Q's on propane vent free heater controls

[erics]

so I've come into a cast iron propane heater (like wood stove) and have a question as I'm looking to fire it up.

The control system has an extra piece that isn't described in the manual and I want to know if it's needed...

first pic shows the front of the controls unit...

second shows the back

third shows where the "extra" piece (copper color) was just jammed into the hole in the lower right... though the piece has a nut on it, there are no threads in the controls housing - it was just stuck in there.

 

[erics]

more pics

first pic is of the piece in question... thermocouple??

second pic is the pilot assembly... the other end of the copper piece was placed at an angle up from the left so the end would be right there in the pilot flame.

third pic is overview of what I'm working on... seems like a nice unit - solid cast iron and a heavy SOB

So my question:

This piece is not shown in the manual for the stove... assuming someone added it, what is it and why? And can I run the thing without it?

I expect this is pretty simple - I just am not familiar with this stuff.

thanks

 

[erics]

anyone?

 

[Capt. Jim]

I have something similar on my hot tub heater. It is a thermal couple that will automatically shut off the gas at the control head if the pilot light goes out.

 

[psfpilot]

It is a thermocouple. It generates a small electrical current when heated by a flame of a pilot light and/or main burner. If the pilot light goes out, the absence of electric current causes the valve to shut off the flow of gas.

FYI, if you're need to buy a thermostat it will probably need to be millivolt compatible to work with this stove.

 

[erics]

thanks guys... that makes sense and matches further info I've found

curious though why the manual doesn't show or mention it... this appears to have been added later

maybe the stock one (still there in the pics - round cylindrical piece) stopped working and someone rigged this non-stock part to "fix" things

this sounds strangely like a typical PO thread now doesn't it?

I'll do a little hands on investigation...

 

[Toyo FJ40]

Your gas valve is a thermopile valve. It already has the thermopile attached (the silver and copper wire on the left side of the front and in the picture with the pilot assembly) Thermopile is like a thermocoupler but generates enough power to operate the gas valve unlike the thermocoupler that just runs the safety lockout. If the unit has a thermopile it won't have a thermocoupler and won't work with one, which is why there's no place to screw it in.