Carver 4000 fanmaster thermocouple

antiqueman

antiqueman

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Weather changing it seems, tried to light the gas fire on saturday pilot lights lit but as soon as I release the knob to turn to heat it goes out. I have taken the front cover off flame burning nice thermocouple glowing but flame goes out as soon as I release the press in bit on gas valve. I am suspecting the thermocouple is at fault and I am away again next week, heat may be needed. I found this will ring later to check if this is the corect one https://www.caravanparts.co.uk/adva...ywords=thermocouple&search=&ajax_prod_id=1383

(second or third down on the page) Does anyone have any thoughts on my diagnoses?
 
Now all you clever people, where do I go from here with this pile of rubbish that was designed not to fit into the hole in the motorhome, no idea why they make things such a tight fit. Obviously I need a new gas pipe which just melted undoing it from gas supply pipe under motorhome but how to remove the thermocouple which seems to have two component parts I do not know. Things look different than the ones as advised above by Mr Brown, hope he is still about.
 

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oh dear ,that's a bit corroded ! in this pic
1601309124513.png
where the pipe from the t/c goes in ,that should be a nut which you'll have to unscrew . i've never done one of these but the principle is the same .once unscrewed ,you have to match the the old nut with the new one
 
I'd hold the big nut in place and try to unscrew the small nut of the thermocouple lead. It may not go well, but at worst, you can drill it out and tap a new hole It is only an electrical connection: doesn't need to be anything special, as long as it is connected.
I think there is some work to do about the corrosion elsewhere before putting it all back together. It's quite impressive that it worked in that state!
 
yes ,i'm having doubts now ! and the bit that goes in the flame might be a problem too . great .
well ,the old one's got to come off whatever
 
Buy a cheap universal one from Screwfix or Toolstation. If you can get the pointy end nicely in the flame and the screw-in end screwed in, it'll be fine.
 
antiqueman said:
this pile of rubbish that was designed not to fit into the hole in the motorhome, no idea why they make things such a tight fit.
Click to expand...
Not really fair. The fire was a specified size: if the motorhome assemblers made it a squeeze, the fire makers aren't to blame!
 
n brown said:
oh dear ,that's a bit corroded ! where the pipe from the t/c goes in ,that should be a nut which you'll have to unscrew . i've never done one of these but the principle is the same .once unscrewed ,you have to match the the old nut with the new one
Click to expand...
Everything corodes in Cleveleys even pvc doors have rust spots all over them!
 
Thanks for all the replies so far. I will pull some more to pieces today, the bit I do not understand is the wire from the bottom of the gas valve that is or was braided goes to the pilot light and the thermocouple goes into the big nut, are these connected together?
 
Would the state of the parts pictured have been covered in a gas safety check?
Is it just me that finds it worrying that people drive around with lumps of corroded metal connected to a highly inflammable gas?
Not having a go at you antiqueman but maybe your thread will encourage members to have a look at their gas components more often.

Good luck sorting it out.
 
antiqueman said:
Thanks for all the replies so far. I will pull some more to pieces today, the bit I do not understand is the wire from the bottom of the gas valve that is or was braided goes to the pilot light and the thermocouple goes into the big nut, are these connected together?
Click to expand...
Don't know, but I recently replaced my gas hob with a new one of the same model. The new one has an earth lead to each burner.
 
izwozral said:
Would the state of the parts pictured have been covered in a gas safety check?
Is it just me that finds it worrying that people drive around with lumps of corroded metal connected to a highly inflammable gas?
Not having a go at you antiqueman but maybe your thread will encourage members to have a look at their gas components more often.

Good luck sorting it out.
Click to expand...
A gas safety check only consists of checking there are no leaks and that there are no obvious visible faults.
 
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izwozral said:
Is it just me that finds it worrying that people drive around with lumps of corroded metal connected to a highly inflammable gas?
Click to expand...
The fact is that it was not leaking, and when it failed, it failed to ignite. It didn't explode.
You may find it worrying.but I'm more concerned about inadequate wiring protected by fuses at the wrong end, by mains wiring installed using rigid T+E cable, by people fitting heavy duty relays & relays, overloading the charging circuits. All these cause fires.
That heater was designed so that if it had leaked gas, the leak would be vented out to the ground below.
 
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that bit of wire is an earth ,presumably to make a circuit when the thermocouple is activated by the pilot flame . in case you don't know , the power generated by the t/c energises a small electromagnet which holds the gas valve open in place of you holding it down manually . when the flame goes out the electromagnet releases the valve and it is then held shut by a spring .
at the moment i have a room heater in my shed that has a t/c problem ,so the switch is being held down with a brick , highly not recommended !
 
Well here is a update with photo's the big nut on the side will turn but does not seem to be threaded the thermocouple is stuck in this firmly so far, What I do not understand is the bottom connection is what leads to the burner (also firmly embeded in it threads) so how does this make a connection to the thermocouple?.

both these items seem very suspect please see photo's
 

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More photos, I am thinking this from the side of the gas valve is the temperature regutator as it sits underneath the fire not the thermocouple and that the thermocouple is the bottom one with its end above the pilot burner. all thoughts on this appreciated.
 

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