problem with gas burner

[bobby_badger]

Hi all

Not sure if this is the correct forum - please advise if not. Our Bongo has a little kitchen unit with a sink and a two burner hob. Using it this summer the larger of the two burners was getting harder and harder to light. Normally you hold down the dial and turn it to the 'fully on' position, light it and then after a couple of seconds release the dial and the burner stays lit. It started needing to be tried a few times and then it just stopped staying alight at all. The smaller burner works as expected every time.

I read up on it and tried a couple of things. One suggestion was to turn it on and off in rapid succession (or something like that - it was back in the summer) and that actually worked for a while, but no longer. Then I took the burner bits apart and gave them a good clean. There was definitely some muck to clean off. That improved things for a while but the problem is back. It seems like it is likely to be the thermistor. Opinion varies online as to how easy (and safe) it is to replace this yourself so I decided to get a professional to have a look for us - but no-one is willing to do it! Our local domestic appliance centre people won't look at campervans and the same for a national gas repair place we tried.

So my question is - how have other people dealt with this problem? What sort of professional should I be looking for. If there is no way for someone to do it I could buy a thermistor probably and try it myself but would rather be "gas safe". We're in Dorset.

thanks,
Iain

[g8dhe]

You don't say the make and model of the stove, they vary, but they are quite easy to replace and are failsafe in that respect do a search for like this but include the make and model of the stove https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=carav ... ermocouple or go to the Make web site and look up spares. If its not done correctly then it won't light as its a safety aspect.

[bobby_badger]

Thanks Geoff. Sorry, of course I meant thermocouple - my googling about this was all during the summer. I'm not sure there is a make and model on the hob (and it was fitted by a previous owner) but I can look underneath tonight. Worst case scenario I remove the old thermocouple and find a replacement that way.

[g8dhe]

You can often identify make and model by simply looking at the images tab on a Google search for campervan stoves.

[bobby_badger]

Sounds good to me - thanks

[Ian]

You don't say which part of Dorset you are from, but if you Google "Motorhome habitation checks near me" you will find someone to sort you out.

[bobby_badger]

We're in Dorchester. I have searched as per your suggestion and it found several places nearby. Thanks Ian - that's the sort of thing I was looking for. I will contact one of them, knowing I can give it a go myself if necessary.