Also does a thermocouple open a solenoid valve, or hold a solenoid valve open?
2007-02-02 04:50:45 · 6 answers · asked by Rick R 5 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Rick, a standing pilot gas valve has 2 magnets in it which are controlled by electricity. A thermocouple is a bi-metal device that will produce 30 milliamps of electricity when heated that causes your pilot valve to stay open, allowing you to take your finger off of the red button that you have to push in order to light the pilot. If the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple will cool off, preventing it from creating the electricity needed to hold the pilot valve open. This safety device prevents your home from being flooded with gas, SO DON'T ALTER IT! In a standing pilot gas valve, the main valve will not open if the pilot valve is closed so you can see how important that thermocouple really is.
2007-02-02 05:09:17 · answer #1 · answered by vineyardtech 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes. You must have a safety shut off on all gas appliances. The thermocouple senses that the pilot light is functioning and permits operation of the burner gas valve. If the pilot light goes out, then the thermo couple will be cold and prevent the burner valve from functioning. A cold thermocouple will also shut off gas to the pilot light. Without these safety features you run the risk of having gas escape into your house.
Newer furnaces do not have gas burning pilot lights, but rather use an electric arc or heater to ignite the gas from the burner valve(s). In this case a thermo couple senses the presence of the burning gas by temperature rise. If the temperature does not rise, then the system shuts off the gas
2007-02-02 05:17:40 · answer #2 · answered by frozen 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the pilot blew out then you would have raw gas getting in the house. So, yes you need the safety shut off. The thermocouple does hold open a very small solenoid that allows the main burner gas to flow. Without a pilot sensed by a thermocouple the main gas would never come on. You definitely do not want the main gas dumping raw into the home. You must have a pilot there to ignite it.
2007-02-02 08:07:03 · answer #3 · answered by redbird 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
if you have a standing pilot, the thermocouple tells the gas valve, yes there is a pilot. if the wind were to blow out the pilot, the thermocouple says there is now no flame, and shuts off the gas valve, so no more gas comes out. if there was no pilot safety shut-off gas would just keep coming out and a cigarette or something could cause a explosion. now in some of the new furnaces, there is an intermittent pilot, that lights itself when the thermostat calls for heat, and instead of the thermocouple there is a flame sensor rod, but act kinda in almost the same principle as the thermocouple.
2007-02-02 05:30:34 · answer #4 · answered by BigJCliff 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The safety shut-off is there to prevent an explosion or fire. The pilots job is to light the burner whan the unit calls for heat. If the safety can't detect the pilot, it is supposed to prevent the burner valve from opening up.
The solenoid valve should be wired for failsafe. So it should be holding it open.
2007-02-02 04:56:32 · answer #5 · answered by KirksWorld 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Listen to Rick from Vinard services he hit on the nose!
2007-02-06 14:52:03 · answer #6 · answered by dencrit 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