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laplow

Gas Fire Place takes a LONG time to ignite?

laplow
16 years ago

Helllo,

I recently bought a home with a gas fireplace. It is vented through the wall of the house. The fireplace works just fine, but it takes a long time to ignite. The pilot lite works fine, but when I turn the fireplace "on" to ignite, but takes 20-35 minutes before it will ignite.

Can you help me troubleshoot what I can do to make this not happen. I never had a gas fireplace, but I would guess it should ignite much faster than that.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Jeff

Comments (6)

  • green-zeus
    16 years ago

    It sounds like the thermocouple is bad. This senses the pilot light and opens the main fuel valve to light the fireplace. If you look closely, you will see a "tube" near the pilot light. That's the thermocouple. You will probably have to remove the logset to see it completely. You can probably use a universal thermocouple sold at almost any store--big box,etc. Once you see it in the package, you'll be better able to identify it in your fireplace and replace it.

  • jca1
    16 years ago

    a lot of the time delayed ignition in a gas fireplace results in a boom that is very noticeably in sealed units, and a strong gas odor as well in unsealed units. I can't begin to imagine what a unit would sound like if it ran gas for 20+ minutes before it ignited, my guess is it would be very bad. This leads me to believe delayed ignition is not your problem but more of a faulty ignition sequence. So, how do you light this fireplace? With a wall switch, remote, or a switch on the fireplace itself.

  • jim125_2007
    16 years ago

    best bet get a qualified service man to come fix it for you

  • jca1
    16 years ago

    my first guess would be:

    1) dirty pilot, not heating generator properly causing low voltage output, causing slow valve actuation

    2) bad switch

    bypass switch if possible and see if problem still exists, you can simply jump the control terminals( two outside terminals on terminal block, middle is a connection point only.

    If this unit is trying to fire, meaning the valve is opening and gas is simply running until it ignites several minutes later, ignore all the above and shut it down and call a service tech.

  • Bryan Whitehead
    3 years ago

    So I chased this problem for quite a while. Thermocouple is a binary item. If it’s bad there is no pilot light. If there pilot light won’t stay lit, go to the local hardware store, buy a generic replacement. Turn off the gas, grab a headlamp and a few tools and replace it. the tip must be in the center of the pilot light flame. 30 minute job If you’re fairly handy. Since to get to that part you’ll have to move the logs. Take a picture of the layout And put back exactly the same way.


    Delayed ignition in my case was caused when I inadvertently shifted the log rack forward causing the gas not to reach the pilot light easily. Try moving this, worked for me.