Tool List- www.amazon.com/shop/acservicetech Support- www.patreon.com/acservicetech For those that are looking for the tools used in the videos: (Linked Below) Here is a link to the UEI DL389 Multimeter used in the videos- amzn.to/2av8s3q Here is the link to the Fieldpiece SDMN6 Dual Pressure Testing Manometer with Pump-amzn.to/2jyK5Ka Here is a link for the Supco Magnet Jumpers amzn.to/2gS4h6z Here is the link for the Irwin Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper amzn.to/2dGTj2V Other tool links can be found in the video description section. ACSERVICETECH is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
I ordered a new thermopile off ebay. with the pilot on, the fire place ignites at 240 mv and the reading keeps going up till it reaches around 350 mv then after a couple minutes the fireplace in turns off. Idk what it could be.
I have this in my American Standard boiler. A bit of debris in the pilot orifice caused the flame to miss the thermopile and a failure to start the gas valve.
I'm trouble shooting a propane wall heater that has a seemingly identical thermopile. Will a faulty thermopile prevent me from successfully lighting the pilot flame? Thanks in advance.
No. a faulty thermopile prevents the flame from staying lit when you let go of the button since the coil isn't getting enough energy in the gas valve to keep that pilot lit. Having trouble lighting is a gas problem (bad propane or too low a pressure), or pilot orifice plugged, or possibly a gas valve problem with the switch being depressed and it just won't let the gas through to the pilot tubing.
Thanks for the great video as well as all the links. Question: I need a new Tp for my gas fireplace, is the HW Tp you have in the video ($60 I think) much better then the P/N 51827 Tps that seem to vary between $7 and $40? Are there "knock-off" Tps that would compel me to buy the HW? Thanks again.
Yes that one was the Honeywell version which is the good one with the metal sheathing. I have seen wires burnt up and thermopiles not lasting long so I linked the good one, thanks- 750mv DC Thermopile with metal wire sheathing amzn.to/2bpfBGc
hi, i did this same testing procedure and got around 700m with only pilot on hitting the thermopile. But as soon as i connect wires to TH/TP and TP the voltage drops to around 114mv.burner won't come on. i tapped valve lightly then burner comes on? what's causing this drastic drop? bad thermopile or bad gas valve? thank you.
OK, checked the Mv at the thermostat and I get 450. The floor furnace is hard to light and when it does runs then turns off in 15 minutes. 450Mv at the thermostat, when the furnace lights and is running it shows 0 Mv at the two wires at the thermostat. What am I missing? Looking into the furnace the flame at the thermopile looks very weak
Also remember. What ever your reading is. The solenoid is going to suck half of it. If reading was 700mv now connect to gas valve. reading will drop to about half the voltage value.
thermopile is basically a PILE of thermocouples together as one... It's just a bigger version that produces more power because of what it will operate instead of what a thermocouple will operate.
I have a square shaped thermopile in my downdraft furnace(ca, 1956), and cant find a new one anywhere. This is needed before the winter season starts..anyone help?
your explanation seems to be double talk. at the beginning you said the test was being run on a thermopile that had failed; but the actual test showed it was well over the (350?) minimum. A few other comments gave you an opportunity to explain furthur, but you did not. Question--is this a good or bad thermopile? What makes it bad? For a complete test do you need to know what the voltage is when the part is actually in use? and if so, then how do you test it when you can't get the gas to continue flowing? I am not well versed in this, but am having a problem with a Vermont Castings free standing gas stove that uses gas logs, and can not find anyone to service it and this type of answer doesn't really help. thanks for listening
Yes frustrating. He focused only on heating a thermocouple and explained how a multimeter works. It seems that as long as the thermocouple generates at least 150mV is so, this will be enough to turn the gas valve on. In my case, I have a wall switch for a gas fireplace. The valve is activated by the wall switch but also the thermocouple voltage needs to be above a threshold. When I throw the wall switch on, the thermocouple reading goes from 320mV down to 160mV but the valve stays on. Before I put a meter on it, the flames weren't coming on. Pilot is on the whole time, and wall switch works fine, so it must be the thermocouple. But what I don't understand is why the mV reading drops since thermocouple temperature didn't change in just one second. Maybe the valve is doing something weird.
This video is not explained very good, I have not come crossed any videos that really explain the voltage reading of an open circuit and closed circuit readings.
Tool List- www.amazon.com/shop/acservicetech
Support- www.patreon.com/acservicetech
For those that are looking for the tools used in the videos: (Linked Below)
Here is a link to the UEI DL389 Multimeter used in the videos- amzn.to/2av8s3q
Here is the link to the Fieldpiece SDMN6 Dual Pressure Testing Manometer with Pump-amzn.to/2jyK5Ka
Here is a link for the Supco Magnet Jumpers amzn.to/2gS4h6z
Here is the link for the Irwin Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper amzn.to/2dGTj2V
Other tool links can be found in the video description section.
ACSERVICETECH is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Thanks, your video helped me a lot for fix my fireplace.
You are welcome!
Great video. Short, and factual.
Thank you very much!
