Thankfully, its fairly easy to replace a thermocouple and its not that expensive to do. [Explained], Can You Move a Gas or Wood Fireplace? A broken thermocouple is possible, but not likely. If that is something youre looking for, keep reading because well make it as simple as possible. This is basically the role of the pilot light. While flame is still going, put meter lids on the connectors of thermopile. 1) If there is no pilot flame, thermopile wont sense heat and wont open the valve. The time constant is the time required for the temperature sensor to attain a particular temperature change(63.2% of the step change). When thermocouple is heated by pilot flame, it begins to make electricity. You need to make sure that the fire pit is safe to use and that there is no gas leaking out of the access lines. Priddy Chimney Sweeps is licensed, bonded, and insured in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC. If you have no pilot light, it is most likely that your thermocouple is bad, and needs replacement. $2.00 coupon applied at checkout Save $2.00 with coupon. Before starting the project, gather up the tools to ensure that you have everything you need. Turn off the fireplace gas valve and remove the front panel from the fireplace. If everything isnt working properly, then it means that the thermocouple is dirty. Leo is also a Certified HVAC, Oil & Gas Heating Technician/Installer. As the seasons pass, you may find that your gas pressure drops below where it needs to be. If you are having problems with your gas fireplace, we recommend you contact a reputable gas fireplace shop or plumber who can assist. Remove any nuts holding the thermocouple in place and wiggle it out. How to Get More Heat From Your Gas Fireplace, Why is Fire Blue (Is It Hotter)? Although its cheap to replace both probes, its far cheaper to clean them first. Follow Valor on social media for exclusive news, photography and more. Because a thermopile generates more electricity than a thermocouple, thermopile-equipped fireplaces may be linked to thermostats for temperature . Pull the thermocouple out fully and replace the access door. How Do You Restart the Heaters After You Run Out of Propane, Acme How To: How To Replace a Thermocouple, E Local Plumbers Blog: How To Replace a Thermocouple. This is due to the varying electron densities of the different wires. Ah, fireplaces. Realistically, you have just disabled the thermocouple, but you can also reach in and unclip it from its holding bracket where it meets the pilot light. Most fireplaces are pretty primitive and only have a few components that can malfunction and will require repair. If your fireplace lights, its a bad wall switch and it needs to be replaced. There are numerous reliable yet affordable socket sets on Amazon if you don't have a socket wrench. Learn More Find Your Flame Wood Gas Pellet Electric Find A Store FIND YOUR LOCAL FIREPLACE DEALER You can tell if its on if the handle is parallel with the gas pipe. Soot buildup on the thermocouple may block the flame. The pilot should also have a blue flame and a vivid hue. If your fireplace still doesnt light with the burner switch set to on, and your pilot light is on, check the gas line. Though they may be tiny electrical devices, thermocouples are one of the most crucial patio heater parts. Take out the faulty thermocouple and thermopile and replace them with new ones. Procedure for Replacing a Thermocouple Turn off the gas supply to the gas valve. Heres what I found. Use a flashlight, or a shop light, to see inside the fire pit through the panel you just took off. 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. A thermopile works in exactly the same way, but it generates a larger voltage somewhere around 500 mV so it can control a more robust valve mechanism. This guide will tell you how to make sure your gas fireplace stays lit and when it may be better to call a professional to fix it. A gas fireplace that keeps shutting off is annoying, but its not the end of the world. If your pilot light is out, the thermocouple wont turn on the gas. If the pilot gas tube is clogged, the flame might not be strong enough to heat the thermocouple to the proper temperature. Pull the valve housing aside using your 13mm socket wrench. Apply today on Indeed to join our diverse team of professionals. Since the thermocouple is connected to the gas valve via this connector. Which Fireplace Insert Is Right for You: Wood or Gas. Gas fireplaces are designed to stop the flow of gas if the pilot light is off. Usually, the tip of the thermocouple touches the pilot light. Place the new thermocouple in the same place your old one sat and close up the fireplace to conduct a test. If your fire pit is fueled by propane, close the valve on the tank and disconnect the fuel line from the tank before working on the appliance. Troubleshooting any type of appliance, and especially gas appliances, can be dangerous. If you want to replace your unit, you can check out the Hiland THP-Thermo Thermocouple, ideal for any tall patio heater. It responds to temperature changes by voltage generation. If your patio heater fails to generate heat and the thermocouple gets damaged, you can bypass it until you replace the thermocouple with a new one. Daffodils and tulips make their early presence known, and of course, there is your Do You Need Chimney or Fireplace Cleaning or Inspection? If needed, you can trick your gas