Where's my pilot light?
February 12, 2006 3:57 PM Subscribe
Where is my oven pilot light?
Have a gas oven/stove. Tried to use the oven today, but it wouldn't come on and after a while there was the smell of gas. So I figured the oven pilot light was out, especially since it's really windy today.
However, when I went to light it, there was no device that would hold a pilot light, not in the oven or underneath. I took a match and passed it front of what I thought might be the pilot (a pipe with an opening in it), but nothing happened.
However the stove burners work fine. What gives?
More info: Previously when lighting the oven, there a barely heard rush of gas and then the sound of fire lighting. Now there's nothing. It's a Kenmore stove, can't find a model number on the damn thing, but it's a modern one, with electronic readout for temperatures.
Have a gas oven/stove. Tried to use the oven today, but it wouldn't come on and after a while there was the smell of gas. So I figured the oven pilot light was out, especially since it's really windy today.
However, when I went to light it, there was no device that would hold a pilot light, not in the oven or underneath. I took a match and passed it front of what I thought might be the pilot (a pipe with an opening in it), but nothing happened.
However the stove burners work fine. What gives?
More info: Previously when lighting the oven, there a barely heard rush of gas and then the sound of fire lighting. Now there's nothing. It's a Kenmore stove, can't find a model number on the damn thing, but it's a modern one, with electronic readout for temperatures.
Underneath the "floor" of the oven, but above the broiler. The floor lifts up, and in the center is your pilot light.
posted by orthogonality at 4:11 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by orthogonality at 4:11 PM on February 12, 2006
Best answer: Is any of this information helpful? It shows various ways modern gas stoves might be lit.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:14 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:14 PM on February 12, 2006
Mine doesn't have pilot light, I have to light it myself. And I'm sure- I had the gas company guy out to light the pilot light and there isn't one. It is approximately 200,000 years old, like everything else in this apartment.
posted by fshgrl at 4:31 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by fshgrl at 4:31 PM on February 12, 2006
There should be a model # plate either on the door, or on the stove where the door covers it.
posted by lobstah at 4:46 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by lobstah at 4:46 PM on February 12, 2006
Best answer: If it has an electronic readout, it's extremely likely to have electric ignition (they know you've got to plug it in anyway, so...). So the little ignition element for your oven has either failed, or blown a fuse, or something along those lines. Since there's a separate igniter for the stove (for each burner in fact - that's the little snap-snap-snap sound that you hear), the stovetop works fine.
You can't use the oven until it's fixed. Even if you lit the oven burner once, it cycles off and on and you'd have to keep relighting it.
Actually, if you have a top broiler in the oven, that may still work.
Anyway, you probably need to replace the ignition element in the oven.
posted by jellicle at 4:47 PM on February 12, 2006
You can't use the oven until it's fixed. Even if you lit the oven burner once, it cycles off and on and you'd have to keep relighting it.
Actually, if you have a top broiler in the oven, that may still work.
Anyway, you probably need to replace the ignition element in the oven.
posted by jellicle at 4:47 PM on February 12, 2006
Do you rent? If so, call your property manager and have the maintenance people come over and take a look. Better than fiddling around yourself.
posted by elisabeth r at 4:55 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by elisabeth r at 4:55 PM on February 12, 2006
Response by poster: It is indeed an electrical ignition switch. Must look into repairing but for tonight, there will be no biscuits.
posted by anonpeon at 6:21 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by anonpeon at 6:21 PM on February 12, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by fvw at 4:04 PM on February 12, 2006