generic/universal burner replacement?

[sweaty]

I have a pretty nice cast iron standalone gas fireplace. It is vented. I noticed sometimes it has trouble lighting up. It is pretty old and came with the house.

I was wondering if there is a universal/generic replacement for the burner that I can replace myself? The rest of the fireplace is in really good condition and I can't find replacement parts for whatever is not working, since it is so old. I just want to find a kit and replace the whole thing down there from the pipe on.

Is this possible to do?

 

[DAKSY]

Who is the manufacturer & what model is it?

 

[sweaty]

Vermont Cast gas fireplace. The tag has PDV20 on it. It has a standing pilot. Sometimes I can hear the valve click and then it lights up. Sometimes nothing. Pretty sure it is the valve. Last time I looked, they stopped making a valve for it.
So I thought, maybe just replace the whole kit down there and keep the rest of the fireplace?

 

[sweaty]

Who is the manufacturer & what model is it?

Vermont Cast gas fireplace. The tag has PDV20 on it. It has a standing pilot. Sometimes I can hear the valve click and then it lights up. Sometimes nothing. Pretty sure it is the valve. Last time I looked, they stopped making a valve for it.
So I thought, maybe just replace the whole kit down there and keep the rest of the fireplace?

Anyway, I looked on line and saw these log sets such as this one
(broken link removed)

They are just a burner installed in a vented firebox.

My fireplace looks like this one, even nicer

Regency Hampton H35 Large Cast Iron Gas Stove - American Heritage Fireplace

Large Cast Iron Gas Stove featuring Proflame remote control, flame height adjustment control and heavy-duty ceramic safety glass.

www.americanheritagefireplace.com

Makes me wonder if anyone makes anything similar so we can replace the whole kit for the cast iron fireplace--It feels like a terrible waste to throw away the whole thing just because of a faulty valve?

 

[DAKSY]

Did you try reading the millivolts on the thermopile?

 

[sweaty]

Did you try reading the millivolts on the thermopile?

No, I don't have a multimeter that does factions of volts. Any other way to trouble shoot?

 

[DAKSY]

No, I don't have a multimeter that does factions of volts. Any other way to trouble shoot?

Nope. Borrow one if you can, or get a cheap one from Amazon. It might just solve your issue Thermopiles are relatively inexpensive.

 

[sweaty]

Nope. Borrow one if you can, or get a cheap one from Amazon. It might just solve your issue Thermopiles are relatively inexpensive.

I picked up a multimeter and measured the voltage at the TH/TP and TP terminals and it read around .580 before I lit the fire and over .450 after I lit the fire. This time the fireplace worked fine.

I tested several times, with the multimeter probes contacting the terminals. Before I press the remote, it reads around .580. Right after I press the remote, it reads over 450. But the fire doesn't come up every time.

My question: does the thermopile output change? Is it possible that it became weak for whatever reason on another day, or should the reading be pretty consistent?

I doubt its output varies. Then that leaves the valve. This fireplace was made in 1998 so it is not surprising to see the valve fail, correct?

 

[bigealta]

Replace thermopile if the gas won't stay on. Cheap easy fix.

 

[sweaty]

Replace thermopile if the gas won't stay on. Cheap easy fix.

The thermopile readings are fine. The fire stays on once lit. My issue is the fire does not light every time consistently.

 

[bigealta]

So it's either
1 failing thermopile
2 failing gas valve
3 blocked, dirty gas line, screen somewhere.

you have a continuous standing pilot so that narrows things a bit.

The gas valve is sporadically not opening.

 

[sweaty]

The gas valve is sporadically not opening.

Yes that is the symptom. When it works, I can hear the click from the valve. But it doesn't always click.

Since I bought the digital multimeter, I measured it several times over the course of today and yesterday, and the readings have been consistent: over 550 when not lit, around 450 when lit. I think the thermopile is not the issue.

Back to my original question: does anyone makes a kit that we can use to replace the whole thing down there? They don't make the valve for this anymore.

 

[Lennox65]

Yes that is the symptom. When it works, I can hear the click from the valve. But it doesn't always click.

Since I bought the digital multimeter, I measured it several times over the course of today and yesterday, and the readings have been consistent: over 550 when not lit, around 450 when lit. I think the thermopile is not the issue.

Back to my original question: does anyone makes a kit that we can use to replace the whole thing down there? They don't make the valve for this anymore.

How do you turn the appliance on? Is it a wall switch, switch on the unit, or a remote?
Your tpile readings are good, it could be as simple as a bad wall switch or degraded or shorted out switch wires.
Try turning the appliance on by jumping the switch terminals on the valve.

 

[sweaty]

How do you turn the appliance on? Is it a wall switch, switch on the unit, or a remote?

I use a remote to turn it on.

Try turning the appliance on by jumping the switch terminals on the valve.

Jumping the terminal turns the fireplace on--I could hear the valve click when I did that.

My issue is it turns on sporadically. It is annoying when it doesn't work and there is no apparent pattern.

 

[DAKSY]

The remote receiver is connected to the valve, usually at terminals labeled with TH. Are those connections clean? Tight? Wire sheathing good?

 

[sweaty]

The remote receiver is connected to the valve, usually at terminals labeled with TH. Are those connections clean? Tight? Wire sheathing good?

Yes they looked secure to me. I poked them with my finger and wiggled the wires and nothing was loose.

I looked around and saw this on Amazon
Amazon product ASIN B0149D8KS2
It is a burner that can be installed in an indoor or outdoor gas fireplace. Has anyone attempted to install such a kit, or any other kit that is made specifically for cast iron fireplaces? Not saying I am going to do it, because I feel this is a stupid idea. But the basic components are all there: a lighter, some cables, hose, burner, a valve. I was hoping expert could tell me to stop, and don't even think about it.