Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
jbander1

Help with 1932 tappen stove

jbander
9 years ago

The valves are leaking in this stove. I took the valves apart, there is six of them, and tried to clean with Scotch Guard and it seemed to make it worse.
Is anyone familiar with these brass valve. does anyone have a suggestion to make them work. We use this stove.

Comments (9)

  • jeff-1010
    9 years ago

    i hope you mean scotch brite not scotch guard? ( now that would be comedy:)) . the valves on your stove work just like water valves in your house. when they leak it's because the seal is damaged. scrubbing with the brite makes them shiny, but that's all. i don't know what kind of "packing seal" was used in the 30s , but i'd bet if you took that valve to someplace that sells or repairs gas features they could hook you up.

  • jbander
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    We will never know how scotch guard will work because you are right it was scotch brite ,I tried to add a couple of pictures so everyone can see how they are coned. The valve is cone shaped and the hole has the same taper. I found nothing for a packing seal. I had some thought about using a grease ,I tried it on one of them , it seemed to fill the actual gas intake hole in the valve. I could be because I use to much
    One other thing all these Valves are soldered or welded on the gas pipe. So I will have to find a solution that I can do at the stove, there really is nothing I can send away to get fixed

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    9 years ago

    For the 5 minutes of research I just did, i discovered there is a special grease for the packing nut on gas valves, which makes sense as there is also a special formulation of pipe dope for gas pipe joints; gas being something of a solvent to normal average petroleum greases.
    Please don't blow yourself up.
    Casey

  • jemdandy
    9 years ago

    You did not say where the leak was. Is it that the valve will not completely shut off, or is it leaking around the stem?

    The seal for the stem is in the packing nut that you are holding in your finger tips.

    If the valve does not completely shut off, it may not be closing completely and needs adjusting. One possibility is there could be enough crud and corrosion on the stem to prevent the valve from screwing all the way closed. Remove the knob and nut and carefully clean the stem. Polish it with crocus cloth; Do not use coarse grit sand paper. Reassemble using new packing material and a little packing grease on the stem and seal.

    The gas pressure should be very low at this valve, on the order of 4 in of water. The supply from your gas meter into house is about 7 in of water. If your stove is like current day gas ranges, there is a dropping regulator in the stove that drops the gas pressure from house pressure to 4 in of water. This keeps the supply pressure to the valves constant since the house pressure may vary when different gas loads hit the line, for example, a gas furnace.

    These low gas pressures quoted above are standard for most of the country. However, there a few older cities that may have higher house pressures. These cities do not have a regulator at the gas meter at each house, but uses one pressure regulator in the street to supply several houses and the house pressure is higher.

  • jbander
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This is a propane stove with no regulator other then the one on the tank outside. How sure are you that these valves have packing in them. The whole in the nut for the shaft to go through, is quite a bit larger then the shaft, So I'm wondering how effective packing would be,
    It would be nice if your right and I can put packing in it. I have found out that valves like this that work in many capacities are greased to get a seal. They actually have different kinds of valve grease and seal products. Quite expensive but are suppose to do the trick. I like the idea of packing backing the grease up for effectiveness.
    I just took out one of the valves and I can break it down to put packing in. There is a spring on the shaft to keep constant pressure on the seal in the valve. So the packing will have to work with the springs.
    I remember when I was young 50 years ago we use to use packing on the water pump to keep it working. it was a thin rope with a graphite in it. Is that the same packing that is used now. Anyway where do I get this packing.
    Again thank you and everyone who have given me advice on this. We really enjoy having this in our kitchen and using it.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    9 years ago

    I think it's grease. Search under "gas valve grease" and you'll find it as I did.
    Probably a silicone-based goop.
    Casey

  • jemdandy
    9 years ago

    Where is it leaking?

  • jemdandy
    9 years ago

    Here's a site that may help. You'll need the model name or number.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Tappan Repair Parts

  • jbander
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well I did both the the packing around the stem and the grease and it still leaks. If it is in need of packing then I must be missing a washer or something that goes around the stem. None of them had it. Just a spring that just digs into the caulking and remakes a new leak. So it looks like the valve itself leaks and then around the stem is where it come out.
    Look at the picture and you can see a minute part of the spring. around the stem inside of the nut. It is between the nut and the brass taper/cone.on the nut side of the spring it just has a spring and the spring wire is sharp at both ends. Any thought on this at all.