UPDATE: Propane oven help... it's making soot

KRS

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Our propane oven has always left a little soot trail on the countertop; however the other day it completely covered the inside of the oven with soot and ruined the food inside (covered it with black soot).

We called the repairman and his reponse was: it's ruined, you need a new one.

Anyone know what causes this?

KRS
 
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JB

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Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Bad fuel/air mix.
 

KRS

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Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

I bought a foreclosure house and didn't receive a manual for the oven. I'll try and search how to make this type of adjustment.
 

Jeff-in-PA

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Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Bad fuel/air mix.

I bought a foreclosure house and didn't receive a manual for the oven. I'll try and search how to make this type of adjustment.

JB is correct. Was the house vacant for any length of time before you took possesion? Perhaps spiders/bugs made a nest or some other type of blockage in the feed lines causing your soot problem.

I have to start my propane heater in my back room every month ( just the pilot ) so I don't have a blockage problem.

Jeff
 

Rickairmedic

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Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Hey KRS I saw your post over on SFT as well. I would agree with the spider issue if the house sat vacant for any time . I have seen this in furnaces that sat for a while in mobile homes spiders somehow get up into the orfice on the gas valve and fill it with a nest and it wont burn right till you take it apart and clean the gunk out of it . I would say get the model number and make and see if you can get a schematic online of the parts breakdown that will help you see what pats may need to be pulled and cleaned . I am guessing the burners on top are working ok and its just the oven thats having problems .


Rick
 

KRS

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Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Thanks guys, it is just the oven. I'll get into it today and try to clean/adjust and post again.

Thank you!

KRS
 

KRS

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Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Re: Propane oven help... it's making soot

JB, Jeff, Rick;

I took it apart, cleaned out the soot, found the air adjustment (it's just a little rotating sleeve around the starting end of the burner). The air sleeve was barely open just a tiny bit and the locking screw wasn't tight. I lit the stove and fiddled around... hopefully I have it set right.

Funny thing, the electronic igniter stayed glowing orange the entire time I had the burner going ( I wonder if having the door open makes that happen? )

Thank you for the help guys, saved me some $$$.

I'll watch for the soot gremlin to show up again, hopefully it is gone.

KRS
 

getinmerry

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Re: UPDATE: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Are you sure that the oven is set up for propane and not natural gas? Propane appliances require a different orifice that comes via a conversion kit for most gas fired appliances. It may be possible that the previous owner just slapped in a NG oven without the conversion.
 

Rickairmedic

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Re: UPDATE: Propane oven help... it's making soot

KRS one other little thing the ignitor shouldnt stay on once the oven is lit which means either theres a problem with the controls or possibly the control board if it has one . The ignitor staying on will cause it to fail prematurely and they are around $50.00 bucks a pop so a little more digging may be needed .


Rick
 

jonesg

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Re: UPDATE: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Are you sure that the oven is set up for propane and not natural gas? Propane appliances require a different orifice that comes via a conversion kit for most gas fired appliances. It may be possible that the previous owner just slapped in a NG oven without the conversion.


Yep thats correct, I had that with a commercial friolator, it works for a while until the soot builds up in the jet then soots goes everywhere.
Change the jets. They are just brass plugs with a hole drilled through, you can look up the correct part number, I bet you have the wrong ones.
 

KRS

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Re: UPDATE: Propane oven help... it's making soot

I'll check the jets.

Thought I had it fixed.... then I came home today (my wife was out getting the mail) and I smelled propane. I shut everything down and opened up the house.

I tested the stove and it stays lit while the electronic igniter is on; then when the temp reaches the desired point the igniter goes out (like it should), and 10 seconds later the flame goes out...............????????????????

KRS
 

NW Redneck

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Re: UPDATE: Propane oven help... it's making soot

Most gas ovens work by sending power through the ignitor first and then to the gas valve, so the ignitor should stay on whenever the burner is on. If the ignitor is good, it will let a certain voltage through to the gas valve (voltage is 3-3.5 vac for most maytag valves). If the ignitor resistance is out of spec it won't open the valve. If it is borderline it may cause frequent cycling on and off of the burner. Having the correct ignitor is important to get the proper voltage to the GV.

As for the sooting issue, it could be several things. A blockage/spiderweb in the burner or oriface, incorrect air shutter adjustment, incorrect oriface size, incorrect (usually low) gas pressure. How much propane is in your tank(s) and when was the last time the regulators were checked? I would call a different repair man (the last one was full of it) that is experienced and licenced to work on gas appliances. Propane is not to be taken lightly and if you're not trained and experienced in gas appliance operation then don't touch it! :eek:

BTW I didn't stay at a Holliday Inn last night, but I am a licenced gasfitter/hvac tech. :D
 
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