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Hello all,
Firstly i should add, although this isnt my profession, im more than comfortable to be working on a gas oven, more importantly i feel competent enough as ive worked on many appliances before.
Hoping for some pointers, we have a dual gas oven, left oven works fone, the right one however, is giving off a very strong leak when we have it on, ive stripped down the oven and figured it must be from the thermostat onwards as there is no leak when its off.
My first attempt i removed the thermostat and gave it a general look over, refitted it then called in an engineer, he turned it on and using his meter found no leaks. HEY PRESTO, i fixed it, ultimately a few weeks later its returned, so being the person i am i refuse to give another £65 away for what was a very simple check so bought my own gas leak meter.
Onto take 2 and i also decided to replace the thermostat as the leak is definitely around its vicinity.
What do you know, still leaks. Ive covered the entire thermostat in gas leak spray and still no bubbles yet the meter “trips” straight away when placed next to the stat.Where the hell do i go now? Im adament it is around this thermostat, the only things not replaced are the feed to the oven AFTER the stat, and the ac thingy which keeps the gas on after i release the knob. The thermometer is new with the stat.
Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
The only advice you will probably get is to get a gas safety engineer to look at it
Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
Appreciate everyone will say that.
But i can’t see what other methods the gs engineer will use to rectify the issue.
If someone were to say “he plugs in a computer and finds the fault straight away” then he would have been and gone but the fact he will do the exact same as me with a meter and leak spray just leaves me feeling ripped off a tad.
Happy to be proven wrong though 😀
Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
Please please please don’t mess with it, do as Andy says and call back in the professionals.
Gas + leak = dial 0800 111 999
DO NOT MESS WITH IT AS YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS AROUND YOU ARE NOT HELPED BY AMATEUR DIY MESSING…..!
Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
You must not use any sealant of any kind on the brass fittings to the stat. Is the seal below the gas rail new, is the rail compressed, is there sufficient grease on the other taps. Electronic detectors are not the best method to search for leaks, made worse by lack of experience with it.
The clamp on the rail does not appear level compared to the tap next to it, it appears one side is clamping lower than the opposite.
As for safety please if the leak is still present ensure its removed/disconnected from the gas until you’ve rectified the issue.
Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
Martin- whilst i dont want to sound arrogant as im fully aware you guys have more experience than me, i would still like to pursue the fault myself, i do know my limits and of course if i was for one second starting to think that then i would stop.
Thankyou lee, no sealant is used on the brass fittings, only ptfe tape.
You are correct in that the stat is sitting at a slightly different angle but no change, and yes it has a new seal fitted which was supplied. I have now corrected the angle but i think you’ll agree that this wouldnt be the problem as the oven would be leaking gas permanently, remember my fault only begins when i put this particular oven on.
Regarding the use of electronic leak testers, the engineer who attended used the same device so was he not a very good guy to call out? I have been using the meter as per instructions, i wont go into detail but cant see how to use it wrong….Of course i am leaving the oven disconnected until the fault is resolved.
Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
You are asking for advice on something you shouldn’t be going anywhere near if you’re not fully trained and have the necessary qualifications even if it is you’re own appliance.
For peace of mind if nothing else as Martin said get someone in thats gas competentRe: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
Ive noticed that if i compare the smell exiting out of the “exhaust” from the good oven to the bad oven, i can distinctly smell the gas more in the bad oven, im thinking it may well be a bad ignitor, confusing me a tad as the smell remains even after the oven is up to temprature. It also doesnt explain the readings from the thermostat.
Andy- can you please identify as to what other methods the gas competent engineer would try?
For safety- I have the oven disconnected both from gas and electric whilst working on it, i have doors and windows open and never let the oven run for more than 1 minute, once it was maybe 3 minutes to prove ignitor issue.
i also leave it 10 minutes before trying again to not build up gas levels.Re: Pinpointing this pesky gas leak
Ptfe tape is a method of seal, therefore should not be used, plus Ptfe is not to be used as it’s for sealing water, not gas.
Electronic detectors pick up gases, therefore should be set outside and the bleeps regulated accurately. It takes practice and they can give false readings.
The fact you have not found a leak and are asking questions on here would suggest you need a professional. We invest a lot of time and money in becoming skilled, it’s not a hobby and it’s not easy.
I had a client yesterday after being asked to remove his baking trays from an oven his response was to tell me he did not need to as l should be working behind the cooker, my response to his uneducated opinion was to remove the trays and any further instructions l give you are for a reason, l’d suggest you do the same.
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