fireplace into temporarily turning on the gas by heating your thermocouple with a lighter. Your thermocouple voltage should be between 25mV and 30mV. All the steps above are designed to give you the knowledge to do this job yourself, but you must follow along and make sure you are conscious of the danger that playing with gas lines can bring. Stupid thing wouldn't stay on! My Gas Fireplace Repair: How to Test Your Thermopile, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space. The Fix: Pilot Light to Gas Fireplace Wont Stay Lit So youve checked your pilot light and even reset it, but still, it wont stay lit. That should be about it for the tools that you will need. Once the metal gets heated, voltage travels down a copper wire to the gas valve that controls the device. Turn on the knob from off to pilot to turn on the gas fireplace. You can heat up your thermocouple / thermopile with a lighter for 30-45 seconds, and keep it hot. You might be amazed to find out that the most straightforward fix for this is to light your pilot. Video of the Day Step 2 Remove the thermocouple access panel. Easiest way, is to light the pilot light and wait 5 minutes. Remove the clip holding the old thermocouple to the pilot light tube. Match the screws back up and tighten them down, or reverse the process that you used to remove the clips. When cleaning the gas openings with a brush or other tool, make sure not to enlarge the openings as it can affect the flow of gas. Find the thermocouple, which is located next to the pilot light and looks like a small straight pipe. Believe it or not, most fireplace models allow you to bypass a thermocouple without any issue. Sizing and heating capacities range from the petite, portrait-style . It then goes to the valve, where it charges a tiny electromagnet that keeps it open and allows gas to flow. Set your meter to VOLTS DC, and range to mV (millivolts). If you hire a contractor to do the work, it will cost $45 to $150. You can also use a lighter to heat the thermocouple. Normally, the pilot light is enough to heat it, but debris can block and affect the pilot lights flame. Sometimes, that leads to issues that can make them frustratinglike going out when you want it to stay lit. If your propane tank is empty or your natural gas line is cut off. After cleaning, should the pilot light still not stay lit, it is probably time to get new equipment. Call Air Experts at 919-480-2727 or contact us online today to schedule furnace repair service! Working with Gas and Electricity is very dangerous and should only be done by licensed plumbers / gas fitters / electricians. According to John a Quadra-Fire fireplace service technician out of Norwood MA, who does 4-7 house service calls every day, he only had to replace 5 gas valves in more than 10 years. The gas fireplace issues that youre dealing with are usually fairly fixable. You just need to make sure that you put safety first. Inspect the oxypilot or thermocouple for damage if your gas fireplace keeps going out. The voltage produced by the thermopile is in the 325 millivolts range after the pilot has been lit for at least 3 minutes. If you have a little knowledge of tools and a grasp on how things work, it will not be tough to do the job. A thermocouple, unlike a thermopile, produces somewhat less voltage. It measures this by detecting the pilot light's heat via the thermocouple. After a few minutes, turn off the fireplace and take another reading with the multimeter. Under the bracket are copper lead wires which connect to the gas valve. This indicated that VALVE, Thermopile and Thermocouple were all good. #1 Hello All - new to the forum. Install & Owners Manuals. When the connection of these two metals is heated or cooled, a voltage is created that can be linked back to the temperature. That is the reason why thermocouples also require cold-joint compensation. If flames are weak and blue they hardly reach thermocouples, therefore, they should be strengthened. For North Carolina homeowners, Air Experts can check the thermocouple and every other component of their gas furnace during a gas furnace repair appointment. The other ends of the wires are for attaching to the voltage reader. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. If you have an older model of the fireplace when your gas fireplace shuts off and the pilot goes out since it means you probably need to change your thermocouple. 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. It has worked great all these years, no issues. We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Ill help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home. It would become very frustrating if you were halfway through the process only to find out that you needed to run to the nearest hardware store. How Do You Test Patio Heater Thermocouples? Patio Heater Expert - Copyright 2022. Answered, When to Close Glass Doors on a Fireplace (The Truth). Her interests include art and real estate investments. What makes a thermocouple go bad? Proper maintenance of your gas fireplace can help prevent issues with your fireplace such as trouble keeping the unit lit. Fireplacetips.com 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. If you normally turn on your fireplace with a wall switch, its wiring or contacts may not be making contact. If youre reading it below 25 millimeters, you should purchase a new model. Step 2: Connecting the House