Heat N Glo Peninsula style fireplace won't light main burner

[John Hutterer]

Hi,
Hope you all can help me out. We bought a townhome last year, that came with a Heat N Glo natural gas fireplace. To the best of my ability to locate it, the Model Number seems to be R-3DVF, or R-3DVF-DSI, or PIER-TR, or PIER-TR-DSI. I mention all of these possibilities because the sticker on the bottom panel of the unit lists each of them, in the order listed. Not sure what that's all about, but if it helps you help me, that's okay. The sticker also says Gas Technologies, Lake City, MN on it and I assume that they are the parent company of Heat N Glo.

Anyway, here is the problem. The system has worked just fine for the past year, or so, but the other day it would no longer light. It has a pilot light, which is on all of the time, and that is still working. There is no thermostat. Instead, there are two wall (light) switches nearby. One switch apparently controls the 120 volt power that is supplied to the unit, and the other switch seems to short the thermostat leads together, which then tells the main gas valve to open, and the main burner to light. I've toyed with the idea of installing a thermostat, but haven't gotten around to it, yet. We normally leave the "power" switch on, all of the time. When we want heat, we turn on the "thermostat" switch. Crude, but effective. The other day, I turned on the thermostat switch, and the main burner lit for a few seconds, and then shut off. No amount of switching things on and off, since then, has caused the burner to light again. I've checked the wiring between the thermostat switch, and the gas valve, and it is intact. The thermostat switch opens and closes as it should. Any thoughts on what I should try next?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts and suggestions.

 

[DAKSY]

Please post a pic of the valve &the pilot assembly.
That can point us in the right direction...

 

[Millbilly]

I'd de-energize the unit. Unplug and remove batteries. Take glass off and clean flame sensor with 0000 steel wool and pilot hood to. Then make sure all wire connectors are tight from switch to control module. And control module to valve. Also make sure grounds are tight. Then try to turn it back on. If that doesn't work report back with a volt meter in hand.

 

[John Hutterer]

I'll try attaching a photo of the valve Assy. I have not yet gotten around to taking the fake wood out, so no pictures of the pilot light available at this time. It seems pretty standard, from what I can see of it. I found a troubleshooting guide, on line, and have been trying to follow it. I measured the output of the thermopile, and it is right at 325 millivolts, where it should be. The manual says that, if I flip the on-off switch, that is located above the valve, I should still read about 100 m-volts. The meter drops to zero when I turn the switch on, so I'm beginning to wonder if maybe the valve is bad?

 

[Millbilly]

Ok ignore everything I said in last post. That sounds too weak for your TP reading. How does your pilot light look?

 

[John Hutterer]

Looks good to me, but I'm no expert.

 

[DAKSY]

Looks good to me, but I'm no expert.

Pilot LOOKS great, but like Millbilly said, those numbers are way too low.
Burner off should read in the mid 500s.
Burner on should read 220-ish.
Thinking bad thermopile

 

[John Hutterer]

Seems reasonable to me. Unfortunately, the local Dey Appliance store is closed now. I'll have to pick up a thermopile on Monday.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[DAKSY]

True Value carries universal ones for about $50