Kevinski
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Re: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
I will probably assemble a list of the small parts I need to build up an entire spare pilot line and fittings assembly, and order them and have them all sent to one of the cross border shipping places for the next time I come down into the US, since Canadian sources for these individual parts seem rare.1.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
Hey MarineBob, yeah I really don't know if you could substitute a more typical two piece with nut ferrule connected for the breakaway fitting. I would imagine if it all fits and doesn't leak, it would be fine. I since found a listing on the Robertshaw website for 1/8" brass breakaway ferrule fittings (4590-065 is the fitting number), that I'm guessing would be the exact ferrule for my furnace, as the original gas valve is a Robertshaw. And get this, they come in bags of 15 pieces. Robertshaw listing: https://www.robertshaw.com/Products/Heating/Breakaway-Ferrules/4590-065/?cat=2147484294 I searched by that part number and found several sellers online but they mostly seem to only ship to the US. Cost comes out to only about 2 bucks each but the trick would be to find a supplier who would sell you just one or two Bob, you might very well find the breakaway fitting for your needs somewhere else in the Robertshaw 4590 series of breakaway ferrules: https://www.robertshaw.com/Products/Listing/?filter=2147484252&categories=2147484294 Oh, and I did notice in the ferrule part description the words "One Breakaway ferrule part replaces the need for an additional nut". So it may be an instance of reducing the number of separate parts hence the number of connections, each one of which is, I suppose, a potential leak point.1.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
Just an update, I have the furnace up and running! In case anyone in the future runs into this same problem and finds this thread, here's an update about how I made a replacement pilot gas line with correct fittings. My solution: I pirated the gas pilot line from this Dometic pilot assembly I bought from Amazon: Dometic pilot assembly with some but not all correct parts It was an unknown and a gamble of 40 bucks. The fitting for the Robertshaw gas valve end fit correctly, but the smaller, pilot burner end fitting didn't. So, I had to figure out how to solve that issue next. The small fitting at the pilot burner end of the gas pilot line, it turns out is a special fitting called a breakaway compression fitting. This might help when searching for a replacement fitting. I figured that out by stumbling across this excellent video: gas pilot line break away fitting installation The video shows the larger fitting at the gas valve end, but it would be the same for the smaller fitting at the pilot burner end (the fitting is just smaller). I visited the fantastic, old-school RV shop that is unfortunately about 1-1/2 hours away from me, and was given one of these fittings by the helpful dude there. I unfortunately neglected to take a photo or any measurements of it, but it looked more or less like one of these in these links: breakaway compression fitting link 1 breakaway compression fitting link 2 Notice on the Resideo site that they can be had in a few different lengths. Not sure what length the one I got from the RV shop was, didn’t measure it but it was just a little longer than the factory one. It did work, though. If you have your old fitting sitting there in your hand, you could measure that. Once I was back home, I cut off the end of the new Dometic gas pilot line that didn't fit, and installed the new-to-me correct fitting on in it's place. You have to be really careful and slow cutting this tubing with a small pipe cutter, because it's so soft - you'll easily crush it or even bend it out of round. I inserted a small finishing nail into the open end of the tubing to help support it's shape while cutting - another awesome suggestion from the helpful dude at the old RV shop. Seriously, these kind of places are like gold mines for those of us with old stuff. I have since found a product listing that *might* have the correct fittings on each end, but since the description is poor it's hard to say for sure: AO Smith pilot tubing with fittings Anyway, once I had the pilot tubing built up, I carefully bent it into shape, installed it into the furnace using a very sparing amount of gas line pipe dope (the oil referenced in the video above didn't work for me, to seal the fittings fully - remember to leak test at pressure!) and voila, it lives. Thanks for all the help, and I hope that this thread helps someone else at some point.1.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
larry cad wrote: Two different kinds of ferrules. Also, I believe the one on the left is aluminum and the "ferrule" is actually formed into the aluminum tube with a tool. yeah they definitely are. Any idea where I could source a ferrule like the one on the right?1.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
I did manage to get the pilot assembly out to move it over to my existing furnace. But... the aluminum pilot line sheared off right where it goes into the coupling nut at the gas valve end. I have an extra pilot line with fittings that I managed to find, but I have an issue with the end where it goes into the pilot. Can anyone tell me what the little ferrule compression ring is called on the end of the gas line? it appears to be only one sided. I need to cut the new line short, and get another one of these little compression rings, and set it on there so the same amount of line extends past it to match what is on the stock assembly. But I don't know what that little compression ring is called to search for one online. It also appears I need one with a different taper. Photo is the new pilot line on the left, end of the old pilot line on the right. Grrrr, this stuff all seems almost standardized, but not quite.... Edit: or, is the brass compression ferrule on the old pilot line on the right, just a regular olive type compression ring and do they just compress down to look one sided after tightening them down? See second pic for what I mean.1.7KViews0likes2CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
ernie1 wrote: That yellow goop you see on the gas line is a gas line thread sealant like a product called Rector seal. Becomes flexible when warmed up. I would try a six point flare nut wrench and a hammer to strike the end of the wrench on both nuts that you are trying to loosen. A little bit of heat would probably help loosen the larger gas line nut but I wouldn't overdo it. Thanks Ernie, I'll try that if I end up needing to remove that fitting.1.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
I'd also like to remove the pilot line from the pilot assembly plate so I can clean up the orifice, etc., and if nothing else have it in a better state so that I could easily remove and clean while on the road in the future. But, that brass nut and threads look like this... any thoughts about loosening it other than waiting for the Kroil to take more time? it's a tiny 8mm bolt, and this pilot line and assembly are basically Unobtainium, so I need to be pretty careful not to bung anything up...1.4KViews0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
This is the "new" old furnace. You can see the dried sealant where the main propane line fitting is screwed into the gas valve. My other, current/not working furnace doesn't have this. The brass fitting at the 1/8" aluminum pilot line is the one I'd need to loosen to be able to move the whole pilot assembly to the other furnace.793Views0likes0CommentsRe: replacement gas pilot line and thermocouple
Okay, a small update. With luck I managed to find another furnace, the exact same model as my current one, with an intact pilot assembly and thermocouple. yahoo! I'm now in the process of combining parts from this new used furnace into my old/non functional one. But I'm stumped getting connections at the gas valve loosened. Any tips? the connections look like they have some kind of goop holding them together, which is now quite hard. I have used a bit of Kroil on the thread to no avail (if you're familiar with Kroil, if it doesn't do the trick, I don't know what will). I'm pretty loathe to just reef on the small connector nuts for obvious reasons. Is this a place where a bitnof heat might be used, once I make sure all residual propane is gone? I'll include a photo of the sealing material if I can figure out how to post an image.550Views0likes0Comments
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