Natural Gas Stove problems

[SagaLore]

When we moved the mobile to this lot, the furnace and stove were set for propane, so we temporarily used propane tanks until we could switch them over to natural.

We noticed with natural that there is a lot less pressure from the pilot lights and flame. The oven also would not work - its pilot light would light, but turning the knob on high didn't get it going.

I found a free stove in the classifieds, picked it up, and it worked. Then about a year later, it seemed that the oven didn't always successfully start. It got worse until it wouldn't light at all. I tore it all apart, cleaned everything inside and out, and it still wouldn't go. I figured there was one bad part that wouldn't give the gas more pressure to heat the thermal trigger.

So after some more looking, I found another free gas stove and put that in. First thing I did was test the oven at 500, and it worked fine. We cleaned it all up and were ready to cook...

Well it turns out that the oven won't start unless it is as high as 500. Otherwise the pilot light never increases in flame to light the trigger.

We already had the gas company here to check our pressure, and they said it was fine.

What now??? There must be something I'm missing...

update:
I pulled apart the litltle box responsible for regulating gas flow based on a spring loaded mechanism between the thermostat and the knob. Found a bunch of "gunk" in it that may have been clogging it. After I cleaned it all out, I tried putting it back together and couldn't get the spring mechanism and setting right. After a few hours of messing with that, I finally figured out exactly how it works, set it just right, hooked it back up, and tested it.

I think I fixed it! :Q

 

[jlee]

When you change a stove's fuel from propane to natural gas, you need to change or adjust the gas orifices. Natural gas has less BTUs/gallon than propane, so the orifices are larger. Contact the company that produces the stove and see if you can get the propane/gas conversion.

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
When you change a stove's fuel from propane to natural gas, you need to change or adjust the gas orifices. Natural gas has less BTUs/gallon than propane, so the orifices are larger. Contact the company that produces the stove and see if you can get the propane/gas conversion.

Correct
Did you install conversion kits?
Natural gas and LP are very different.

 

[SagaLore]

It is converted to natural. That's not the problem.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
It is converted to natural. That's not the problem.

Do you have anything else in the house that uses natural gas? If so, does it work properly?

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
Do you have anything else in the house that uses natural gas? If so, does it work properly?

Our furnace runs on natural gas too, and its been working fine the last few years.

 

[danzigrules]

Might check this out

 

[danzigrules]

figure this out?

 

[zixxer]

just FYI you might already know this -

natural gas has a lot less heat per volume than propane. So, to use a propane appliance with natural gas you have to increase the orifice size to allow more gas for the same amount of energy.

This isn't a 'huge' deal with a furnace, as it will just run more often, but use the same amount of natural gas. However with a grill or stove it isn't a matter of 'on' or 'off' like a furnace. When the propane grill/stove is hooked up to natural gas, high will be more like medium - which isn't as much of an issue as low, where the pilot can be blown out easily and low won't keep the burners lit.

zixxer for elite!

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: danzigrules
figure this out?

Sure did. Lowes has some great deals on new stoves.

My wife had some guy come by to look at it, and it looks like a bad thermostat. It is not worth replacing. But the guy is going to bill us for the visit anyway.

 

[Phoenix86]

The nerve of him.

 

[Encryptic]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
When you change a stove's fuel from propane to natural gas, you need to change or adjust the gas orifices. Natural gas has less BTUs/gallon than propane, so the orifices are larger. Contact the company that produces the stove and see if you can get the propane/gas conversion.

I wish I could say I had something useful to add here, but I just wanted to congratulate you on a legitimate use of the word "orifice" that didn't involve a bodily function.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Encryptic
I wish I could say I had something useful to add here, but I just wanted to congratulate you on a legitimate use of the word "orifice" that didn't involve a bodily function.

A "gas orifice".

 

[SagaLore]

I pulled apart the litltle box responsible for regulating gas flow based on a spring loaded mechanism between the thermostat and the knob. Found a bunch of "gunk" in it that may have been clogging it. After I cleaned it all out, I tried putting it back together and couldn't get the spring mechanism and setting right. After a few hours of messing with that, I finally figured out exactly how it works, set it just right, hooked it back up, and tested it.

I think I fixed it! :Q