Is there a gas line shutoff in the line going into the fireplace? It should be a 1/4 turn valve and it is open when the handle is lined up with the pipe. Mine is hidden behind a short bookcase next to the fireplace.
  2. (this is for my fireplace.Yours may be different) Turn the dial to 'Pilot' and push the dial in and hold it in.
  3. Press the igniter button. Can you see the pilot burner? Does the igniter create a spark to the pilot tube? It should, whether or not gas is present.
  4. If there is a spark, but the pilot does not light, continue to hold the dial in. This may take a long time depending upon the distance between the pilot tube and the gas line shutoff (the longer the distance, the more air present). You can release the dial temporarily to switch thumbs if necessary. I found it was. :-)
  5. Every so often, while still holding the dial in, press the igniter button to see if the pilot lights.
  6. If the pilot does light, release the dial but do not turn it off 'Pilot', Watch the pilot tube until the pilot flame heats the end of the tube to cherry red.
  7. When the tube end is cherry red, move the dial to a burner position. The burners should light up, and you're good to go. If all the above fails to light the fireplace, call a plumber or a friend, person, Ex, that knows how to check further. Good luck, and let us know how it works out.
Reply to
willshak

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