Unitrol Gas Valve Trouble Shooting Brief

User Manual: Unitrol-gas-valve-Trouble-Shooting-Brief

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Trouble Shooting
PROBLEM
Pilot doesn’t light

Pilot will light but doesn’t
stay lit.

Pilot lights but burner
doesn’t.

Page 8
Rev 2/2007

POSSIBLE CAUSE
1. Pilot burner not getting gas.

WHAT TO DO:
1. Check to see if tank valve is “ON”
2. Control off-on set to “pilot”
3. Red reset button depressed (it may take
30 to 60 seconds to bleed all air from
line)

2. Pilot orifice blocked.

1. Remove flare nut and ¼” line. See Fig.1
No. 14.
2. Pull line back & remove orifice.
3. Clean with compressed air, DO NOT use
drill bit or wire as this may change the
size of the orifice and cause an improper
or unsafe flame.

3. Control Knob not in “Pilot” position

1. Check to see if control knob is set in
“Pilot” position
1. If a Low Pressure Regulator is not being
used, install one. Operation of unit with
out one could ruin the Robert Shaw
Unitrol unit. (Blow out the bellows)

1. Are you using a Low Pressure
Regulator?

2. Thermocouple not hot enough.

1. Hold red reset button down longer. It
should not take more than 30-40 seconds.

3. Damaged thermocouple or just
bad (Kinked, hole, frozen, etc)

1. Replace with new one.
2. Tighten thermocouple nut finger tight
plus ¼ turn and NO MORE. Overtightening
may damage thermocouple or magnet.

4. Pilot flame in wrong position.

1. Flame should Contact the upper 1/3 and
including the tip of the thermocouple
(3/8” to 1/2”) Bend flame deflector
hood as needed. Operates best when
bent in “L”.

5. Pilot flame is wrong size.

1. Adjust pilot adjustment screw. See Fig.
2b. If thermocouple has swelled, flame is
too hot and thermocouple may be dam
aged. (Order a new one.)

6. Weak magnet.

1. Replace gas valve (Unitrol).
NOTE: See test procedure No. 2.

7. Red Button Melted or Deformed

1. The knob will not push down into correct
position. Replace Red Knob

1. Control off-on set to “PILOT.”

1. Turn Control off-on to “ON.”

2. Temperature dial too low.

1. Turn temperature dial to a higher
number.

3. Temperature sensing bulb too
warm.

1. Bulb must be less than 60 degrees to light
Burner. If bulb is less than 40 degrees &
burner still won’t light, see next cause.
Sensing bulb must be below water level
in bulb guide.

4. Temperature sensing bulb or line is
damaged.

1. Dents in temperature sensing bulb par
tially crushed due to water freezing in the
bulb tube guide (see Fig. No. 2) or sharp
bends in the line may cause the control
to “think’ the temperature is higher
than it is. It the damage is major, a new
gas valve (Unitrol) is required. Tempera
ture sensing bulb not sold Separately.

Trouble Shooting
PROBLEM

Burner lights but doesn’t
shut off.

POSSIBLE CAUSE
5. Temperature dial calibration wrong.

1. See Fig No. 4 for recalibration procedures.

6. Damaged bellows.

1. Temperature sensing bulb exposed to
either high temperature or crushed due to
water freezing in the bulb tube guide. (The
bellows housing may exhibit a large gap to
the main valve body ) See Figure No 2.
2. May have to replace Robert Shaw UNITROL
unit.

7. Dirt in burner orifice.

1. Remove burner and orifice.
2. Clean with compressed air. DO NOT use
drill bits or wire to clean. This may
change the orifice size and cause im
proper or unsafe burner operation.

1. Temperature sensing bulb to cold.

1. Warm to 50 degrees and check.

2. Temperature sensing bulb or line
damaged causing a leak.

1. If temperature sensing bulb has lost some
or all of Its fluid, the control will “think”
the temperature is colder than it is.
2. Order a new gas valve (Unitrol). Tempera
ture sensing bulb not sold separately.

3. Temperature dial.

1. See Figure No. 4 for recalibration proce
dures.

4. Expanded Bellows

1. Replace Robert Shaw UNITROL Unit

1. Main burner orifice partly plugged

1. Remove burner and clean

2. Low pressure or bad gas supply.

1. Correct gas supply.

3. Burner assembly is not properly
inserted into casing

1. Remove and re-insert burner assembly
making sure that it is all the way to the
bottom and tight against the boot.
2. Replace melted knobs

4. Chimney could be partially plugged.

1. Remove burner assembly. Blow compressed
air into top of chimney to remove debris.

s.

Melted valve knobs

Sensing Bulb froze down in
tube

WHAT TO DO:

1. Frozen water in tube

1. Put vegetable oil in tube but keep close
watch, vegetable oil will float on water.

Continued On Next Page

Page 9
Rev 2/2007

Trouble Shooting
PROBLEM
Burner assembly works fine
outside of Casing, but goes out
when in Casing.

POSSIBLE CAUSE

WHAT TO DO:
1. Always keep top cover closed.

