Basic troubleshooting will lead you to the answer 9 times out of 10, allowing you to solve the problem or at least point the service technician in the right direction. Hold for 20 seconds. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to adjust the pilot if necessary. Anything less than a 25 millivolt reading and the thermocouple will require replacing. Make sure to hold down the pilot button for 20 seconds or so before releasing it to give the thermocouple the appropriate amount of time to heat up. How to Clean your Thermopile and Thermocouple, Home Maintenance Parts You Should Have In Your House Right Now, Oil Change and Filter Parts for 2008 Cadillac Escalade, Installing a Water Pressure Gauge and Hot Water Feed to a Whole House Humidifier, Product Review: Lutron Maestro 600 3-Way Occupancy Sensor Switch, Testing and Replacing a Hot Water Expansion Tank, DIY: Fix a Ferrari Testarossa / 512 TR Hot Start Problem, Review: Honeywell EconoSWITCH Programmable Timer. That would be a pilot tube obstruction in most cases. There’s a chance that you can bypass the electronic ignition entirely and perform a manual lighting. All of these screws into a designated port on your gas valve. Test with a multimeter. 1. One of those instances is where the pilot light is on but still won’t light. 3. Clear out clogs or blockages. If you’ve checked the breaker and are satisfied, the next place to go is to the electronic ignition check or perhaps a fuse depending on your model of fireplace. If your gas is on but the pilot hasn’t been lit in at least a few months, you will have to purge all of the air out of your pilot tubing. The probe has two different metals to it and the voltage gets generated when one of them is heated. The pilot light should be approximately the height of the flame on a cigarette lighter. First and foremost, ensure that there aren’t any potential fuel issues keeping your fireplace from lighting. If the pilot doesn't light, wait a couple minutes and try again. I have a new construction home with a gas fireplace (Copreci VCS-ECOMOD) that won't stay on when lit. In most cases, you’ll be lighting the pilot light once a year. Always refer to your unit’s manual for specific instructions. Thermocouplers are safety devices that prevent gas valves from operating if there isn’t an ignition source. For this reason, leaving the pilot light on is the best idea. Check to see if it is located withing the pilot light flame. The thermocouple achieves this thanks to the probe. If I leave the pilot on, the pilot is stable and stays lit indefinitely. During changing seasons the need for additional heat is not always predictable; leaving the pilot light on makes for quicker access to comfort. #gasfireplacerepair #fireplacepilotlight #pilotlightwontstaylitWe show how to easily fix a gas fireplace pilot light to stay lit. When in doubt, check out your owner’s manual for specific instructions on lighting the electric ignition through a battery pack if yours has that function. Nine out of ten times, that’s it. Place lead connectors. Hold the pilot button down for about 20 seconds to give the thermocouple time to … The first issue is that the pilot light will frequently go out and need to be relit. Light a match or butane candle lighter and hold it near the burner in the fireplace. If a cold draft blows the pilot out on a regular basis, relight the pilot and check out the vent cap. The color of the flame can be an indicator of the gas flow. Another potential issue that can keep your gas fireplace from staying lit is that the thermopile may have gone bad. The flames normally appear for a few minutes. 3. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan. The entire point of the thermocouple is to keep your pilot lit. It’s incredibly versatile and can prove helpful in a wide variety of situations. Like anything else in this work, the thermocouple can wear down over time and stop working. Should you replace one of those components, turn the breaker off all the way and then back on again before trying it out. 1. Extend the life of the thermopile and your gas fireplace in general by having regular maintenance performed, once a year at least. The most common reason why a pilot light system in a gas fireplace quits working is that the pilot light is dirty and needs to be disassembled and cleaned. But the thing is that, even though the fuel source is gas, it still uses an electronic ignition to spark the pilot and start the fire in your fireplace. If the pilot light starts to flicker and looks like it may light but then simply burns out, the thermopile is usually the problem. Start the pilot. Because of this, the yellow flame will not adequately heat up the thermocouple, and the gas supply to the pilot light will be shut off. Low gas pressure can also hinder the activity of the spark ignitor. In order to do this, you will need to hold down the pilot button for anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes; doing so allows the air to bleed out. Purging the Pilot Tubing 1. The valve can get turned off and forgotten about quite easily. Either issue will prevent the fireplace from remaining lit. If the pilot light is out, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for re-lighting it. With the gas on, push in and hold the pilot valve while igniting the pilot light. I have a Lennox gas fireplace the pilot light is lit but the fireplace won't turn on. Bypassing the ignition. If the flame lights and only goes out after releasing the gas control knob, however, that’s a prime sign that your thermocouple