I have a Vermont Castings Chateau DVT44 that's been operating fine for 6 years. This unit has a separate/remote control valve/pilot box that is located ~3 feet away from the firebox. I recently had custom built in cabinets installed around the fire place and now I can smell gas (set up for propane) when the system is turned on, but NOT when the pilot flame is lit. My questions:
1) Is the pilot flame fed by a completely separate line than the main fire burner? I can only see one line leaving the ignition unit, but presume there might be?
2) Can the ignition unit housing itself (the primary gas valve) fail and start to leak? Like a gasket going bad or something...
I'm trying to decide whether I believe the contractor (my brother in law) accidentally hit the primary line when mounting the built ins or if something else is going on When the work was done, I honestly don't remember smelling gas the first few times after the installation. The smell is absolutely coming from the area of the ignition box itself (the ignition unit is housed in a small ~12" by 4" deep enclosure). I've soaped the feed line (I'd always smell it if that were the issue anyway) and the primary discharge line and didn't see any bubbles. The discharge line runs "below" the ignition box so I was thinking if he penetrated the line, I wouldn't smell it anyway because the propane would sink lower (below the box) - I imagine some could sneak through the orifice/penetration in the box though if the wall cavity filled with gas.
I know the gas line was protected by steel plating between the sheet rock and the studs (I did that myself); but I imagine he still could've popped through.
Thanks for any opinions -
Les
1) Is the pilot flame fed by a completely separate line than the main fire burner? I can only see one line leaving the ignition unit, but presume there might be?
2) Can the ignition unit housing itself (the primary gas valve) fail and start to leak? Like a gasket going bad or something...
I'm trying to decide whether I believe the contractor (my brother in law) accidentally hit the primary line when mounting the built ins or if something else is going on When the work was done, I honestly don't remember smelling gas the first few times after the installation. The smell is absolutely coming from the area of the ignition box itself (the ignition unit is housed in a small ~12" by 4" deep enclosure). I've soaped the feed line (I'd always smell it if that were the issue anyway) and the primary discharge line and didn't see any bubbles. The discharge line runs "below" the ignition box so I was thinking if he penetrated the line, I wouldn't smell it anyway because the propane would sink lower (below the box) - I imagine some could sneak through the orifice/penetration in the box though if the wall cavity filled with gas.
I know the gas line was protected by steel plating between the sheet rock and the studs (I did that myself); but I imagine he still could've popped through.
Thanks for any opinions -
Les
