Wife making cookies...RV oven keeps going out...

[groundhogy]

I am rapidly getting into trouble each time we have to light the oven again. Even though its not my fault.

Light the pilot light and it stays on ok.
Turn knob and burner lights and oven heats ok.
At some point, the oven ceases to be lit. (maybe in the cycling procecess?)

I have observed that the pilot seems to be very happy by itself. Seems to tell me that the thermocouple is correctly sensing the pilot is on.

I have manually cycled the call for heat on and call for heat off several times by turning the temperature knob way up and way down.
I have not seen the burner turn off by itself doing this.

help..

[garyemunson]

X2 on the dirty pilot light orifice. Can be carboned up making the pilot flame smaller. If the flame gets too small, the change in draft when the main flame goes out (or opening the door to check progress while the main burner is in it's off state) can be enough to blow out the pilot (listen close and you'll hear a "woomph" or "pop" both when the main burner comes on or off). A starting point would be to pull the pilot assembly out and eyeball it closely. Don't try to make it bigger, just be sure it is clean. Also, like mentioned above, be sure the thermocouple is centered in the pilot flame. It has to be hot enough to expand the internal fluid so it can push the pin out that holds the pilot valve open. There is the possibility of the internal filter in the gas control valve has gotten stopped up but those are pretty big compared to the amount of gas that passes through them so that's not likely. I imagine they do get replaced but I've never encountered that, even on 30 year old stuff.

[ktmrfs]

groundhogy wrote:
Well, I am still here..

Those are some very good tips and comments. Thank you.

We still have Christmas cookie production running.
She is using the knob to, i guess, bypass the thermostat or sensor/relay. She turns it to total broil and then turns it back to very low. This doesnt let the thermostat decide i guess.

For temperature monitoring, I have a fluke DVM that has a thermocouple input and tells temperature. This oven is like an Amana or Magic Chef or something, but the temperature is also WAY WAY off.

A lot of heat seems to escape from the unit. Maybe from the back. You can put your hand there and feel it. I was thinking it needs some fiberglass stuffed in there. Like maybe they forgot to insulate it.

typical temp accuracy. Mine and many others tend to run about 50F below the dial temp.

[ktmrfs]

pianotuna wrote:
Can anyone tell me WHY they put the pilot light at the back of the oven so we have to get down on our hands and knees to ignite it?

I solved the issue by going electric and never using the propane oven.

DW had the same comment...... So..... I went to home depot and got a 4 spark ignitor for a BBQ, one of the ignitors had high temp insulation for use inside the BBQ.... worked great on the cooktop and oven, and it's powered by AA battery. Works great, especially the oven pilot light,

[groundhogy]

I wonder if the thermostat has a temperature adjustment screw or something?

[groundhogy]

So, to keep this oven at say 350 deg F, you have to turn the knob to just under broil.

[pianotuna]

Can anyone tell me WHY they put the pilot light at the back of the oven so we have to get down on our hands and knees to ignite it?

I solved the issue by going electric and never using the propane oven.

[trailerbikecamp]

groundhogy wrote:
Well, I am still here..

Those are some very good tips and comments. Thank you.

A lot of heat seems to escape from the unit. Maybe from the back. You can put your hand there and feel it. I was thinking it needs some fiberglass stuffed in there. Like maybe they forgot to insulate it.

I wouldn't use fiberglass to insulate. Try to to find a mineral wool. It has much higher heat resistance. Some of it is up around the 1200F area for resistance to heat/flame. You won't need much, RV ovens aren't very big.

[groundhogy]

Well, I am still here..

Those are some very good tips and comments. Thank you.

We still have Christmas cookie production running.
She is using the knob to, i guess, bypass the thermostat or sensor/relay. She turns it to total broil and then turns it back to very low. This doesnt let the thermostat decide i guess.

For temperature monitoring, I have a fluke DVM that has a thermocouple input and tells temperature. This oven is like an Amana or Magic Chef or something, but the temperature is also WAY WAY off.

A lot of heat seems to escape from the unit. Maybe from the back. You can put your hand there and feel it. I was thinking it needs some fiberglass stuffed in there. Like maybe they forgot to insulate it.

[ScottG]

YC 1 wrote:
You may be able to remove the pan over the heating element to get good access to the pilot flame. In any case be sure the flame is properly aligned below the thermocouple. Mine was misaligned and after adjustment it worked fine.

Good advice.
If not an allignment issue, place some rags around the area of the thermocouple and blast it liberally with carburetor cleaner. It will disolve the carbon on the thermocouple that is insulating it from the heat of the flame. You could also try to brush it clean with a brass brush but its hard to get close enough to the TC.
Thermocouples rarely die, they mostly get dirty and I have fixed several of these ovens with just a cleaning.

[YC_1]

You may be able to remove the pan over the heating element to get good access to the pilot flame. In any case be sure the flame is properly aligned below the thermocouple. Mine was misaligned and after adjustment it worked fine.

[trailerbikecamp]

On our gas oven at home we had the exact same issue. It was a relay that senses the oven temp. Ours would do exactly what you described. When first starting it would come up to the temp called for, but the burner would not come back on without turning the oven completely off.

Went to the local RV parts place, bought a new sensor and replaced it. The sensor/relay on our was under the oven where the burner sits. Once I had the part it took about 30-40 minutes to replace and get the oven working again.

The part itself wasn't expensive, maybe about $15CDN.

[wa8yxm]

WHat I am about to say applies to both Gas and electric ovens. (part 1)

The main burner (heat element on an electric) does not remain on full time. It cycles on and off.. on a gas oven the pilot remains on so it can re-light the main (Why it is called a pilot) but the main burner/heat element will shut off and come back on as needed.

This assumes proper operation

on an RV oven.. USE A Thermomemter to check cause atwood thermostats are the most inaccurate devices I've evern seen (mine is 50 degrees off)

Page 2:
is it possible to design a proportional Valve/switch so that the main burner is "Turned down" but for gas it is very costly. Very Very costly.

For electric it would only cost a few dollars per oven. but .. why? You don't need 1/2 of one degree or tighter tolerance.

For some electronic applications 1 degree difference can be "Big" and that is about the only place they do the tight control stuff.

[ktmrfs]

when you say the oven ceases to be lit, is the pilot still on or does the pilot also go out?

[dougrainer]

The usual cause of pilot stays lit and over burner comes ON and then fails to come back on to keep preset temp after going OFF once preset temp is reached is----Bad Thermostat, which regulates both burner and feeds the pilot. Doug

[naturist]

Oh, man, you really know how to annoy your wife, don't you? It is, of course, all your fault, and if you don't get it fixed NO LATER THAN YESTERDAY, you'll spend the night outside with the pooch.

I do wish I could hazard a guess about the problem, but all I know about such matters is the thermocouple that keeps the pilot lit. And it does seem that you do not have that issue. I will cross all my fingers and toes for you, wish fervently for somebody to come on here with a simple/cheap solution that actually works and can be implemented in minutes. Good luck, buddy.