Fred: We met in the ABS problem thread. Just picked prius up today. Yippie. So, I'm Not sure If I'm posting this in correct place but I'm trying to follow your suggestion about posting my fireplace question in a different thread. Here was post: "Anyway, Thanks for the help. Now,,, if only someone could help me with my indoor fireplace insert. Pilot working but not lighting big burner. Double hooded pilot is lighting; I've cleaned the flame sensor with steel wool but still not lighting. Grrrrr....service wait is 3 weeks. Yes, I've learned my lesson to check fire place earlier in the season before service schedules fill up. Anyway, Thanks for the help." And your response send to Fred with Pic of controls. Did this find the right Fred? Here are the pic.
I'm not Fred, but I did pick up, from somewhere, long ago, that the grounding of the metal surfaces near the pilot flame and sensor rod is just as important as the cleanliness of the sensor rod itself. I probably picked that up from reading an article like this one: Flame Rectification Explained | HVAC Know It All The flame is detected thanks to the flame making an ionized path for current to flow between the sensor rod and nearby grounded metal. From your photos, I'm not totally sure I can guess the design of your burner. I see two rods bent toward the hooded pilot burner. I'm not sure if they're both for flame sensing, or for ignition, or something else. Is there a standing pilot (when the hooded pilot flame is off)? Or is the hooded pilot ignited by a spark? Anyway, the troubleshooting ideas in the article above might help. I don't know that there really is any Fred. This forum is his house of pancakes, but I think that's just for it to have a name.
Hi: i'm confused by "I'm not Fred, but I did pick up, from somewhere, long ago, that the grounding of the metal surfaces near the pilot flame and sensor rod is just as important as the cleanliness of the sensor rod itself. I probably picked that up from reading an article like this one" The flame is detected thanks to the flame making an ionized path for current to flow between the sensor rod and nearby grounded metal. From your photos, I'm not totally sure I can guess the design of your burner. I see two rods bent toward the hooded pilot burner. I'm not sure if they're both for flame sensing, or for ignition, or something else. Is there a standing pilot (when the hooded pilot flame is off)? Or is the hooded pilot ignited by a spark? Anyway, the troubleshooting ideas in the article above might help. I don't know that there really is any Fred. This forum is his house of pancakes, but I think that's just for it to have a name. Hi; Thanks for your reply. I'm confused by the Fred thing....but ok! I read the link. Good stuff. To answer your question: the pilot is "An intermittent pilot (or "intelligent pilot") system for a fireplace or appliance ignites a pilot flame only when a call for heat is received, saving energy compared to a standing pilot light that burns continuously. The pilot lights with an electric spark, ignites the main burner, and then goes out once the appliance is turned off or the thermostat setting is met." So, when I turn on the switch by the fireplace for it to light, one of the metal bars clicks and then ignites the hooded pilot. But, the main burner is not coming on. I've cleaned the flame sensor a couple times, Maybe the signal isn't being properly switched to the proper current change. ( see I read info in link. ) Thanks again. All you Freds rock!
Maybe you could take a few more pictures, or a video? I saw two metal rods there, one either side of the pilot hood. While they look very similar, is one of them the spark source and the other the flame sensor you say you've cleaned? Or are both of those rods involved in the spark ignition and the flame sensor somewhere else your pics haven't shown? How clean and well-grounded is the surrounding metal near where the pilot and flame rod are? The flame sensor works because the ionized gas in the flame can conduct current between the flame rod and the nearby clean grounded metal that's also within the flame.
