Have a pitco fryer, #40c. suddenly, it stopped working- the pilot stays on, but the gas will not engage to heat the oil. i changed the thermopile, to no avail. the hi temp limit switch feels 'spongy' (the description in the owners manual)- that's good. when i disconnect the brown wire from the limit switch, the pilot light goes out. the thermostat has an audible 'click' when turned, so i don't suspect that. the gas valve is the main suspect, but it allows pilot gas thru, and shuts off when the limit switch is disconnected, so i shouldn't suspect it. any ideas?
Kitchen Appliances - Others - Pitco Frialator - PIT40SN Deep Fryer
Answers & Comments
I am going to say that the gas valve is the problem here since you have replaced the thermo coupling already.
the pilot valve and the main fuel valve are totally separate ---- it is the thermo couplings temperature that activates the main valve fuel flow. you can double check to make sure the coupling end is getting hot in the pilot flame and if it is I would say that the main valve is at fault. now one little trick that I have gotten to work now and again is to use a propane torch and super heat the thermo coupling tip and then try the main valve -- ( sometimes it just needs a small KICK ). but if it does not work then I would just replace the valve with a new one and all should be good because it sounds like everything else is good to go.
if you are still having problems -- please feel free to write me back here and I will help the best way that I can.
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I have never tried to use just a heat gun before to heat up the thermo coupling -- I don't know if it will get hot enough(?) -- you can give it a shot,, AND please let my know if it infact works ( could help my out in a pinch sometime(?).
now that is a good point about 'trash' inside the gas line -- the one problem that I had a few months back was there was a moth in the line and it was plugging up the line of my propane refrigerator -- I thought that this was kinda strange and I looked into it more and found out that moths and spiders like the smell of propane and they crawl in there ' somehow ',,---- so yes' check the front side of the valve and see if something is infact blocking it up. one other thing kinda comes to mind while I am thinking about it -- when you remove that line see if you can see any water in the line (?) moisture could have damages the valve it self.
as for the ohm meter test on the thermo coupling -- yes' you can test by switching the ohm meter to the lowest setting and you should read a very low resistance to nothing -- if the value is high then the thermo coupling is bad.
and the limit switch should be normally closed.
again, let me know how the heat gun test goes --- but a propane torch I think is the best way.
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I am still going to put my money down on the valve itself. I think the high/low side is bad.
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