1.

2. Try to point the tip of the boot into the
prevailing wind.

2.

2. The stack (chimney) passage
plugged.

1. Clean out the passage (chimney).

3.

3 Lack of air flue convection.

1. Allow sufficient time for the pilot light
heat to create a convection after installing
burner assembly in casing before starting
the main burner.

4. Excessive water (condensation)
build-up in Casing.

1. Empty water and operate at a
slightly higher temperature
dial setting. Runs best between
#4 and #6.

1. Wind blowing out flame.

4.
5.
6.

Page 10
Rev 2/2007

Trouble Shooting
Figure No. 2: Gas Valve ( Unitrol )
2a. Top View

2. Control Off-On
No. 15414

1. Reset Button
“Red” No. 15416

3. Temp. Dial
No. 15415

2b. Side View
1. Reset Button
“Red” No. 15416

2. Control Off-On
No. 15414

Pilot Adjustment
Screw

3. Temp. Dial
No. 15415
Pilot Connection
Temperature
Sensing Bulb

Factory Calibration
Crimps

2c. End View

Damaged Sensing Bulb
Look for a crushed bulb

2. Control Off-On
No. 15414

1. Reset Button
“Red” No. 15416

1/2” Pipe Inlet
3. Temp. Dial
No. 15415

Bellows
Housing

Damaged Bellows:
Look for the gap to be
greater than 1/8”

Thermocouple
Connection

Page 11
Rev 2/2007

Trouble Shooting

Pilot Burner Adjustment (see Figure 2 and 3)

F

1. Adjust pilot adjustment screw (Figure 2b) to provide properly sized flame (Figure 3).
2. Improper flame size can result in pilot light not staying lit (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Troubleshooting Pilot Flame
2. NOISY, LIFTING, BLOWING 3. LAZY, YELLOW FLAME

1. CORRECT FLAME

Check For:
• Clogged Primary Air
Opening
• Low Gas Pressure
• Clogged Orifice

Check For:
• High Gas Pressure
• Wrong Orifice
3/8” To 1/2”
Thermocouple
Or
Thermopile

4. WAVING BLUE FLAME
Check For:
• Drafts At Pilot
Location

5. HARD SHARP FLAME
Check For:
• High Gas Pressure
• Too Small Orifice

6. SMALL BLUE FLAME
Check For:
• Wrong Orifice
• Low Gas Pressure
• Clogged Pilot Line

Test No. 1 To Test Thermocouple Using Millivolt
Meter And Robertshaw Adapter #75036* (see fig. A)

Test No. 2 To Test Magnet Using Millivolt Meter And
Robertshaw Adapter W75036 (see fig. A)

1. Unscrew thermocouple from control.
2. Screw Robertshaw adapter #75036 into control.
3. Screw thermocouple into adapter.
Figure A.
4. Connect millivolt meter leads to
adapter and thermocouple as
shown in fig. A.
5. Light pilot and allow it to heat tip
of thermocouple for three
minutes. If pilot will not stay lit,
hold red reset button down
during this test.
6. If meter reads below 13
millivolts, replace thermocouple.
If meter reads 13 millivolts or
more, the thermocouple is good.

1. After testing thermocouple and replacing if necessary
as described above, follow normal pilot lighting
procedure with adapter and
millivolt meter attached as shown
in fig. A.
2. Allow pilot to burn for three
minutes.
3. Note millivolt reading on meter
and blow out pilot.
4. Magnet should continue to hold for
a drop of five millivolts or more
before it releases. A “snap” can be
heard when magnet releases. If
magnet does not hold for a drop of
at least five millivolts, replace
control. Magnet is good if it holds
for a drop of five millivolts or more.
Adaptor

RED

BLACK

Thermocouple

Page 12
Rev 212007

Trouble Shooting
Figure No. 4
Re-Calibration of the Robertshaw 110SS Gas Heating Control
(see Figure No. 2 for details)
If the burner will light but will not shut off, the temperature sensing bulb probably has lost some of its fluid.
A new gas valve (Unitrol) will be required.
If there has been MINOR damage to the temperature sensing bulb or line on your gas valve (Unitrol), the
burner may not light. The temperature dial may be re-calibrated in this case. If the damage is major, it will
not be possible to re-calibrate and a new gas valve (Unitrol) will be required. Temperature sensing bulb is
not sold separately.

TO RE-CALIBRATE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Remove the temperature dial.
Using needle-nose pliers, hold the pointer on the dial shaft.
Loosen the nut holding this pointer.
Move the pointer clockwise approximately 90 degrees (1/4 turn).
Re-tighten nut.
Replace temperature dial.
Turn temperature dial and note where valve “clicks” off. For correct calibration, the
temperature sensing bulb should be 52 degrees when the dial is at #5 position.
If this calibration is not suitable, repeat steps 1 through 7.
There is a limit to how much the unit can be calibrated. If these steps do not correct the
problem, a new gas valve (Unitrol) may be required.

Temperature sensing bulb not sold separately.

Page 13
Rev 2/2007



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