You just need to make sure that you put safety first. The other ends of the wires are for attaching to the voltage reader. Step 3: Take the thermocouple you removed to the repair shop. The most complicated, expensive to buy and/or replace part is the gas valve. You can also use a lighter to heat the thermocouple. How To Disconnect Propane Tank from Fire Pit, How to get more heat from a propane fire pit. Thermopile is a low voltage generator that creates 650-800mv of DC electricity, that keeps the main burner gas valve open. Alternatively, use a round object 2-3-inches to bend it. A. Thermocouple-Only: Found in: Most gas log sets with standard safety pilot knob control. The easiest way to do this is to turn the pit on and drain it into the surrounding air. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Try turning on the fireplace as usual. Clean the threads of its attachment screw using your pencil eraser. Pull off the complete thermocouple setup after that. Stupid thing wouldn't stay on! Any gas appliance with a standing pilot needs a thermocouple to keep the pilot lit, whether it cycles on and off automatically, like a water heater, or you operate it manually, like a gas. 2 connectors for attaching to an anti-tilt device. You can get a technician to help you make the necessary adjustments. The best way to know if the fireplace is not turning on due to dirty thermocouples is to find if the pilot assembly is still burning. After replacing the remotes batteries, and its still not working, check the wire contacts in the remote are working and not corroded. After turning your fireplace key, listen for any gas entering your fireplace (you may have to remove your fireplace glass door before you can hear it, see below). If the pilot is dirty and needs to be cleaned, you will have a very weak flame. Patio Heater Expert - Copyright 2022. Pull the valve housing aside using your 13mm socket wrench. 1) If there is no pilot flame, thermopile wont sense heat and wont open the valve. Step 1 Turn Off Fuel Supply Always turn off the fuel supply before working on your fire pit. Your reading should be zero. VentFree.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. These commissions help to keep the rest of my content free, so thank you! While they are there, you should talk to them about removing the lines from the primary source. Remove your thermocouple from the heater using an 8mm wrench. If youd like a visual of the above troubleshooting steps, check out this video by Mike Klimek. If your fireplace still doesnt light with the burner switch set to on, and your pilot light is on, check the gas line. How To Get A Yellow Flame In A Fire Pit . Set your meter to ohms. If you find the flame is yellow (learn more about fire colors here) after turning it on and covering the probe, it implies that the intake holes should be cleaned. How do you clean a thermocouple on a gas fireplace? How do you bypass a thermocouple? Winter Savings - Save up to $800 Save big on new Regency Gas Fireplaces, Inserts, Stoves and Electric Fireplaces this winter. What Do Thermocouples Do on Patio Heaters? Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you. Thermocouples are sensors used to measure temperature. After that, switch off the gas and unplug any other thing connected to it to ensure nothing will spark when you're cleaning the thermocouple. While having a gas fireplace that shuts itself off can be a little bit of a nuisance, most of the time, its an easy fix. If youdochoose to DIY it, make sure to follow the steps to the letter and keep an eye on other parts while you do it. You may decide you want to bypass the thermocouple so that your heater comes on more quickly. How much is a new thermocouple? As you can see, this is why it is crucial to be in an open area away from anything that could cause a spark. Use the wrench to unscrew the connector that holds the thermocouple to the gas valve, then unhook the probe from its clip and pull out the entire thermocouple assembly. Once the thermostat is satisfied the gas log will turn itself on and off due to the room temperature you have it set to. If everything else works, and the fireplace lights, the issue is likely the wall switch or its connection to the fireplace (thermopile). The thermocouple must stay in constant contact with the flame of the pilot. This occurs by virtue of a phenomenon known as the Seebeck effect, whereby an electric potential is generated between dissimilar metals when there's a large temperature difference, and the thermocouple probe and tubing are indeed made of different metals. In most cases, a thermocouple that has gone bad wont be able to be fixed. Remove the valve using your pliers. In addition to the condition of the flame, the color of the fire emitted by the pilot makes a difference. This is basically the role of the pilot light. GA3650TB GA3650TB Blower fan kit fits DESA Fireplaces made under the brand names of Comfort Glow, FMI and Vanguard GA3750A GA3750A Blower fan kit fits DESA Fireplaces made under the brand names of Comfort Glow, FMI and Vanguard