Current. Remove the thermopile wiring connector from the gas control. When replacing a thermocouple or thermopile with the help of a professional, you can expect to pay between $150 and $250. Answered. You can find Tyler getting outdoors whenever he can and nerding out about fireplace technology in his free time. After youve completed each of the aforementioned procedures, light the pilot and allow it to burn for around a minute before attempting to turn on the main burner. How much is a new thermocouple? While lower in voltage than a thermopile, a thermocouple does its best. Recently, the thermostat (simple mercury switch style) stopped turning the fireplace on as it should. Want some nicer rocks or logs for your gas fireplace? Manage Settings How Do You Clean a Thermocouple on a Propane Heater? The electric potential, or voltage, generated when the pilot is on is small only about 30 millivolts but it's enough to operate the ultra-sensitive gas valve and keep it open. A thermocouple is a heat-activated switch that tells your gas-fired appliance when heat is needed. Put your thermocouple back into position. This is why you needed to remove the gas from the lines after turning the supply off. However, this may lower the maximum temperature you can attain. The most complicated, expensive to buy and/or replace part is the gas valve. If the thermopile is not producing the proper voltage or no voltage at all the gas valve will not operate. If the main burner flame of the fireplace turns on at this . Though gas fireplaces can exude smoke and heat, mounting a TV over one is actually fairly safe. When this happens, theres no need to panic, as the possible cause of the problem might be something easily fixed without needing the help of a technician. Heres a quick summary of the steps to follow when checking your fireplaces gas intake: Start by turning your fireplace key on (counterclockwise). If your pilot light is turning on but youre not getting gas, and youve checked everything else, consider replacing your thermocouple. It is a device used inside a gas furnace in Kansas, to assist the pilot light in keeping your furnace running and safe. 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. Give the thermocouple about 15 minutes to heat up and then turn on the flame to make sure it all stays functioning. It should be mostly blue, burn steadily and be large enough to engulf the thermocouple probe. Hi, my names Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. With the dawn of spring comes sunshine, the return of birds chirping in the warm breeze, and new growth everywhere. This is capable of diluting the natural gas, making the light go off. Try the following DIY fix at home for a fireplace that wont stay lit. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. The gas valve handle must be rotated so that it lies perpendicular to the pipe. Even today, we use them to cozy up on colder days. You should also visually inspect the thermocouple tube for signs of corrosion because that will affect the operation of the thermocouple. Place one lead on one of its sides. Step 2: Disconnect the probe from the clamp. If you dont know where to look for patio heater thermocouples, check around your heaters flame. 5 Steps to Bypass a Thermocouple On a Fire Pit 1. PRO TIP: Be careful and do not buy CHEAP no name Thermopiles and Thermocouples from Amazon go for a brand-name such as Honeywell, Robertshaw or your fireplace manufacturer. This type of gas valve used a single thermocouple. With the help of a stainless steel brush and fine-grit sandpaper, you can scrub off as much piled up soot as possible. If you dont hear clicking, theres likely a problem with your pilot light. Another common culprit is incorrect gas pressure. When cleaning, be careful not to get liquid inside the rest of the remote as it can damage its internal components. The purpose of the ODS is to shut off the supply of gas to the heater/fireplace when the oxygen level drops below 18%. https://www.hunker.com/12604220/how-to-clean-the-thermocouple-in-a-gas-fireplace. Is It Too Late to Get a Chimney Inspection in Winter Months? Due to the function of your thermocouple and thermopile, its only logical that they will build up carbon deposits from burning all the time. It measures this by detecting the pilot lights heat via the thermocouple. Call us today to get help from one of our licensed chimney professionals. The Thermocouple and the Thermopile carry out a similar function of converting heat to electricity, but the thermopile generates more electrical current compared to the thermocouple. Pull off the complete thermocouple setup after that. If you have access to the thermocouple without taking the lines off, you can leave them connected if you want. Remove glass or anything covering the pilot burner assembly. To bypass the thermocouple: Move the tilts switch wire aside. A wires diameter determines its temperature range. Its always a good idea to test your thermocouple with a multimeter to rule out the possibility of it being the reason behind your gas fireplaces not staying lit. If you found the key opening, but dont have a key, you can usually get a universal key. Grasp the sides and pull the panel up and away. An avid craftsman and musician, Deziel began writing on home improvement topics in 2010. Next, unscrew the wires from the wall switch and pull them off. 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