Author Topic: Gas Chiller not working with gas. Help?  (Read 1485 times)

Dave_C

  • Trying to get rid of my belly... and failing!
Gas Chiller not working with gas. Help?
« on: 27 May, 2014, 12:39:36 pm »
We bought a gas/main/12v electric chiller a couple of years ago. It still works on mains/12V but not with gas. New gas blue connector/limiter, and hose disconnected to check its clear has been proved not to tbe the problem.

Recenly a freind who sold their house had to get a gas man in to turn on their old boiler for the new owners as having turned it off for a month of so, menat that the gas feed has clogged up? Apparently gas has some thing in there which clgs up the opeing of the gas feed? I'm wondering if this could be my problem. Not wanting to gat a gas specialist service engineers in (just yet) as the cost may be the same as a replacement, can anyone on here back up my theory?

Otherwise I'm going to have to take the thing apart and isolate the blockage.
@DaveCrampton < wot a twit.
http://veloviewer.com/athlete/421683/

Kim

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Re: Gas Chiller not working with gas. Help?
« Reply #1 on: 27 May, 2014, 12:47:44 pm »
I suppose the obvious questions are:

How does it work - is it running the absorption refrigeration gubbins with an electric heater on 12V/mains, or using a separate peltier or something?  If separate, it could have lost refrigerant...

Is it actually burning gas?  Check for water vapour at the flue, or something.  If not, I'd suspect a thermocouple interlock failing safe, rather than a physical blockage, though I suppose a valve could simply be stuck.


Dave_C

  • Trying to get rid of my belly... and failing!
Re: Gas Chiller not working with gas. Help?
« Reply #2 on: 27 May, 2014, 04:06:52 pm »
It does burn gas (when working). I tried lighting it with a flame (yes, I checked for gas and did it out on my drive). The sparker works when checked in the dark, as I can see the spark - my initial thinking. Its been in a dry garage for a year. No water or dampness in the garage. It worked last week when tested for 24 hours plugged into the mains. The instructions say that if stored for a while then leave upside down for 12 hours then the right way round for 12 hours before operating. I did this then plugged into the mmains electric and it worked fine. Its only when plugged into the gas bottle that it doesn't light up. When working properly I can see a flame in the burner and it make a soft popping sound as the gar burns and heat is apparent from the exhaust. Its a 90 bend into the burner and the flame sits in a opening so you can see it lit.

Its just not lighing, so I believe the gas is not getting into the burner section.
@DaveCrampton < wot a twit.
http://veloviewer.com/athlete/421683/

Re: Gas Chiller not working with gas. Help?
« Reply #3 on: 09 June, 2014, 10:56:09 am »
It's possibly the burner nipple or tube leading to it. Doesn't need much to disrupt the flow of gas and then it simply won't light, even if the gas is flowing. Gas requires quite a specific mix of air/gas to ignite and it doesn't take much to prevent this mix from happening at the right place. Trouble is then you get a build up of gas, it suddenly ignites but does so with such a woosh, it blows out instantly.

If you can get to it, take the burner head off and blow dry air though it then dry out thoroughly before reinstalling it.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Dave_C

  • Trying to get rid of my belly... and failing!
Re: Gas Chiller not working with gas. Help?
« Reply #4 on: 11 June, 2014, 03:05:53 pm »
It's possibly the burner nipple or tube leading to it. Doesn't need much to disrupt the flow of gas and then it simply won't light, even if the gas is flowing. Gas requires quite a specific mix of air/gas to ignite and it doesn't take much to prevent this mix from happening at the right place. Trouble is then you get a build up of gas, it suddenly ignites but does so with such a woosh, it blows out instantly.

If you can get to it, take the burner head off and blow dry air though it then dry out thoroughly before reinstalling it.

Thanks Mr Charly, I'm thinking of taking it apart at some point over the summer.
@DaveCrampton < wot a twit.
http://veloviewer.com/athlete/421683/