Gas log flame response time after gas is on

[CheckItOut]

I don't know if there is a spec somewhere but I flipped the switch on the wall and was writing a few things down and I looked at the FP and no flame. I could hear the gas pretty strong and just as I went to turn the swithch off, poof! Big burst of flame, then normal fire. I cut it off, waited a little and thought I'd count how long before flames were visible... got to 10 then shut the switch off before a fire started. I would think it should start nearly right away but is there a spec somewhere so that I know in the future?

[Chris Bernhardt]

The number I heard was no more than 4 seconds from a gas fireplace technician but I don't recall why or what the source of the 4 second limit was. Mr. Katen might know he was there too.

Chris, Oregon

[Jerry Simon]

Originally posted by Chris Bernhardt

Mr. Katen might know he was there too.

Chris, Oregon

I hope he knows if he was there or not...

[CheckItOut]

Originally posted by Chris Bernhardt

The number I heard was no more than 4 seconds from a gas fireplace technician but I don't recall why or what the source of the 4 second limit was. Mr. Katen might know he was there too.

Chris, Oregon

Thanks. Good enough. I kind of like the big flash myself but it may scare some folks.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Jerry Simon

Originally posted by Chris Bernhardt

Mr. Katen might know he was there too.

Chris, Oregon

I hope he knows if he was there or not...

Mr. Katen thanks Mr. Simon for the vote of confidence.

Yes. Tim Solomon from Tester Fireplaces said that delayed ignition beyond 4 seconds was a problem. But he didn't cite a source.

Sounds about right to me. If the ignition is delayed enough to cause a whomp when it ignites, that's a serious problem.

Mr. Solomon said that the delayed ignition could be caused by a mis-adjusted burner, spider webs, or a collection of soot (soot indicates problems with the air-gas mixture or with impingement).

Delayed ignition can cause an explosion large enough to shatter the glass fronts on those things.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Delayed ignition can cause an explosion large enough to shatter the glass fronts on those things.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Hi,

Most of the ones I see have a pair of heavy metal flappers with fiberglass seals on the top of the firebox. They're closed and sealed by weight. However, if there's a delayed ignition and a flash, they act like pressure relief valves to allow all of that expanded air to escape the box without shattering the frontglass.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[kurt]

It takes time for the gas to squeeze out through the sand, vermiculite, and fiberglass insulation "fake ash". I always find the time between gas on & ignition to be about 3-4 seconds.

Never really thought about it 'til now.

[Kyle Kubs]

Several models (HEAT-N-GLO® Gem 36 and Gem 42 gas fireplaces) were the subject of a recall a few years ago due to exactly that - gas built up long enough behind the glass that when it ignited the explosion shattered the glass, blowing it out into the room.

Download Attachment: Recall_Heat_Glo.pdf

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