{"id":17,"date":"2023-12-31T00:20:19","date_gmt":"2023-12-31T00:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/desiredcreations.com\/blog\/?page_id=17"},"modified":"2026-03-16T18:22:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T18:22:51","slug":"oven-wont-light","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/desiredcreations.com\/blog\/my-okeefe-merritt-stove-restoration-intro\/oven-wont-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Oven Won\u2019t Light"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>\r\n
Oven burner<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cHey you, in there, Mr. Big Burner! Wake up! Where are your flames?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

My oven had been turning on for a few weeks. Ever since a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) tech had examined it, everything turned on and the tech made sure the stove was operationally sound.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But after a few weeks, the oven stopped lighting. The cooktop burners were working so I knew the stove was getting gas. I didn\u2019t yet understand how the whole oven system worked yet, but I was determined to learn.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There were some oven relighting tips enameled on the Grillevator door inside panel (so vintage-y cool), but they didn\u2019t make much sense to me at the time. I\u2019d seen and read them many times but had no idea what they were really about.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>\r\n
Lighting or relighting instructions after my stove\u2019s gas supply has been off.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Oven And Broiler Pilot Lighting Instructions, For Nat. Mfg. And Mixed Gases. Light Pilot, Wait 45 Seconds, Push Red Buttons Located Under Cooking Tops.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For L.P. Gases Push Red Button In Firmly And Hold, Light Pilot, Wait 45 Seconds, Release Set Safety Buttons Located Under Cooking Tops.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mixed gases? Red buttons? Under the cooking tops? How do I get under the tops? Is the red button different than the safety one?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Clear as mud. Aaarrrggghh! But those tips were the only ones I had to go on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

[Deep breaths] Since I had a backup countertop oven, I didn\u2019t need the OKM oven right away. I decided to deal with all the stove oven troubleshooting later. Deep cleaning my OKM stove really helped me learn a lot more about it\u2019s layout, including how to get under the cooktop (so easy) and where the red buttons were.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>\r\n
TS-11 gas safety valves were located way in the back under the cooktop. Left one for the Grillevator broiler; right one for the oven.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n


Gas safety valves were located way in the back under the cooktop. Left one for the Grillevator broiler; right one for the oven.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But if I was to better manage my stove and troubleshoot my oven\u2019s operation, there was still a lot I wanted to learn.
Resetting the safety valves<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Resetting the safety valves<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

One key thing; whenever the gas is shutoff to the stove, the pilot flames die, which causes the safety valves to close. I knew all the pilot burners needed to be relit whenever I turned the gas back on. The cooktop burners would then be ready to turn on. But the safety valves had to be manually opened before the oven and broiler would work. The steps I take:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \r\n
  1. Open the stove\u2019s shutoff valve; get that gas flowing!<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  2. Make sure all the pilot burners are lit. My stove has two under the cooktop, one in the oven mounted next the thermocouple and main burner, the other is in the Grillevator broiler, next to thermocouple and main burner.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  3. Remove the four burner grates so the cooktop can be lifted up (like lifting up the hood of a car).<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  4. Wait a minute or two for the pilot flame to heat up the thermocouple sensor.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  5. Push in and hold the red button of the oven\u2019s safety valve. Pushing\u00a0 the red button manually opens the valve and allows the gas to flow to the main burner.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  6. Turn on the oven. The oven pilot flame will ignite the main burner gas. Release the safety valve buttons. The safety valves should remain open until the gas to the entire stove is turned off. The red button should spring back to its original position, whether the safety is open or not. If the oven burner flames die again, the safety valve closed again. \ud83d\ude41<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

     <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Once I started really working on my stove; repairing or replacing parts, tweaking the cooktop burners, etc. for safety sake, I\u2019d frequently turn off the gas to the stove to be safe. So I relit the pilot burners and reset the safeties a lot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Dead Thermocouple<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Then one day I turned on the oven \u2013 no oven burner flames!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>\r\n
    Even he was stunned!<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    I went through those relight steps doing the safety valves and everything. The oven burner flames came on for a few seconds, then died. I thought I did everything I was supposed to. What happened?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    A vintage stove technician tested the thermocouple voltage and informed me its voltage was too low, so he replaced it. The oven worked, again! I was left to ponder WTH a thermocouple was and what it had to do with anything. \ud83d\ude42 I wasn\u2019t going to ask the technician. He charged by the hour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    So it seemed there were a few points of failure with my oven\u2019s performance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n


    Oven Lighting System<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Over the next few months, I slowly learned my stove\u2019s gas plumbing system was a little complex, all new to me, but quite logical.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    A view of my stove underneath the cooktop.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    My oven\u2019s operational success was dependent on several things working:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

     <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Robertshaw oven thermostat heat control valve;<\/strong> its a valve attached to the manifold and allows gas to pass thru it. Its long capillary sensor inside the oven, it determines and regulates the temp so it stays within the range of the set temperature. But as far as gas flow is concerned, it simply needs to open enough to let the gas pass through. Easy peasy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    solenoid valve<\/strong>: my stove\u2019s oven plumbing also has a valve. It looks like a little box. It\u2019s electronically connected to the clock. It\u2019s the next valve in the oven\u2019s gas supply line, after the oven thermostat. If the clock is set to the right mode, it sends a signal to the solenoid, the solenoid closes until the clock tells it to open. I keep the clock setting to Manual(M) which tells the solenoid to remain open.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    safety valve<\/strong>; the oven\u2019s safety valve is the next valve is sequence for the gas flow to the oven, after the solenoid. It\u2019s the thing with the red button! If conditions are not right, it will close, blocking the gas at that point. The safety valve electronically connects to a thermocouple. If the thermocouple gets too cold even sitting near the pilot flame, it can\u2019t send a strong enough signal to the safety valve to stay open so the valve closes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>\r\n
    Safety valve with connection to thermocouple wire. This end of the thermocouple screws into the safety valve.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n


    oven pilot burner<\/strong>; it\u2019s a separate little burner with its own gas supply from the manifold. Conveniently, it acts in place of a 24\/7\/365 lit match. It helps the main burner to ignite. It sits right next to the thermocouple and main burner, but has it\u2019s own gas supply.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Safety valve with connection to thermocouple wire. This end of the thermocouple screws into the safety valve.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    thermocouple<\/strong>; it is electronically connected to the safety valve. The other end of the thermocouple sits in the oven, next the the main burner and the oven pilot burner. The pilot heats the thermocouple 24\/7\/365. Heat causes the thermocouple to generate a voltage (like a small battery). That voltage is 15 millivolts d.c. at the highest temperature. Voltage decreases as the temperature decreases. The power travels to the safety valve, telling it to *remain* open.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Troubleshooting my gas oven<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \r\n
    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Now, with a solid understanding of my oven\u2019s operational system. I can diagnose problems with the best of them. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Provided the thermostat simply opens when I turn the dial, I learned there are several points of failure, behind the scenes, in my gas oven system that can prevent the gas from flowing to the oven burner. Some failures are more likely than others; some are easier to deal with than others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

     <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    \"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>\r\n
    Pilot valve. Rotate slot to alter the amount to gas to the pilot burner.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Thermocouple punch list<\/h4>\r\n