Looking for help in figuring out why my Oven don't work?

Most of the older RV ovens used a 2 stage pilot which has a small standing pilot and a higher heater pilot. The thermostat just controlled the pilot size, and the higher heater pilot heated a small bulb hooked to the safety valve via a small capillary tube, which opened the valve letting LP flow. These were done away with because of the mercury in the valves.
The new models use a standard thermocouple type system- push and hold to light. A common problem is the knob bottoming out on the panel before it can be depressed far enough. The fix being taking the knob off and stuffing a small wad of paper in it to raise it a bit.

Look around the DIY forum for a couple of people who have installed electronic lighters on their ranges- a great mod.

Here you go electronic ignitor install.

dbbls wrote:
You may need a new thermocouple. This is the small tube in the pilot flame. It must get hot to open the gas flow. They are easy to change, just use a small wrench and unscrew the nut at the end of the flexible tube and screw in a new one. Make sure the tube end is positioned in the pilot flame.

I'm having the same problem with a Suburban oven. I can light the pilot but the burner never comes on. If I hold the B-BQ-lighter under the thermocouple the burner will come on. I wish someone could post a photo of one that works. My thermocouple is beneath the pilot, I don't see how that ever worked. We don't use the oven that much but last trip it would not lite so I figured I'd fix it. Yeah right...:R

Not all these have thermocouple been warned here. They have oven safety valves which have something simmular but is actually part of the valve and has mercury in it and it is smaller in size than a thermocouple.

I'm pretty sure that any ovens that use a pilot light also have a thermocouple. It's probably an industry safety standard, otherwise you'd be reading about ovens blowing up. :)

I installed a piezoelectric ignitor on our stove/oven. There is a write-up on this forum somewhere about it. It works great and eliminates a chore that is a pain-in-the-knees. :) The hardest part was getting the ignitor in precisely the right spot for the pilot light.

elsique wrote:
I just don't understand why they have not improved this design over the years. Lighting the oven is a pain!

We absolutely agree!

I used to think the Pilot always had a ThermoCouple. Not sure about that anymore.
Also, the control valves work differently. Ours, for example, has a Pilot position that you turn it to and then go through the "BBQ Lighter Drill" to get it lit. NO Pushing In on the Knob. But I've had the Pilot Flame go Out and the LPG continued to flow through that tiny orifice. It lit just as soon as the lighter flame got close to it.
When ours goes to actually light the Burner, the Pilot Flame flares to a bigger flame. Somebody here suggested setting the Control to a Baking Temperature. On ours, that provides a greater LPG flow right away. The Pilot lights more easily, and burns with the bigger flame. Then I turn it back to Pilot and it stays lit. Except for that Once that it went Out...
I believe that standards are being developed for RV Ranges to include Flame Sensors on the stovetop burners. That would mean that if the Knob was ON and the Burner blew out, never lit, etc. the LPG would shortly be shut off automatically. Changes to Ovens may come with this.

You may need a new thermocouple. This is the small tube in the pilot flame. It must get hot to open the gas flow. They are easy to change, just use a small wrench and unscrew the nut at the end of the flexible tube and screw in a new one. Make sure the tube end is positioned in the pilot flame.

elsique wrote:
I just don't understand why they have not improved this design over the years. Lighting the oven is a pain!

X2

The design seems to be carried over from home ovens circa 1950.

I have to lay on the floor and look into the small dark area under the burner, use the light from the lighter to see where the pilot is, while at the same time pushing the knob in with my other hand.

I have toyed with the idea of adding a piezo igniter from a gas grill to make it easier.

Steve

I just don't understand why they have not improved this design over the years. Lighting the oven is a pain!

I'm assuming yours is a pretty standard gas oven for RV's. Mine is very difficult to start also. It actually takes 2 of us to start it.

Turn your oven knob on to the pilot and press the knob IN. At the same time, you need to hold flame (barbecue lighter works well) on the pilot (gas) spot in the oven. Reason it takes 2 people for mine is because I can't reach the knob and hold it in at the same time I'm reaching clear inside the oven, near the back on the bottom, to hold the flame.

Once the element get's hot, it will light. You can then let go of the knob and the pilot light will stay lit (hopefully). If it fails, repeat, repeat, repeat.

I have found that my oven pilot will not start right either. So after a few seconds of holding the flame with the barbecue lighter, keep pushing in the knob and turn the oven on. The flame will start to shoot down the burner. When you are finished with the oven, the pilot will stay lit, unless you turn the knob completely off.

We use our oven very seldom, but when we do, it's always a 2 person job, and can never get the pilot to stay on until the burner has started.