Can't get oven to stay lit...

[3campers]

I'm not sure the oven has even been used, ever... I tried to light it and use it over the summer, it would light but would go out after a minute or so. The pilot light was bent down at a 45 degree angle, thinking that might be the problem I bent it up to it's current position. No change will light with a little help from match when it's cold, at disk but it won't stay lit? (1985 Limited) I believe the oven is original. No pie for me, bummer!

Help, thoughts, suggestions? Plenty of gas...not an issue...

[robert claus]

Could be that the thermocouple is bad. Like any gas appliance with a pilot light, you hold a button in to get gas flow, and light the pilot. You have to hold the button in until the thermocouple, which is in the pilot flame, heats up. It creates a small current which will then allow the gas valve to open to feed the pilot light.

[herrick51]

Originally Posted by 3campers

I'm not sure the oven has even been used, ever... I tried to light it and use it over the summer, it would light but would go out after a minute or so. The pilot light was bent down at a 45 degree angle, thinking that might be the problem I bent it up to it's current position. No change will light with a little help from match when it's cold, at disk but it won't stay lit? (1985 Limited) I believe the oven is original. No pie for me, bummer!

Help, thoughts, suggestions? Plenty of gas...not an issue...

Hi,
The pilot light needs to be in the correct postion to energize the thermocouple .Call the manuf. or get a copy of manual to dble check positioning. Also the thermostat or oven temp control could be a factor .But sounds like a defective thermocouple.Make sure the flame is impinging on coupler.

[idroba]

There are two pilot flames on the oven. One small one which burns constantly when the oven is in the "off" position (it only turns actually off when in the "pilot off" mode on the oven control. Once you have the little pilot going, and turn the oven temp up, a second, larger pilot light ignites. That in turn heats the thermocouple and when the thermocouple is hot enough, allows gas to flow to the main burner. It sounds complicated, and is a bit, but done for safety reasons.

So, does your little pilot light stay lighted? Then when you turn the temp up, does a larger flame pilot light appear? Does that one engulf the thermocouple? It should, and in a few seconds the main burner should light. Watch for that sequence, and see if you can figure out which part is not working right. Then you can solve the problem.

[3campers]

UPDATE: Small pilot flame lights, big pilot flame lights and oven starts... However when I close the door (slowly or quickly) the flame eventually goes out like it's starved for oxygen. It , on average takes about a minute and flame goes out. The small pilot light does stay lit. When I leave the oven door open the oven stays lit... Now what?

[Wazbro]

On my oven there are 3 vents all the way in the back at the bottom (I believe to let air in). Maybe 1 or more of them are blocked on yours.

[3campers]

Originally Posted by Wazbro

On my oven there are 3 vents all the way in the back at the bottom (I believe to let air in). Maybe 1 or more of them are blocked on yours.

Are they at the top or bottom?

[Wazbro]

At the bottom.

[3campers]

Not blocked...stumped. Could it be that it either has never been used or it's been a really long time & it just needs to run wide open for a while to break back in?

Hmmmm....

[idroba]

Hmmm, is right. I guess I would try a new thermocouple. I can't think of anything else, but if it stays on when the door is open.... hmmmm. Try running it that way for an hour and it might clear up. Otherwise, I am stumped.

[Aage]

I think Idroba is right; other than the thermocouple, what's left? Change it, it's a consumable part of LP gas devices.

But one thing puzzles me about these ovens: where is the exhaust? The furnace on my Sov has a fresh air intake, and an exhaust beside it. Ditto the WH. While there is a FA intake with the three slots across the lower rear, where does it exhaust?

As for the three slots, I would still give them a blast with compressed air. My WH seems to need that treatment every spring, since spiders seem to love LP gas.

[idroba]

The oven "exhaust" on every trailer range I have had is in the rear upper part of the oven, and the heat and gasses come out at the rear edge of the cooktop. I think if you look there you will see the slots or vent areas.

[Aage]

Thanks, Idroba.

My oven passes through the wall to the right of the sink, and sits in a metal box that is closed on all sides. I will have a closer look when next I use it, but I can tell you that it's not encouraging to hear that the products of the LP gas combustion are simply shipped into the cabin's atmosphere.

I suppose that since I have never seen a proper exhaust for the oven, part of me had to know that such is the case.

[idroba]

Ah, you have one of the wall ovens that AS used back then, missed that. I wonder if the metal box is vented out through the front of the unit, or the sides? I never had one so never really paid attention to them.

Yes, products of combustion from stoves and ovens are not vented to the outside of the trailer. That is one reason you should never use them for heating. They will put too much moisture into the interior, and potentially reduce the oxygen in the interior. When that happens (too low an oxygen level) instead of the propane burning and giving off C02 (carbon dioxide), you can get CO (carbon monoxide) which is the dangerous stuff. So used for normal cooking, not a problem. Left on to use as heating (some have done that to reduce furnace use) you can create a danger, especially overnight. Never, ever do that.

[perryg114]

The PO had a small propane heater in the living room area of my trailer. This did not seem like a bright idea to me. One of the first things to go was the plumbing for that. My oven vents through the door at the top. The PO had tape over these.

Perry

[3campers]

Originally Posted by Aage

I think Idroba is right; other than the thermocouple, what's left? Change it, it's a consumable part of LP gas devices.

I assume most camper stores carry these? Are they easy enough to replace. I'm not completely sure what a thermocouple is...the thing that the pilot light comes from? I clearly need to google this. It would be awesome if there was some step by step directions with pictures somewhere on the web!

[idroba]

A thermocouple is a metal finger, about 2" long which has a tube on one end. That tube connects to the oven control. The tube looks like a pipe or wire the diameter of a pencil lead. The finger is positioned so it is in the pilot flame (in the case of the oven, the larger, second flame). It generates a tiny amount of electricity which operates the gas valve in the control. No heat, no electricity, and thus no gas can flow to the main burner. So, if the second pilot light goes out, the burner will not light. If the thermocouple is defective, the burner will not light. If the thermocouple is not in the flame properly, to get hot enough, the burner will not light. The connection on the valve end looks like a small pipe connection, and is removed with a wrench. Don't overtighten the new one, just snug.

They are a very common item, RV stores have them, most decent sized hardware stores have them, most of them are interchangeable. They do come in different lengths, but even a too long one can be carefully coiled up. They are generally under $10.

[Aage]

Great description, Idroba.

I will only add that they mount very easily. A small wrench lets you remove the gas connection and snug up the new one, and the "finger" is usually it is held in by a strap which is fastened by a screw. Don't kink the thin gas connection, and once the tube is fastened in, bend it gently so that the finger is bathed by the pilot flame.

Simple. Really!

[3campers]

Originally Posted by Aage

bend it gently so that the finger is bathed by the pilot flame

Look at my picture...when I first went to use it was bent downward...for some reason that looked wrong to me so I bent it up... See the slight kink in the side? Does anyone have a picture of a similar oven (Magic Chef) with the thermocouple that I can compare? Might that be the problem?

Also there is a red button on the front of oven to the right of all the gas knobs, like it might be an igniter because it clicks when I depress it...it does nothing? And my light bulb in the oven doesn't turn on (not sure how to-no info in the manual) but the bulb looks good...

[Aage]

We've been asking you to change the thermocouple for about two weeks now. Why not just try that?

If it doesn't work, we will work on the other items one at a time, OK?