I ordered a new thermopile off ebay. with the pilot on, the fire place ignites at 240 mv and the reading keeps going up till it reaches around 350 mv then after a couple minutes the fireplace in turns off. Idk what it could be.
Kick ass video this guy knows his shit
Another great video. Thank you acservicetech.
Thank you for the information
Thanks M mangla!
thank you for this great video. does it matter which of the leads (red or white) from thermopile is connected to the thermostat? thanks.
The thermostat is not being powered by the millivolts and is just breaking the wire so no it wouldn't and you are only powering dc solenoids, thanks
you should also refer to ionisation rods and U.V. faults ...
I have this in my American Standard boiler. A bit of debris in the pilot orifice caused the flame to miss the thermopile and a failure to start the gas valve.
I hear you! I find debris in the pilot tube quite a bit as well as oxidation on the outside of the thermopile, thanks Timothy!
So when the pilot is on, you want the reading to be 350-850, and when gas valve opens it drops down to 200?
Great video, thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you
How much current can it generate at 750mvdc.
I'm trouble shooting a propane wall heater that has a seemingly identical thermopile. Will a faulty thermopile prevent me from successfully lighting the pilot flame? Thanks in advance.
No. a faulty thermopile prevents the flame from staying lit when you let go of the button since the coil isn't getting enough energy in the gas valve to keep that pilot lit. Having trouble lighting is a gas problem (bad propane or too low a pressure), or pilot orifice plugged, or possibly a gas valve problem with the switch being depressed and it just won't let the gas through to the pilot tubing.
@@Jason-wc3fh Thank you sir!
Thanks for the great video as well as all the links. Question: I need a new Tp for my gas fireplace, is the HW Tp you have in the video ($60 I think) much better then the P/N 51827 Tps that seem to vary between $7 and $40? Are there "knock-off" Tps that would compel me to buy the HW? Thanks again.
Yes that one was the Honeywell version which is the good one with the metal sheathing. I have seen wires burnt up and thermopiles not lasting long so I linked the good one, thanks- 750mv DC Thermopile with metal wire sheathing amzn.to/2bpfBGc
hi, i did this same testing procedure and got around 700m with only pilot on hitting the thermopile. But as soon as i connect wires to TH/TP and TP the voltage drops to around 114mv.burner won't come on. i tapped valve lightly then burner comes on? what's causing this drastic drop? bad thermopile or bad gas valve? thank you.
I have the same issue. Did you ever resolve this?
It was a weak thermopile. It's voltage dropped drastically once underload.
OK, checked the Mv at the thermostat and I get 450. The floor furnace is hard to light and when it does runs then turns off in 15 minutes. 450Mv at the thermostat, when the furnace lights and is running it shows 0 Mv at the two wires at the thermostat. What am I missing? Looking into the furnace the flame at the thermopile looks very weak
Also remember. What ever your reading is. The solenoid is going to suck half of it. If reading was 700mv now connect to gas valve. reading will drop to about half the voltage value.
I thought flame rectification goes after the gas valve is open , so, once the gas flows then the rod is in the flame
This type of flame proving method does not use flame rectification but uses he generation of DC Millivolts, thanks George!
what are the difference between thermopiles and thermocouples?
thermopile is basically a PILE of thermocouples together as one... It's just a bigger version that produces more power because of what it will operate instead of what a thermocouple will operate.
My mVDC reading is only 10 when the circuit is closed and 550mVDC when circuit open. Does that mean my thermopile is bad
Also called a "PILOT GENERATOR".
Thanks
Thanks Momo!
I have a square shaped thermopile in my downdraft furnace(ca, 1956), and cant find a new one anywhere. This is needed before the winter season starts..anyone help?
cool
your explanation seems to be double talk. at the beginning you said the test was being run on a thermopile that had failed; but the actual test showed it was well over the (350?) minimum. A few other comments gave you an opportunity to explain furthur, but you did not. Question--is this a good or bad thermopile? What makes it bad? For a complete test do you need to know what the voltage is when the part is actually in use? and if so, then how do you test it when you can't get the gas to continue flowing? I am not well versed in this, but am having a problem with a Vermont Castings free standing gas stove that uses gas logs, and can not find anyone to service it and this type of answer doesn't really help. thanks for listening
Yes frustrating. He focused only on heating a thermocouple and explained how a multimeter works. It seems that as long as the thermocouple generates at least 150mV is so, this will be enough to turn the gas valve on. In my case, I have a wall switch for a gas fireplace. The valve is activated by the wall switch but also the thermocouple voltage needs to be above a threshold. When I throw the wall switch on, the thermocouple reading goes from 320mV down to 160mV but the valve stays on. Before I put a meter on it, the flames weren't coming on. Pilot is on the whole time, and wall switch works fine, so it must be the thermocouple. But what I don't understand is why the mV reading drops since thermocouple temperature didn't change in just one second. Maybe the valve is doing something weird.
This video is not explained very good, I have not come crossed any videos that really explain the voltage reading of an open circuit and closed circuit readings.
I was good untill the end, then it got confusing
Your not the only one, not explained very good.