Cannon Manor B.F Gas Fire not staying alight

[staro30]

Hi,

We have a Cannon Manor B.F Gas Fire that is not staying alight. The pilot lights (although I have to change the battery every 3 weeks or so) and 15 secs should be enough time to hold the control knob down for the fire to stay alight. It doesn't! Often it can take 15 mins but yesterday I gave up after 3 hours!

We had the same problem 5 years ago and a gas engineer replaced the thermocouple but that did not solve the problem. When he put the old thermocouple back in, it worked better so we have been 'managing it' since then.

The fire has something called a 'Delayed Ignition System' which may be involved.

Anyone have experience with this fire who can help? Cannon merged with Flavel many years ago.

Thanks
Staro

 

[hertsboilers]

Just a guess, might be just a week pilot, not strong enough to heat the thermocouple, in this case the pilot injector needed to be cleaned.

 

[staro30]

Thanks for the tip. I havn't noticed a decrease in the power of the pilot flame though. After 3 hours I would of though it would be hot enough.

Usually, the first use of the fire in the winter season requires the control knob to be held down for a long time but as we use the fire more, that time decreases until we only have to hold it down for the required 15 secs. This year its doing the opposite.

Same symptons as 5 yrs ago when a new thermocouple didn't resolve the problem and after a clean it worked better.

Would I be able to clean the the pilot injector myself rather than a gas engineer?

 

[Burnerman]

The same applies if the pilot jet isn't fully playing on the thermocouple, but I'd go for a slight jet blockage too. Can you get some thin fuse wire down it?
John

 

[staro30]

Thanks for the advice.

Thin fuse wire down where?

 

[Burnerman]

The pilot jet is just that.....a brass nipple with a small hole drilled through it - which can get restricted with dust etc. The fuse wire can be poked down, if its accessible enough.
Sometimes the jet can just unscrew, but dabbling with gas other than the real basics will bring much disapproval from this forum!
You can get aerosols pressurised with inert gas which may help you here.
John

 

[FiremanT]

but dabbling with gas other than the real basics will bring much disapproval from this forum!

Dabbling yourself as a DIYer is probably bad, but actually encouraging it i against the rules of this forum, and common sense.

It may well not be the pilot anyway!!

 

[staro30]

I gave it good clean!

Took off the top canopy, bottom fender, glass screen and fake coals. Could see the burners, pilot jet and termocouple. It wasn't particularly dusty or dirty. Gave everything a good hoover and blow and the problem remains.

A man is coming to fix!

 

[staro30]

Hi,

A man has visited and has replaced the thermocouple but that is not the major problem. The fire needs a new interruptor swicth which he hopes to source but may not be able to as the fire is over 20 yrs old.

This is just info for anyway else who has had or will have this issue with this model of gas fire.

Cheers
Staro