Canon won't fire!

[Dave]

I've a gas fire problem witha Canon Coldridge that won't light! The gas supply is ok (afaik), can hear it when I hold the ign switch in, and there is an ignition spark (although I have seen better "blue" arcs).

What are the three "parts" in the picture... igniter, pilot? and ? Are these parts replacable - or is a Corgi registered only job?

the thing does light, the colour of the entire thing is as it always was (from new) but the flame around the "pilot" (as I'm calling!) is yellowish - and I don't recall it being that colour before - and it seems bigger and brighter too.

I'm pretty sure the flu/ventilation is ok - but the fire hasn't been used since last April. Ecen when new it took 2 or 3 clicks to get it to light.

Thanks.

[Andrew Gabriel]

If it's your own house and you aren't renting it out, then you can do it yourself if you are competent. However, if you don't know what all the parts are and how they work, then by definition, you aren't competent.

Probably pilot light is dirty -- air holes blocked. The area around it looks rathy manky, but picture isn't large enough to be able to see clearly.

Looks like the whole gas fire needs a service, as it's most unlikely that just the pilot light needs servicing.

How?

There could be a few dead pigeons in the flue now, even if it was OK last April. However, that's nothing to do with the pilot not lighting.

That's not uncommon for that type of ignition.

[Dave]

I did think it was a ff sensor (really) but wanted to see what was said.

Well one can become competent by knowledge and practice you know, Anyway I don't want to get into the how-clever one has to be to fix a gas fire. Safety and knowledge *does* matter to me and unless I understand what I'm doing I won;t do it.

How can you tell that from the picture then? (Not saying it doesnt - just wonder how you can tell that give the pic isn't large enough)?

From the force of draught drawing when the fire isn't there.

Not unless they've cut through the anti-bird cages on the pots there aren't

[Dan delaMare-Lyon]

Careful now - you've seen Chicken Run - well pigeons are even more cunning ;-)

Cheers Dan.

[Ed Sirett]

As regular posters already know, I'm not an extreme leave-it-to-the-pro person. However "Atmospheric sensing pilots" are not intended to be site repaired (unlike boiler thermocouples) you should replace the entire pilot assembly (around £20 give or take obtainable from the manufactuer). Of course making sure there is no debris or spark short etc. can be done first to eliminate the other causes.

As you may be replacing the part you will then have to follow all the tests described in the manual. You'll need smoke pellets and matches to check the chimney out.