Why wont my pilot stay lit Glowworm Hideaway 100

[spartacus]

Sorry, but thats against forum rules.

That is probably the stupidest thing I have ever been told? How can it be against forum rules to tell me if its possible to test if the solenoid is activating?

 

[Deleted member 120897]

That is probably the stupidest thing I have ever been told? How can it be against forum rules to tell me if its possible to test if the solenoid is activating?

Well your last answer didn’t make sense, and it was like you were asking for the answer, which is gas related and against forum rules. Nowhere in that did you ask about the solenoid activating. Good luck.

 

[spartacus]

Well your last answer didn’t make sense, and it was like you were asking for the answer, which is gas related and against forum rules. Nowhere in that did you ask about the solenoid activating. Good luck.

I did. I asked...should the solenoid stay depressed. Is there a way I can tell if the solenoid is depressed?

Looking through the glass window...should the end of the thermocouple glow? mine does not. I believe the flame should engulf the thermocouple. Mine does not appear to.

Guy is coming this afternoon, and I am just trying to get some ideas to make the time i am paying for more efficient.

I believe, the problem is that the thermocouple is not getting hot enough, not delivering enough mV to the gas valve, and hence not activating the solenoid. I have already suggested a partially clogged gas pipe, or dirty jet. Which is why I am going to look at it WITH him when he comes. The other option is the gas jet might be misaligned? or he might need to adjust the flame size.

 

[snowhead]

Yes the pilot should stay in when you release the pilot button

 

[spartacus]

Yes the pilot should stay in when you release the pilot button

Thank you all for the advice.

Where we are....He cleaned the boiler. We blew the jet with my compressor. It is a nice strong jet, can be seen through the window.

The boiler still will not stay lit.

It appears that the solenoid is not remaining open. While he was here we even heated the thermocouple with a blow torch to ensure it was getting hot. it is a new glowworm branded thermocouple.

There is electrical continuity (zero resistance) from the body of the thermocouple to the top of the connector between the safety device and the body of the gas valve. It is obviously (impossible?) to test the circuit after the tip of this connection as it is inside the gas valve.

We tried 2 gas valves. The original one and a new one, in case the new one was not compatible.

Can anyone please give me any other reason you can think why the solenoid might not stay open?

 

[Gasmk1]

It’s fairly simple but you need someone who knows older boilers. We cannot tell you anything about the gas side of things.

 

[spartacus]

It’s fairly simple but you need someone who knows older boilers. We cannot tell you anything about the gas side of things.

In the end it was the thermocouple, and a bit of installation error.

After he left, he left a spare thermocouple and a spare gas valve here. I inspected the gas valve, found how the thermocouple connected, screwed it in, ensuring all connections where sound. Fortunately you can see the solenoid plunger from the side of a disconnected gas valve. I heated the thermocouple with a blow torch and was able to get the solenoid to engage.

So then I removed the thermocouple from my boiler, removed the flue safety device, connected the thermocouple at the gas valve, making sure the plastic connector visible from the side of the gas valve was aligned and making contact with the top end of the thermocouple. Then heating the thermocouple with a blow torch, the pilot stays lit.

Reintroduced the safety valve and repeated the same experiment. I could not get a contact and hence no pilot light. I don't think it is the safety device causing the issue; I just think once i screw that in I am not getting a good connection to the plastic connector that carries the voltage to the solenoid. So tonight that is removed. Tomorrow I will sort it out and get the gas engineer to come back and check my work.

Tonight we have heat!

 

[Gasmk1]

so you have removed the safety device, not really a good idea

 

[Ric2013]

so you have removed the safety device, not really a good idea

It's how they do things over here lol.

While I agree the OP should not have bypassed such a device except for the minimum time required to isolate the fault, it must be pretty frustrating to have found the need to do this in order to narrow down the faultfinding process. Hopefully the OP will be alive and well tomorrow and will be able to get the RGI to rectify with safety device back in place.

 

[spartacus]

It's how they do things over here lol.

While I agree the OP should not have bypassed such a device except for the minimum time required to isolate the fault, it must be pretty frustrating to have found the need to do this in order to narrow down the faultfinding process. Hopefully the OP will be alive and well tomorrow and will be able to get the RGI to rectify with safety device back in place.

Surprise...I did live through the night.

And besides... THIS RGI, the last RGI who serviced the boiler, The RGI who did the last gas safety certificate when we bought the house, and anyone else who has ever looked at this boiler in the past 40 years.... left the flue safety device dangling at the back of the boiler. So connected or not... it wasn't doing anything.