I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife lit the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the logs were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never stay on.

Hi,
First thing to check is, make sure the thermo couple contact inside
connection is clean(can buff it with rubber eraser) and the connection
is tight as well at the valve body. Also postition of thermo couple.
Next try adjusting pilot flame size. If still bad, can try new couple
since it's not that expensive. I doubt the main valve is bad.
Good luck,
Tony


TOM KAN PA wrote:
I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife lit the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the logs were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never stay on.

"TOM KAN PA" wrote in message
...
I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife lit
the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of
turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the
pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the logs
were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few
minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time
when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never stay
on.



Its the thermocouple, and if its defective, it can act any way it wants.
Gas log units are normally a lot different than the $4 cheapy you can get at
Home Depot, and the correct one will normally run about $21-50 depending on
the log set you have.
Replaced about 30 so far this season, and many had the exact same problems
you just described...
Of course, it could be a bad valve too....or even a bad O2 sensor if yours
are ventless.

TOM KAN PA wrote:

I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife lit the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the logs were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never stay on.
No so.. the pilot light gets it gas from the other side of the valve
that the pilot controls.... it always get gas... if not then you would
never be able to get gas to the pilot light to heat up the thermocoupler
that makes the gas valve open to set the logs on fire...... get another
thermocoupler and see if that fixes the problem...... if that does not
fix it then its the gas valve that the thermocoupler controls and it
might not be worth fixing??? i dont know what type of setup you have...
but remember that the gas always goes to the pilot..... if the pilot
blows out and you get gas its not too much to cause a problem like the
gas coming out of the valve if the valve is bad(it lets too much gas
out)...

"jim" wrote in message ...
TOM KAN PA wrote:

I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife
lit the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of
turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the
pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the
logs were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few
minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time
when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is
the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never
stay on.
No so.. the pilot light gets it gas from the other side of the valve
that the pilot controls.... it always get gas... if not then you would
never be able to get gas to the pilot light to heat up the thermocoupler
that makes the gas valve open to set the logs on fire...



Actually, not so.
I have not seen a set of logs like that in over 10 years....
Push and hold pilots are the norm. When the thermocouple heats enough to
generate millivolts, then the pilot stays lit.

... get another
thermocoupler and see if that fixes the problem...... if that does not
fix it then its the gas valve that the thermocoupler controls and it
might not be worth fixing??? i dont know what type of setup you have...
but remember that the gas always goes to the pilot..

NO, it does NOT.
I JUST repaired another set and its pick and hold...pick and
hold...sheeeeeesh.


... if the pilot
blows out and you get gas its not too much to cause a problem like the
gas coming out of the valve if the valve is bad(it lets too much gas
out)...

English???
Bad valve wont let too much gas out....bad regulators will..

It amazes me that advice this bad is even allowed out.

CBHvac wrote:

"jim" wrote in message ...
TOM KAN PA wrote:

I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife
lit the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of
turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the
pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the
logs were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few
minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time
when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is
the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never
stay on.
No so.. the pilot light gets it gas from the other side of the valve
that the pilot controls.... it always get gas... if not then you would
never be able to get gas to the pilot light to heat up the thermocoupler
that makes the gas valve open to set the logs on fire...

Actually, not so.
I have not seen a set of logs like that in over 10 years....
Push and hold pilots are the norm. When the thermocouple heats enough to
generate millivolts, then the pilot stays lit.

... get another
thermocoupler and see if that fixes the problem...... if that does not
fix it then its the gas valve that the thermocoupler controls and it
might not be worth fixing??? i dont know what type of setup you have...
but remember that the gas always goes to the pilot..

NO, it does NOT.
I JUST repaired another set and its pick and hold...pick and
hold...sheeeeeesh.

... if the pilot
blows out and you get gas its not too much to cause a problem like the
gas coming out of the valve if the valve is bad(it lets too much gas
out)...

English???
Bad valve wont let too much gas out....bad regulators will..

It amazes me that advice this bad is even allowed out.
why did you not tell him to go get a "professional" like you to fix
it???

"jim" wrote in message ...
CBHvac wrote:

"jim" wrote in message ...
TOM KAN PA wrote:

I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room,
same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my
wife
lit the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her
of
turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off,
the
pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the
logs were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few
minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next
time
when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced
is
the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should
never
stay on.
No so.. the pilot light gets it gas from the other side of the valve
that the pilot controls.... it always get gas... if not then you would
never be able to get gas to the pilot light to heat up the
thermocoupler
that makes the gas valve open to set the logs on fire...

Actually, not so.
I have not seen a set of logs like that in over 10 years....
Push and hold pilots are the norm. When the thermocouple heats enough to
generate millivolts, then the pilot stays lit.

... get another
thermocoupler and see if that fixes the problem...... if that does not
fix it then its the gas valve that the thermocoupler controls and it
might not be worth fixing??? i dont know what type of setup you
have...
but remember that the gas always goes to the pilot..

NO, it does NOT.
I JUST repaired another set and its pick and hold...pick and
hold...sheeeeeesh.

... if the pilot
blows out and you get gas its not too much to cause a problem like the
gas coming out of the valve if the valve is bad(it lets too much gas
out)...

English???
Bad valve wont let too much gas out....bad regulators will..

It amazes me that advice this bad is even allowed out.
why did you not tell him to go get a "professional" like you to fix
it???

Because you did a fine job of that with your post...you proved without a
doubt that sometimes amatuers have no biz touching a set.

I am a pro...sorry if you cant deal with it...and I cant help it that you
have no damn clue what you are doing. At least you made the attempt, dont be
upset that someone that has a bit more experence corrected you. Most of the
pros I hang out with wont even bother with this group, and the ones that do
would tell you the same thing.

The pilot on a vent free is part of the ODS assembly. Your is just dirty.
Take a can of compressed air and blow the dust out. The pilot must be OFF.
The ODS is where the pilot flame comes out. Go to the back of the ODS, you
will see one or two holes, blow the compressed air in there. Then blow down
the barrel of the ODS. If this does not fix it, email me as I am so busy
this time of year, I do not read this board much anymore. I can also fax
you the instructions form on of Peterson's Vent Free gas log owners manuals.
--
John Galbreath Jr.
http://www.firelogs.com/

Irondale, Alabama
888.321.Logs



"TOM KAN PA" wrote in message
...
I've had these unvented gas logs for about five years. Same room, same
fireplace.
I re-lit the pilot light this fall. It burned fine. One night my wife lit
the
logs. The next day we noticed the pilot light was off. I accused her of
turning
the shut off too far and turning off the pilot light.
One evening I told her I will turn the logs off. I shut them off, the
pilot
light stayed on. For a few minutes.
So I re-lit it and it stayed on, no problem. Until the next time the logs
were
used. After they were turned off, the pilot light burned for a few
minutes, and
went off. I re-lit it, it's still burning, but I know that the next time
when
the logs are used, the pilot light will go off again.
What can be causing this? About the only thing that can be replaced is the
thermo couple. And if this is defective, the pilot light should never stay
on.