Pilot light won't ignite

[Psimon73]

I can't seem to get my pilot light to ignite on my electrolux 212b. I've stripped it down and cleaned it thoroughly taking care with the jet. The gas will burn but it never stays lit. I haven't changed or cleaned any part of the flue and I'm not sure what to do next. The fridge is 27 years old so maybe it's had it ?
Thanks
1983 Autohomes Kamper

[1664]

Do you mean it will only stay lit if you keep the button pressed in? If so, it'll be the thermocouple or the gas valve itself - most common is the thermocouple but don't rule out the gas valve as I've known one of them to be faulty too.

[chriscburgess]

this interests me too. What can go wrong with the gas valve? where is it?

[1664]

The gas valve is in the chunky lump of metal behind the gas knob where the other end of the thermocouple is. I too thought that it was hightly unlikely to go wrong (I'd never heard of one going wrong) and advised another member on here to replace the thermocouple but it transpired it was the gas valve itself at fault - which was a tad embarrassing

[kevtherev]

all parts are available from Dometic

I would have said thermo couple too

[horns]

Same here - mine did exactly the same til I fitted a new one...

[Psimon73]

Intriguing, this doesn't sound too hard too fix. Just to clarify, I push in the knob and revolve to position 3. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds then with it still held in push the ignition button. The result is I get a "woomph" type of noise as the vented gas ignites but no pilot light. I'm loathed to buy a new fridge if I can get this one working. Thanks for the comments guys. Very helpful.

[kevtherev]

Just to clarify, I push in the knob and revolve to position 3. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds then with it still held in push the ignition button.

No, push in the knob, ingnite and hold in for ten seconds.

this bypases the thermo couple safety cut off.

[1664]

You're waiting too long before you press the ignition button allowing a build up of gas thereby causing a small explosion of gas rather than igniting the jet. Start pressing the igniter repeatedly as soon as you introduce the gas flow until you see the jet ignite in the little window in the bottom rear LHS of the fridge. Once lit, keep the gas knob pressed for 10 - 15 seconds to give the thermocouple time to warm up and hold the gas valve open with the knob released.


Damn!! Kev got there first!!

[horns]

Ah, I didn't realise you had an ignition button - mine is an automatic cllck-click-click one. May just be a matter of timing, then...