Gas Range burner not working

[xctraveler]

Went to turn on the left rear burner on the range top - Wedgewood Vision 3 burner - and it would not light. The other two burners light just fine. There is plenty of propane and water heater also works fine.

I lit the burner with a lighter and it lights, but burns with far more yellow than the other two burners - clearly needs the air/fuel ratio adjusted. Upon inspection, sparking the igniter with no propane on, the spark for the burner is not as intense as for the other two working burners.

So it appears there are two simultaneous failures on one burner. To the best of my knowledge nothing was dropped on that burner between the two mornings when DW used it to boil tea water.

I am open to suggestions for repair. Also what could have happened.

[xctraveler]

Update: Just now I took the burner out of the stove top and after looking it over I gave a blast off air (from my lungs) to the open end of the burner tube. After I reassembled it it lit and looks like the others.

There was "something" in the passageway blocking some part of the fuel/air flow. It is gone now. Total time involved 5 minutes including vacuuming out the under top area. I've spent more time writing and reading these posts then actually fixing it.

Thank you all for your help and comments.

[xctraveler]

Vamping until after the weekend. We are on the move until Monday. DW says she can live without the burner until then 🙂

[John_Joey]

You may have had a piece of crud (i.e.. rust) come down the propane line and partially plug the jet. That would explain the weak flame, and the yellow.

Don't know your stove, but normally there is one screw that will hold the burner and tube assembly to the stove. Remove the screw and gently pull the assembly away from the jet. Take a non metal object (like a tooth pick) and very gently open up the jet.

If you're into it, you can pull the jet out and shoot some carb cleaner threw it. Let it dry and replace it.

[xctraveler]

happy-2 wrote:
I carry a can of compressed air like you would use to blow off your keyboard,rase the burner cover and blow out the burner tube,

Like it! will try as soon as I can get into a store without fighting the mobs! Maybe I can buy it online, will look now.

on edit, just looked none will ship in the time frame I need. We are on the move and and I cannot commit to being someplace in "ships in 1 to 3 days" and "4-5 day delivery". I will look for a hardware store or camera shop at my next stop - Livingston TX

[happy-2]

I carry a can of compressed air like you would use to blow off your keyboard,rase the burner cover and blow out the burner tube,

[xctraveler]

MountainAir, insect in the tube! Will check that out asap. We have had an infestation of bmsb (brown mamorated stink bugs) since leaving VA two weeks ago.

Altitude is sea level, in FL. Haven't been higher than 1200 in a couple of months.

Oh yes I have been "under the hood" just didn't want to begin disassembly two days before T day without an idea what I might be looking for. May wait a couple of days to get at it, we still have two burners and are having dinner with family in their s&b.

[Golden_HVAC]

Have you changed altitude significantly?

This can change things a little bit. But my oven always worked pretty good - even at 7500' of North Rim. My buddy's refrigerator refused to work on propane at North Rim campground, but worked great the other 4 years they owned the RV once below about 6,000' elevation.

All burners have a adjustable air fuel mixture thing that will slide or perhaps turn a bit to allow more or less air where the valve handle is. The valve handle has a fixed jet, say 1/16" diameter, and propane shoots out of that quickly, say 100 - 400 feet per minute, drafting in a supply of room air, before going to the burner. You might need to make a slight adjustment to this air inlet, or get a spider out of it, then it will work normally.

Good luck,

Fred.

[MountainAir05]

Check for a insect in the burner tube.

Looks like I type too slow

[DrewE]

On the off chance you're not already be aware of it, you typically can lift the top of the stovetop like the hood of a car and inspect the gas valves and other associated components and clean the space underneath. Possibly there's some debris or something blocking the air inlets in the mixing tube (or otherwise interfering with its operation).

It may well be that the spark has always been somewhat weaker, but with the proper gas mixture it was sufficient to light the burner.