gas fire switches off sporadically??

[spence_spark]

please help..fire is a cheapy focalpoint "fireglo slimline"
installed about 6months ago by a corgi reg installer
worked great til now!!...it now switches itself off intermittently!!???
checked through owners manual suggests bad flue pull used a smoke match and its all pulled away fast
any ideas?

 

[kevplumb]

check the pilot flame picture
check the gauze on the asd aint clogged with dust

 

[spence_spark]

blimey that was quick thanks very much
ive cleaned out the pilot with a pipe cleaner and thoroughly hoovered over all the gas outlet holes
where is this osd thingy exactly to ensure ive cleared that aswell?

 

[kevplumb]

its part of the pilot assembly fine gauze filter usually a cylinder

 

[spence_spark]

spot on. ill strip it down again and have a good look and hoovering session again

thanks again for the speedy replys

 

[spence_spark]

it appears to not have one??
the only gauze i can find on the pilot assembly is a cage like affair covering the feed to the pilot light??
theres the element for the ignitor and thats it
the only gauzes i can find are the ones covering the flame holes
any further ideas where i can look as i havent disconnected it so if its underneath i wont be able to see it
tks in advance

 

[kevplumb]

the one on the pilot is the one you want
make sure the flame covers the thermocouple
other than that
chech the connection between the thermo and the gas valve
if you need to replace anything the pilot comes as an assembly
you cant usually get the bits

 

[ChrisR]

Other than the flame which serves as a pilot there's a small flame pointing horizontally, into the thermocouple tip. The idea is that if the air inthe room gets bad the Atmosphere Sensing Device's sideways flame goes vertical and the thermoucple cools down.
So if the flame appears to be on the tc ok, you need a thermocouple (probably), if it doesn't then it will need a new assembly. Either is a corgi job.

 

[spence_spark]

thanks again kev and chris.
yes i do have a horizontal flame aswell (being a sparkie) just assumed that was the standard arrangement for the pilot light
so sounds like the "thermocouple" has gone.
oh well my plumber is going to pop in 1 night this week and have a look
I'll pre-empt him to have a thermocouple with him
am i right in assuming theres about 6 million different ones?
so the 1 that fits mine he wont have no doubt

the gauze around the pilot light feed is definately just a small metal cage i've unclipped it and cleaned it any how but i reckon its purely to stop straying fingers!!!?
just an after though i take it the vertical thing i was calling the pilot element is actually the thermo couple? just so as i know!!

 

[kevplumb]

yes
sometimes you need to replace the pilot assembly
should be a part no in the instructions

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Hang on hang on hang on, if it's only 6months old make the ruddy makers come and sort it out for nowt.

 

[kevplumb]

good point pedantic
i have a penchant for missing the bl**dy obvious

 

[spence_spark]

fair point got it in a sale from Q+B half price jobbie.. surround/hearth etc all in
thing is the mrs is pretty keen on getting it fixed yesterday as it were and i know from past experience chasing manufacturers can take months

 

[DP]

I suspect fault might be due to fitting. Have had this type of problem before which was sorted by removing the fire and checking installation with respect to regs and MIs.

I would not be surprised if the the pilot was doing its job correctly.

Who installed the fire?

Last year run up to christmas I was getting regular calls to instal this type of fire. In each case it was sourced from one of the sheds and the caller was looking for a 'good' price quote. Needless to say I never got a chance to fit any (just as well, this is busy time for me attending boiler breakdowns and gas leaks)

 

[namsag]

When you take off little wire gauze exactly under that is a small aeration (about inch down from top of pilot) hole in the pilot assembly and it becomes slightly blocked with dust and needs blowing out as opposed to sucked out as this can pull dust into the pilot assembly which is a sealed unit on these fires (you should never blow down from the top of these pilots). Symptons are pilot lights ok and looks reasonably strong but when fire is turned up to high pilot pulls away from sensing probe and fire drops out. Most focal point fires can`t just have thermocouple change if it is faulty and need a whole ASD assembly. As for calling out the manufacturers straight away if it is just a dirty pilot they will charge as it is not an appliance fault