Lighting gas range burners

[Richard Cooper]

My double burner gas range is made by Gaggenau.  I never know which burner will stay lit after I release the automatic lighter.  I just don't know what the magic touch is.  But it's aggravating sometimes to hold it depressed in while the lighter is clicking and after a few seconds (sometimes as long as 30 seconds) I release it and the flame goes out.  I press in again and it lights up and I try to hold it longer.  Surely there is a technique to this I am missing.

I got the right one lit fairly quickly today, but the left one would not.  Usually it's the right one that won't light.  I do have the burner round center covers seated correctly.

[Joel Weiss]

Take the little burner covers off and make sure they are clean; if they're seated correctly that's the only thing I can think of that would make any difference.  My wife is making bacon on ours right now and it works like a charm every time, as long as the burner covers are seated and clean.

[Bruce Benson]

Ours changes from minute to minute.  It can be aggravating.  First rule seems to be always light them without the pot on top.  They seem to do better in the open.  Try turning them towards "OFF" a few times, letting the flame almost go out but not quite, then turning them back to light.  

We have had a lot of practice but these are only the best suggestions we have, not a cure.  There seems to be a relationship with room temperature among, obviously, several other variables.  One or the other of us often comes up with the "perfect method" only to find that it no longer seems to work.  

Have fun!  

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Richard,

Take some foamy liquid to the LP tank outside.  Spray it on all the valves and regulator it may be leaking a bit.

Mine was but not enough to set off the LP detector as it was outside.  Just a thought.

[Richard Cooper]

I will certainly make sure the LP tank doesn't have a leak, but I want to say that when I turn my gas stovetop on and light it ---- the flame is great all the way around the removable round thing in the middle of the burner.  It will adjust high and low, but when I no longer press down in the gas volume switch the flame will go out.  How long do you have to keep depressing it (with the automatic lighter clicking)?

At times this is frustrating.  Usually one or the other will light, but not consistently.  

Yes, the round center piece of the burner is clean and it is locked in it's place.

[Joel Ashley]

I think Bruce is right.  It usually takes up to 5 seconds or more at times, but if you get it lit, rotate the knob and flame all the way down, then slowly back up before releasing it, that sometimes will help.  It's remotely possible your ignition probe is out of alignment or something, but doubtful.  If your pressure wasn't up to snuff, it probably wouldn't burn well or stay lit very long after you did get it going, and your refridgerator might not ignite or run well on gas.  But regulators can and do go belly up.

Joel

[Richard Cooper]

I cooked an omelet with one of them this morning.  

5 seconds??  I've held it down for 45 seconds and released and went out.

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

My guess is the valves you hold and release may be dirty.  Look in the manual, on line or try to contact Gaggenau for a solution.

Larry

[Richard Cooper]

I'll try to find a manual or does anyone have it in PDF?

[Joel Weiss]

My guess is the valves you hold and release may be dirty.  Look in the manual, on line or try to contact Gaggenau for a solution.

Larry

I think the more likely problem is the the bi-metallic that heats up and keeps the burner operating.  I assume it has to be in or under the burner head so it can sense the presence of the flame.

Anyway, the model I believe is most likely VG(K)223812.  The "K" shows up on my Beaver's list of items installed, but when you look it up online, the K doesn't seem to be needed.  You can get parts either directly from Gaggenau http://www.gaggenau-eshop.com/eshop/gaggenau/us/prodlg.htm?Maktx=VG223812  or places such as: http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=232020

[Edie and Marty Hochberg]

Richard,

I have the same cooktop in my coach.  What I have found is that as soon as the flame ignites, and while still holding the valve in the ignite position, I turn the flame way down.  Then after a slow count to 6 or 7 the flame stays on when I release the igniter.  I have never checked the relative positions of the flame and the thermo sensor but on a boat I used to own if I did not turn the flame down the flow of gas shielded the thermosensor and it would only heat up very slowly.

Hope this is helpful to you.

[Edward Buker]

I have the same issue wih our Gaggenau and I know it is bad when I hear "15 seconds my ass" come from the stove area. There are times when we have held the knob down for 45 seconds and still have had it go out. I took it apart one day and I believe that the way it works is that there is a sealed tube involved that gets heated by the flame and the expansion of whatever gas is within the tube mechanically enables the gas valve to stay on without depressing the knob.

I saw no method of adjustment, no method to enable faster heating, it is a very rudamentary affair. I called Gaggenau and they were no help at all regarding any method of improving this units performance and did not accept that this excessive delay required to maintain flame ignition was any problem at all. I think we are stuck with whatever the characteristics of your particuar unit has. I suspect that the delay varies by the particular tube and valve you happen to get.

Later Ed

[Joel Ashley]

Leave it to Ed to take it apart to see how it works   .  

Our rig has a Seaward cooktop.  The manual says to hold the knob on "Ignite" for 5-10 seconds, which allows the thermocouple to heat and activate a safety mechanism.  If the valve is ever on and no flame, it prevents gas flow into the living area.  Ours works just as it says;  5 to 10 seconds is all it takes.  The wife had trouble getting it for awhile, as she tried to ignite it with the knob not all the way counterclockwise.  Like Marty indicates, too high a flame may go past the thermocouple, or draw cool air over it, so it won't keep the valve open.  A bent or mispositioned thermocouple would react similarly;  it has to be positioned to get maximum flame at the valve knob's "Ignite" sweet spot.

Joel

[Jeremy Parrett]

I agree with Joel.
   The Gaggeneau  double burner should be turned to half way and held down for 15 to 40 secs.  Ours works every time.  On high it blows out.  On low it will not light.   I have a Force 10 stove on my sailboat with the same type of thermocouple . Except for the superior quality it works exactly the same as the Gaggeneau.
      Good luck

[Keith Oliver]

There should be a thermocouple that will be heated by the flame while you are holding the knob down.  When it is hot, it will allow the flow of fuel to continue.  Frequently, the thermocouple tube, which is copper, will get bent, so that it isn't directly in the flame.  bend it a bit till it is getting heated, then your hold time should go back to 5 seconds or so.