CDCF Fireplace Parts Comfort Glow compact ventfree fireplaces CDCFNR fireplace in Natural gas CDCFPR fireplace in Propane This thermocouple provides a millivolt signal to the gas valve allowing the appliance to stay running. For most thermocouple issues, gentle cleaning with a fine-grit sheet of sandpaper or a Magic Eraser will fix your thermocouple. Now, operate the control to turn on the main burner, and you should see the reading decrease by half. Here's a quick guide on how to bypass it: When youre mounting the TV, make sure to use sturdy equipment. Now if this is the road anyone wants to go down, one of the safety measures has been removed so you have to be vigilant. Also found in certain gas space heaters and construction-site portable heaters. Dont worry, that is completely normal. Not all gas fireplaces rely on electricity to function. There are numerous reliable yet affordable. Starting up a gas fireplace begins with shifting the pilot light to the on position. Take the thermocouple to the hardware store to purchase a new one. We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. In addition to roofing and remodeling, Leo is passionate about Solar, green building and energy conservation, so a lot of my time and energy goes to installing energy efficient heating and cooling systems. Though it will add some risk, not using a thermocouple will only raise the risk to the same level as a gas grill. This is important, particularly if the pilot light is out, because it prevents harmful gas from leaking into your home. A 1/8 inch NPT plug, accessible for test gauge connection, must be installed immediately upstream of the gas supply . If you set the flame too high, the flame will impinge the glass and cause soot buildup over time. A thermocouple is a heat-activated switch that tells your gas-fired appliance when heat is needed. When the heat reaches the thermocouple's second junction, it creates an electrical voltage. {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}. Normally, the pilot light is enough to heat it, but debris can block and affect the pilot lights flame. Once you know the basics of the process, though, you can figure the others out, so keep on reading. $2.00 coupon applied at checkout Save $2.00 with coupon. If flames are weak and blue they hardly reach thermocouples, therefore, they should be strengthened. You can use your manufacturers guide to locate these. How does a thermocouple work? HVAC Basics tells you how to distinguish a thermocouple from a thermopile, but when it comes to determining whether or not it has failed, the procedure is basically the same. So, if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links on this site, I receive a commission for it. It should be mostly blue, burn steadily and be large enough to engulf the thermocouple probe. Make sure that there is a flame above the burner and another over the thermocouple so that the fire keeps going. Else, its a bad high limit switch. Hereof,how do you change a thermocouple on a gas fireplace? The best way to clean your thermocouple is to use either a piece of steel wool or the coarse side of a sponge to gently clean off any soot or other remnants. To bypass the thermocouple: Move the tilts switch wire aside. Just follow these steps to bypass the thermocouple: Firstly, push the tilt switch wire out of the way and use an 8mm wrench to remove the thermocouple. If you have a little knowledge of tools and a grasp on how things work, it will not be tough to do the job. You may have to wiggle it a bit before it comes loose. It should also be touching the surrounding sensors such as the thermocouple and thermopile. You can tell if its on if the handle is parallel with the gas pipe. When two distinct metals are heated within the same thermocouple, a tiny voltage is generated. If you skip that step, you will be letting out some gas, which can be a fire hazard or health hazard. How much does it cost to fix a pilot light? 5.1k . available from Radio Crap or www.hosfelt.com. ft. of . You can contact us via our contact form if you have any inquiries about patio heating. Locate the thermocouple proper. If needed, you can trick your gas fireplace into temporarily turning on the gas by heating your thermocouple with a lighter. Nowadays, most people have gas fireplaces instead of wood. The pilot or millivolt valve in a gas fireplace serves as part of the ignition process for the main burner. The thermopile, on the other hand, opens up the gas valve when the fireplaces are turned on. Whether its mounted in the wall or in a mantle, theres nothing as relaxing as sitting with your loved one in front of your fireplace on a cold night at home talking about everything and anything. Do not light any matches or candles nearby. Get everyone out of the house (pets included) and call 911 once youre outside. [Explained], Can You Move a Gas or Wood Fireplace? Note that gas fireplace installations cost around $2,300 to $10,000. You will want to know what type and style it is when you order it. 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