Rv oven won't light

fj12ryder wrote:
Wonder is Shelly ever got her oven working.

:R

Wonder if Shelly ever got her oven working.

On Edit, changed "is" to "if".

There is, but it's not a thermocouple for controlling the pilot. It connects to the safety valve for the main burner. (I should point out that this is in relation to the system used in my oven and various others; I suspect there are a few different systems in use, and some may very well use a thermocouple controlled pilot instead and require holding the knob in to light, etc.)

The pilot is teeny in its quiescent state, and the bulb for the safety valve cool and the safety valve closed. When the thermostatic valve detects that heat is required, it lets more gas flow to the pilot and also turns on gas to the burner via the safety valve. The enlarged pilot flame heats up the safety valve bulb, which causes the safety valve to open, and the main burner lights.

Once the oven gets up to temperature, the thermostatic valve shuts off the gas to the main burner and the extra gas to the pilot, and the main burner dies down. The safety valve soon closes when the bulb cools off, and the whole process repeats as necessary.

Rather obviously, the main goal of the safety valve is to prevent the main burner from turning on when the pilot isn't lit and so releasing a large amount of gas. The tiny bit of gas from the pilot light should it blow out is apparently deemed insufficient to collect and cause a big problem. Given that the cases I've heard of for gas explosions in RVs have generally been caused by a stovetop burner getting turned on but not lit somehow, I'd tend to generally agree with that assessment.

Neat description, thanks!

Steve

On our Stove you turn to pilot and push the knob in to light then release after a min, then set on temp. to light for the main burner..

maillemaker wrote:

Thing to remember with this setup is that there is NO thermocouple on that Temp Control, the one with the Pilot position

I'll have to check my owner's manual. I thought there is a little electrode-looking thingy that sticks out into the flame.

There is, but it's not a thermocouple for controlling the pilot. It connects to the safety valve for the main burner. (I should point out that this is in relation to the system used in my oven and various others; I suspect there are a few different systems in use, and some may very well use a thermocouple controlled pilot instead and require holding the knob in to light, etc.)

The pilot is teeny in its quiescent state, and the bulb for the safety valve cool and the safety valve closed. When the thermostatic valve detects that heat is required, it lets more gas flow to the pilot and also turns on gas to the burner via the safety valve. The enlarged pilot flame heats up the safety valve bulb, which causes the safety valve to open, and the main burner lights.

Once the oven gets up to temperature, the thermostatic valve shuts off the gas to the main burner and the extra gas to the pilot, and the main burner dies down. The safety valve soon closes when the bulb cools off, and the whole process repeats as necessary.

Rather obviously, the main goal of the safety valve is to prevent the main burner from turning on when the pilot isn't lit and so releasing a large amount of gas. The tiny bit of gas from the pilot light should it blow out is apparently deemed insufficient to collect and cause a big problem. Given that the cases I've heard of for gas explosions in RVs have generally been caused by a stovetop burner getting turned on but not lit somehow, I'd tend to generally agree with that assessment.

Thing to remember with this setup is that there is NO thermocouple on that Temp Control, the one with the Pilot position

I'll have to check my owner's manual. I thought there is a little electrode-looking thingy that sticks out into the flame.

Steve, that's how I've learned to light ours. Super easy. Thing to remember with this setup is that there is NO thermocouple on that Temp Control, the one with the Pilot position. If it blows out, that small flow of LPG continues. That's why I won't install electronic ignition on the stove burners with an extra lead down to the oven, Too much chance the oven pilot might blow out, then flood the oven with LPG, and have a big bang intending to light a surface burner.

Drew, your post is critical. Without knowing Year/Make/Model of this Range, we can't determine what the problem could be or how to help, how to at least test it.

One thing that I noticed with my oven, years after struggling to light it, is that you don't really want it set on "pilot" when you are trying to light the pilot. When on the "pilot" setting, only a tiny tiny bit of gas comes out of the pilot tube, and it takes forever for the gas to start flowing and get it lit. If you just turn the gas up to 350F or whatever then the gas coming out of the pilot is really coming out and it is super easy to light it.

Steve

Is this a problem that just started, or is the stove new to you? It makes a difference when suggesting fixes.

gafidler wrote:
try taking the knob off and putting a little piece of gum wrapper into it and then put the knob back on. it worked for me .

Exactly. I had the same issue and finally realized the knob was hitting the bezel before the valve was releasing any propane.