Portable Calor Gas Heaters

[mikey4444]

I have one of those portable Calor gas heaters....the ones on castors that you put a 15kg cylinder inside.

The cylinder ran out this morning, so I changed for a new one, but now can't get it to work.

I turn the gas on at the regulator, and push and turn the start control. The piezo hrystal lights up the pilot, but even if I hold the start control pushed in, the burners are not coming on.

I have tried lighting it with a match, and that doesn't work either, so I am guessing, with my little knowledge of such affairs, that the thermocouple "thingy! is faulty.

The heater is quite new....only about 4 years and gets very little use.....may be one cylinder every winter.

Any ideas please ?

[Jackdaw33]

Have a word with your Calor gas supplier.

[mikey4444]

Thanks Jack....I will but if its faulty, than it may not be economically repairable. I can replace the whole on ebay for less than £50, but would rather not spend even that modest sum of money at the moment.

I can't really afford to run my gas central as I would like, and I have been using the Calor gas heater for an hour or so, in the evening, only when it is very cold. The Calor heater has been much more economical to run.

[Jackdaw33]

You haven't done what I did once and replaced the empty cylinder with another empty one?

[tamborine]

dont want you to get chilled ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOl7bXClPms

[bhg481]

I'n only guessing but I would expect the pilot light to go out if the thermocouple were faulty (it does on my central heating boiler). It's possible the main gas jet has become blocked, which you can clear with a special pricker - you might be able to get one from a caravan dealer. It's little more than a piece of wire on a handle, so should be cheap. I have one that I take camping that I've had for many years and, very occasionally, I have to poke out the jet on one of my stoves.

[mikey4444]

Thanks bhg....I have a friend who is a plumber, and he is coming to have a look in the morning.

Now I recall, last night, just before the cylinder ran out, the gas flame on one burner, the one that runs when you want the least amount of heat, did flare up and sputter a bit. This sometimes happens when the cylinder is just about to run out. You can normally tell when a cylinder is about to run out as its starts to smell a bit.

So I shut it off, left it for a few mins, and then started it up again, which it did without any problems.

[mikey4444]

Tambo....I am not even sure that what that Yank is doing is actually legal....I certainly won't be trying it myself !

[tamborine]

Check your thermacouple; the end should be smooth bullet shaped, if not its burnt out. Theyre 99p if B&Q are open. The vid is ok for an emergency.

[mikey4444]

Tambo....could you please do me a favour ?

Look up this thermocouple on the B+Q website for me and post the page.

Thanks

[tamborine]

cant find it on B&Q website but any bathroom hardware store sells. Found it on Wickes @ 7.99....too dear!

http://tinyurl.com/glhet8u

[mikey4444]

Thanks Tambo....I am sure my plumber will recognise one of those !

[tamborine]

Keep a spare, they last for years but will burn out on coldest days, *** law ;)

[tamborine]

s 0 d s

[mikey4444]

My Plumber has just left....the repair required would not be economical, so that is it ...off to find another one.

[mushroom25]

ooooh a calor gas super ser.... :-)

last saw one of those at new year 1980 at the wasdale head inn, where it was being used as an impromptu stage by a character calling himself "bestial pete" (who was probably a stockbroker in his day job.....)