Oven Won't Stay Lit

[sstan]

I have a Smev range in my truck camper. It uses piezo spark ignition for the burners and oven. I'm having a problem now with the oven staying lit. It lights fine when holding the knob in but goes out as soon as I release it. I just tried installing a new thermocouple but the problem remains.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Steve

[sstan]

YC 1 wrote:

Ditto: Should be at the tip of the blue flame. On some ovens you can push the bottom tray towards the back and lift up to remove it. The you may find a wing nut holding a shield. Remove that and you can easily see the thing to adjust it.

An easy clue is to use a simple long lighter and heat the thermocouple with your own flame or just add to the existing one.

The thermocouple on this oven goes in through the bottom which means pulling the stove out of the cabinet. The thermocouple is bolted to the sheetmetal covering of the stove that the burner is also mounted to. The only way to position the thermocouple is to bend the tip of it.

We're heading out to Arizona today for a few days at the Overland Expo so I won't have any more time to work on this before we leave. When we get back I'll try the lighter idea and see if it will stay lit.

Thanks to everyone who replied and offered help.

Steve

[YC_1]

westend wrote:

sstan wrote:

YC 1 wrote:
The flame may be misaligned with the end of the thermocouple. Be sure you position the end properly. Found this simple adjustment on two ovens.

The tip of the thermocouple is low in the flame almost touching the burner. Does that sound right?

No it does not, the hotter part of the flame will be towards the top of the flame. I'd suggest to adjust it if possible.

Ditto: Should be at the tip of the blue flame. On some ovens you can push the bottom tray towards the back and lift up to remove it. The you may find a wing nut holding a shield. Remove that and you can easily see the thing to adjust it.

An easy clue is to use a simple long lighter and heat the thermocouple with your own flame or just add to the existing one.

[fj12ryder]

Perhaps the gas valve isn't opening, even if the thermocouple gets up to the proper temp.

[westend]

sstan wrote:

YC 1 wrote:
The flame may be misaligned with the end of the thermocouple. Be sure you position the end properly. Found this simple adjustment on two ovens.

The tip of the thermocouple is low in the flame almost touching the burner. Does that sound right?

No it does not, the hotter part of the flame will be towards the top of the flame. I'd suggest to adjust it if possible.

[Cuffs054]

And my rant has been refuled! How come this oven has spark ignition for the oven and atwood,wedgewood can't do it for the bigger stoves?

[sstan]

YC 1 wrote:
The flame may be misaligned with the end of the thermocouple. Be sure you position the end properly. Found this simple adjustment on two ovens.

The tip of the thermocouple is low in the flame almost touching the burner. Does that sound right?

[YC_1]

The flame may be misaligned with the end of the thermocouple. Be sure you position the end properly. Found this simple adjustment on two ovens.

[westend]

One thing I try with a cranky pilot system is to light the pilot burner with a soldering torch. I can direct the flame of the torch across the thermocouple sender for a few seconds to heat it to operating temperature. If the pilot flame is well directed and of sufficient output, it will open the gas valve and the appliance will work.

[sstan]

TucsonJim wrote:
SMEV was bought out by Dometic. I searched the Dometic website, and found the owners manual. Reading through it, you might want to try the manual lighting method to see if it will work.

Thanks Jim. The oven lights fine but won't stay lit when I release the knob.

[sstan]

Christian_Nevada wrote:

I know this sounds simple, so please know I mean no offense. When you hold the knob in and light it, do you continue to hold it in for a short while....maybe 15-20 seconds??? If you release the knob at the very second it lights, it will almost always go out.

Just a thought...

Christian

No offense taken. Yes I let the burner go for several minutes to be sure the thermocouple is hot. I'll test the thermocouple tomorrow for conductivity.

Thanks to everyone.

[Christian_Nevad]

sstan wrote:
I have a Smev range in my truck camper. It uses piezo spark ignition for the burners and oven. I'm having a problem now with the oven staying lit. It lights fine when holding the knob in but goes out as soon as I release it. I just tried installing a new thermocouple but the problem remains.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Steve

I know this sounds simple, so please know I mean no offense. When you hold the knob in and light it, do you continue to hold it in for a short while....maybe 15-20 seconds??? If you release the knob at the very second it lights, it will almost always go out.

Just a thought...

Christian

[TucsonJim]

SMEV was bought out by Dometic. I searched the Dometic website, and found the owners manual. Reading through it, you might want to try the manual lighting method to see if it will work.

[Ka_Ron]

If the thermocouple reads 13mv or higher it should be good.

Using a meter set on mv you put one lead on the end and one on the side.

This reading has to be done when the thermocouple is in a flame.

[sstan]

Can it be tested? Throwing parts at it is a little inconvenient. The stove is made in Sweden and Dometic has recently purchased this brand but so far is not importing parts. I had to go to the UK for a thermocouple...