is malfunctioning. Using double-sided tape can... Troubleshooting a Fireplace That Stops Working. A battery backup kicks in if the power goes out to make sure it works. The pilot like should be burning blue and with a relatively sharp flame, like a minature blow torch. This light is always lit. The pilot flame should look like a small, sharp blue flame, like a small blowtorch. Check the service instructions that come with your fireplace. Sitting around a fireplace during the chilly weather is cozy but it is not so cozy when some of that charcoal gets onto your carpet. Clear debris. Sometimes it can be as simple as a faulty fireplace vent cap. Wood logs do not burn with a blue flame colour, so a gas fireplace needs yellow or … 2. Hold the gas control button down while you hold the end of a lighted match or lighter at the end of the pilot tube. 4. This was working not even 2 weeks ago, and to my knowledge, nothing has changed other than the temperature outside has dropped about 20 degrees. Pilot light is lit. Unfortunately, when the thermopile goes bad, that’s a repair that has to be performed by a professional service. |, DIY: Gas Fireplace Won’t Light? Its a Copreci VCS-ECOMOD. And, of course, the pilot light itself could simply blow out. Check the gas regulator. Examine the gas line for any bends. Most gas fireplaces list a recommended pilot light height you should adhere to. Once the pilot is lit, hold the pilot valve in for 60 seconds. After a minute or so, place a lead on the connector and the other lead on the shaft of the thermocouple. He enjoys listening to others' opinions before politely pointing out that they're completely wrong. A draft stopper may be necessary to prevent that draft from blowing out the pilot light. The thing to keep in mind is that the pilot can go out for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with the thermocouple. If it continues to extinguish the flame, replace the vent cap; if you don’t have one, call in a service technician to perform the installation. Achieving a toasty fire is as easy as knowing how to light a gas fireplace. Keep your fireplace on a single breaker if at all possible. The pilot should start as soon as the flame is close enough. Another issue is that the pilot has gas coming out, but it won’t stay lit. Something about a light switch being less than ideal for this application, and corrosion or something,...it probably can't hurt to try. Doing so will ensure that the breaker won’t trip and that you won’t blow a fuse, either. Then it turns a blue flame, and slowly disappears until even the pilot light goes out. Obviously there is gas to the pilot light but (I guess) not to the main burner. Or during the summer when you are barbequing, you may have tracked... How To Remove Double-Sided Tape and Residue (Step-by-Step Guide). Some but not all of the gas fireplaces out there will come with an electronic ignition. You can adjust the flame height by turning the gas … Ever wondered what to do when the gas fireplace pilot light won’t stay lit? He loves to blog about construction, plumbing, and other home topics. Because this is a real flame, will not effect like that of electric fireplaces. To light a gas pilot, the button on the combination gas valve must be pushed down which allows gas to enter the pilot tube and exit through the pilot termination head. The pilot light systems are actually the most common reason that gas fireplaces do not light, however. 3. 3. Straighten the line if necessary. 3. 3. Flames are not reaching thermocouple and thermopile. Gas Burner Doesn’t Light in Fireplace. 1. 2. Double-sided tape is a tool used around the home for both repair and modification. How Do You Reset the Pilot Light on a Gas Fireplace? . One of our customers had a standard gas log set on his fireplace. The way that this is done is through a tiny electric current that gets sent to a sensor on the gas valve. If it has a yellow-orange tint to it and looks small, it might be too weak to properly heat the thermocouple. The current signals to the valve that it should stay open. Once I light the fireplace, the fireplace will come on and run for about 5-10 minutes then shut off. Clear out clogs or blockages. To find out if you need a new one, turn the gas valve to pilot and then depress the override button. How To Get Charcoal Out Of Carpet (Step-by-Step Guide). Clear away the debris and try it again. There are also issues with insects and spiders that lay their nests inside of the pilot tubing, particularly in rural areas. Call your supplier to find out about low gas pressure in the supply. No heat is being generated by the pilot so the glass door on your fireplace will not be warm to the touch. If you can determine that the igniter isn’t bad, it is more likely that you have a worn-out thermocouple. If done properly, the light should start the instant that the flame is close enough to do so. To prevent it from happening again, make sure the vent cap is secure. When I turn it on, it starts up, normal amounts of flame. Usually, you can find this light on older models of propane appliances. When the thermocouple does wear down and finally stop working, the pilot can’t remain lit and your fireplace won’t work as it should. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. This has been a common concern for people who own a gas fireplaces. When the pilot doesn’t light at all, it likely is not the thermocouple that is at fault. When your gas fireplace won’t light, but you have a spark ignitor, there are a few things that you can do to resolve the issue. 