How to light stove ?

[Hbjason]

Im a newbie and am trying to light stove for the first time. What do i do. I turned on propane tanks , and nothing works. The dial thing is green as dealer told me tanks were full is their another valve that needs to be open? Both tanks are wide open and i have swithced dial to both sides with no luck. Any help would be awesome thanks

[rodsterinfl]

Make sure the LP has dissipated (you said you have been turning the knob back and forth. They do not start up on their own but gas does release)

OK, I went through this same thing. On my stove here is how it works, get a propane wand lighter if possible (it makes it easier- see below) they are usually sold in a 3-pack or some such. Locate the pilot orifice. It is under the solid plate inside the oven and looks like an L shaped pipe in the middle closer to the back. You will probably have to get down on your knees and a flashlight will help you the first time to locate it. At the stove, turn the knob to pilot- push in on the knob and hold it in for about 3 seconds before attempting to light the pilot burner to get the air out. If your knob has a light setting then dial it there and push in and hold it in place while you attempt to light the burner. You might have to try 2-3 times before it lights. Once lit, turn the oven to a temperature and the actual burner inside lights up around the perimeter. Have fun cooking, just don't get singed! Did you get it lit?

As far as the LP tanks go. Use only one at a time. Although you have a dual regulator, I was told by an experienced Airstreamer to use only one tank at a time and leave the switching to manual as mainly a reminder to yourself that your are now on your last tank!

[rodsterinfl]

you're scaring me. Post back so I won't plan to hear about an Airstream in Huntington Beach, CA with a hole blown through the top!

[nrgtrakr]

It depends on the age of the thing and how equipped.

First the gas at the tanks needs to be on. I like my auto change regulator, both of my tanks are always on, the window changes to red when it switches over to the other tank. Then I flip the valve to the other side, take that tank for refill, put it back, turn it on and wait for the next switch. If you only turn on one tank, the lines will likely need to be bled a little when switching tanks - which contributes to why they invented the auto switch regulator.

Under the trailer near where the appliance to be lit is, there is likely a shut off valve that needs to be opened.

Some have no pilot - for instance my 75 range top, which also has another valve under the top, so like the "old days" or in a third world country, turn on the gas and light the burner.

Some have a pilot, like the oven in my 75, so turn the gas on outside under the rig, come inside and light the pilot. Pilots have a thermocouple that the pilot flame heats up allowing gas flow when the temperature/flame level knob is opened. Thermocouples sometimes go bad and won't allow you to use the device even though the pilot is lit.

Some use a piezo ignitor which "clicks" (and sparks) when the burner knob is turned to "light", once lit the flame can be adjusted. I had a fifth wheel with a range top like this in the 90s.

If the gas has not been used for a long time, or was worked on, it could take a little time to purge the air out of the lines.

If there is a leak in your gas system, the new hoses are supposed to shut down the gas flow to almost nothing, where it almost cannot be heard, but if you put a finger over the distribution hub in the range top you can detect a little pressure. Then it is a good time to seek out a trained professional in person.

Tank gas is around 200psi, the first stage of an RV regulator will drop it to ~10psi, the second stage drops it to ~11 inches water column (just under 0.5psi).

[rodsterinfl]

That is good to know nrgtrakr. Their unit is a 2015 so who knows, there may be something else besides but my hangup when I first tried to use the oven was the need to push and hold the knob in before trying to light the pilot. I also have experienced the air in the lines issue. I used the front burner of the stove to purge as I worked to light if first.

I just re-read my post and there is something that could be misinterpreted.

HBjason, make sure to push in the knob and hold it in while trying to light the pilot flame and on the propane wand, use the lit flame not the sparking part. If it still will not light, start the front burner on the stove first, get it lit, then shut it off after a bit to get the LP flowing!

[rodsterinfl]

Does anyone know if there is a special valve on the 2015 models between the LP tanks and the gas lines?

[Hbjason]

I got it!thanks for all your tips. I eneded up turning on the water heater to gas. And it must of purged the air out of the lines. And stove lit right up Cheers!

[rodsterinfl]

Great now you'r cooling with gas!

[JCWDCW]

[I got it!thanks for all your tips. I ended up turning on the water heater to gas. And it must of purged the air out of the lines. And stove lit right up Cheers![/QUOTE]

Interesting ,,,,I usually need to light the stove to start purging air out of my lines

JCW

[rodsterinfl]

Good, look at that two peeps in the same boat, one in Ontario, the other in CA. Oh, I meant to say, "now you're cooking with gas!" Sometimes the speller intelligent word changing really botches stuff up.

[m.hony]

Does the stove have an igniter. Some do, some don't.
In our previous trailer, there was no igniter. Turn the burner knob on and stick a match (or propane fire starter) to it.
This trailer has an igniter. Turn the burner control to LIGHT and turn the igniter. It works on 2 burners, but not on the 3rd burner. So that burner can be started as if there was no igniter.