The Chimney Sweep Online Fireplace, Woodstove, Gas Stove and Barbecue Shop
The Chimney Sweep Online Fireplace, Woodstove, Gas Stove and Barbecue Shop
A: First, you should have an overview of what a safety pilot does and how it works. In a safety pilot
system the pilot remains lit all heating season, and lights the burners when you call for heat. When lit, the pilot
flame licks onto a pencil-sized metal tube called a thermopile. The pilot flame is actually burning up the
thermopile, but very, very slowly. As the thermopile burns, energy is transferred in the form of thousandths of a
volt (millivolts) of electricity. This electric charge powers a mechanism that holds the gasline open. Step 1: Locate the Gas Control Knob & Igniter | The gas control knob and igniter are located behind the drop-down door in the pedestal under the firebox. When the arrow on the knob is pointing straight up at the gold arrow at 12:00, the pilot is turned OFF.The gas control knob is spring loaded. The spring pushes the knob outward (toward you), which engages locking splines that keep it from being turned accidentally. To adjust the knob, you'll have to push it in slightly to disengage the locking splines. |
Step 2: Turn the Control Knob to the Pilot position | Press in on the gas control knob slightly. As you depress the knob, you'll feel it slip out of the locking splines so it turns freely. As soon as you feel it slip free, maintain inward pressure while turning it to the Pilot position (about 1/8 turn counter-clockwise, at 11:00). Release your finger pressure, and the knob will lock into the Pilot position.If the knob doesn't lock into place, depress it slightly while turning it left and right a bit until you feel that it is centered in the locking channel, and then release it. |
Step 3: Locate the Pilot Assembly inside the Firebox | Note: Before proceeding to steps 3 and 4, Mendota recommends that you remove the viewing window.Remove the viewing window and position yourself so you can look into the firebox and locate the pilot assembly. You should be concentrating on the pilot hood, which looks like a tiny gray Space Needle.To help you locate the pilot hood, darken the room and press in on the spark igniter button a few times. Each time it clicks, a spark will jump to the pilot hood. |
Step 4: Light the Pilot | Push in firmly on the gas control knob with one thumb while clicking the spark igniter button repeatedly with the other until the pilot lights. The thumb pressure holds the gasline open until the pilot flame can heat up the thermopile, so you must keep the knob depressed for about 45 seconds (until the thermopile heats up) before you can discontinue the thumb pressure.If the pilot goes out when you remove your thumb, the thermopile didn't heat up sufficiently to hold the gas line open: wait a couple of minutes and repeat the process until the pilot stays lit with your thumb off. |
Step 5: Turn the Control Knob to the On Position | Once you can remove your thumb, depress and turn the knob to the ON position at 9:00. With the pilot going and the knob turned to the ON position, you can now light the burners with the manual switch (or thermostat or hand-held remote if you have these).If you can't get the pilot to stay lit no matter how long you manually hold the gasline open, you might need a new thermopile. These do burn up eventually, and need to be replaced when they're no longer generating enough millivolts to hold the gasline open. |
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