2. This makes starting the fireplace quick and easy with minimum fuss. A short video of fixing another common problem with gas appliances. The pilot light systems are actually the most common reason that gas fireplaces do not light, however. Using a multimeter, you can check this for yourself but may need to have a helper to keep the pilot burning as you do so. 2. When this is the case, it can reduce the overall reliability of your fireplace as a whole. And the most common reason why a gas fireplace wont light when the switch is turned on is a dirty pilot burner. I tested the thermostat (I have two of these) and that's not it. Just one less thing to worry about when it is HOT out. 1. A plugged pilot jet. Check the main gas valve. With the pilot off, there are still trace amounts of gas molecules in the burner and pilot tubes of your fireplace. But then, the pilot cuts out, cutting off the flow of gas to the logs. If you have successfully re-lit your pilot light, ensured that the orifice is clean, and the fireplace still refuses to ignite, there could be an issue with the thermopile, thermocouple or wiring. I have another video of replacing a thermocouple. Pull the match or light away when the burner lights. Turn on the supply line to the gas fireplace. Flame-Lit Pilot Light. Every fireplace … For those uninitiated with gas fireplaces, it may sound confusing to hear that there are electronic components within. The thermocouple, for instance, will have a probe that is attached to a copper tube. There is nothing quite like setting the mood and getting things toasty warm by the fire in the dead of winter. Start the pilot with your assistant holding the gas control knob in place. The thing about gas fireplaces is that they rarely offer a flashing sign that says what the problem is. If the pilot repeatedly doesn’t light after multiple tries, then the thermocouple is probably bad. Gas fireplace flame color is typically designed to burn with red flames, not blue flame, for a more natural look. Always start by checking out the breakers and fuses if you have a modern house. If the vent free gas logs or vented gas logs still will not ignite, the most likely culprit is a dirty pilot light, or a pilot light that is not lit. The first thing that you should do is to check the main gas valve. The process is relatively simple and can save you in a jam. Turn the gas key to release gas to the burner. If the gas fireplace still refuses to light or stay lit, the wiring or thermopile may be damaged. This is another relatively small piece of your fireplace that converts heat to electricity, ultimately opening up … Unfortunately, there are times where the fireplace just doesn’t work. This means that your family will be warm unless the pilot light goes out. With the pilot light continuously on flame is instantly available at the owner's convenience. The burner is placed below the thermocouple and pilot. Sometimes gas fireplace won’t stay lit because it is not receiving sufficient gas to keep the flame going. link to How To Get Charcoal Out Of Carpet (Step-by-Step Guide), link to How To Remove Double-Sided Tape and Residue (Step-by-Step Guide). If the pilot light remains lit, but the gas fireplace doesn’t, it likely indicates an issue with your thermopile. Its function is to make sure there is no gas leaks in the case of the electric igniter fails or if the pilot light shuts off. It has to be heated before the gas … Try lighting the pilot. Check for debris. The good thing about most gas appliances is that they all have shared design features. Hold it down for at least 30 seconds in order for the thermocouple to get warmed up. If the pilot is lit, and you flip the wall switch and the fireplace does not come on, the most common problem is that the control valve is not turned all the way counter-clockwise to the “On” position. There are also issues with insects and spiders that lay their nests inside of the pilot tubing, particularly in rural areas. First, hold down the gas control button while also holding the end of your lighter or lit match towards the end of the pilot tube. The next most likely cause is a poor electrical connection someplace, commonly a wall switch. So, being able to troubleshoot the issue is of the utmost importance. Sometimes, the pilot light is lit and the gas is turned on yet the gas burner fails to light up. For this reason, leaving the pilot light on is the best idea. These components will generally last a couple of years before they burn out and become ineffective; this is entirely due to regular wear and tear most of the time. Thankfully, there are a few ways to isolate the thermocouple and determine its operational status. Checking the thermocouple. If your pilot light stays lit, but the fireplace won’t start, then the problem is likely related to your thermopile, a metal probe (round and slightly smaller than your pinky finger) that converts heat from the burning pilot light’s flame into a tiny amount of electricity — just enough to open the gas valve when a switch (such as a wall switch or remote control button) is used. Another thing to try is lighting the pilot light yourself if you don’t see a flame. 1. A gas fireplace flame color is yellow or red flames and is the exception to the rule. Ryan Womeldorf has more than a decade of experience writing. The first place to start when your pilot light is on but you’re still not getting a flame is with your breakers and fuses in a modern home. You may have knocked it out or it’s defective. 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