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Old 09-07-2018, 13:19   #1
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Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

I recently got my LPG tank recertified and hooked it up expecting my gas stove to fire right up... wrong. I've never used it in the 2 years we've owned the boat but would like to now.

I'm not sure where to start as far as troubleshooting goes. How can I tell if propane is getting to the stove itself vs. not? There's a spot for a AA battery underneath the stove, which looks a bit corroded but not terrible. A new battery there did nothing for me. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
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Old 09-07-2018, 13:23   #2
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Some additional information would help other than “light right up...wrong”

Is the tank full?
Is there pressure at the regulator?
Is there a manual valve in the line and it’s open?
Are you pushing in the burner switch and holding it?
Have you tried lighting it with a match?

Etc
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Old 09-07-2018, 13:32   #3
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

First ignore the battery clicker. The small wires corrode out and even a new battery will not help. Try to light it with a barbecue lighter.

Are you getting gas at the burner (you can smell it and you can also hear it).
If not is the line hooked up? Is there a solenoid switch other than on the breaker panel?
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Old 09-07-2018, 19:11   #4
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vasco View Post
First ignore the battery clicker. The small wires corrode out and even a new battery will not help. Try to light it with a barbecue lighter.

Are you getting gas at the burner (you can smell it and you can also hear it).
If not is the line hooked up? Is there a solenoid switch other than on the breaker panel?
I don't think I'm getting gas at the burner, although my wife swears she can smell it.

Where would that other solenoid switch be? If I'm not getting gas at the burner, what's my next step?
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Old 10-07-2018, 03:27   #5
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

From the: Gourmet Galley Range Manual - Force 10

5. Push control knob as far as it will go and turn it counterclockwise to the
HIGH, position until burner is lit.
6. Sometimes the burner will sputter for a while before igniting. Give your range 10-15 seconds to purge the air out of the gas line.
7. Continue holding the burner control knob all the way in for about twenty (20) seconds after ignition. This will heat the thermocouple and allow the gas valve to stay open. The thermocouple is designed to cut off the gas supply to the burner if the flame should accidentally be extinguished.
8. This arrangement also ensures that the range is childproof to the extent that a simple twisting of the control knobs will not light any burners or allow gas to enter your boat.
9. If the ignition fails, turn the burner OFF and apply a lit match or lighter to it before turning it back to the HIGH position.
...
Remember: The Burner Control Knob must be held all the way in for twenty (20) seconds after ignition in order to heat the thermocouple and allow the gas valve to stay open.
There could be a problem with the thermocouple. The small upright attachment next to the burner on the range top is one end of the thermocouple.
Test operation of thermocouple.
A simple way of testing the thermocouple is to ignite the burner with the control knob removed from the valve stem. Using your fingers directly on the valve stem, depress, turn to high, and light the burner
. If it stays lit after 20 seconds the thermocouple is working properly. If the burner does not stay lit when using the control knob, it is possible that the knob is contacting the face plate before the valve stem is fully depressed. Remedy this by adjusting the position of the knob on the valve stem.

More Here ➥
http://www.force10.com/files/documen...e%20Manual.pdf
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Old 10-07-2018, 05:04   #6
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
From the: Gourmet Galley Range Manual - Force 10

5. Push control knob as far as it will go and turn it counterclockwise to the
HIGH, position until burner is lit.
6. Sometimes the burner will sputter for a while before igniting. Give your range 10-15 seconds to purge the air out of the gas line.
7. Continue holding the burner control knob all the way in for about twenty (20) seconds after ignition. This will heat the thermocouple and allow the gas valve to stay open. The thermocouple is designed to cut off the gas supply to the burner if the flame should accidentally be extinguished.
8. This arrangement also ensures that the range is childproof to the extent that a simple twisting of the control knobs will not light any burners or allow gas to enter your boat.
9. If the ignition fails, turn the burner OFF and apply a lit match or lighter to it before turning it back to the HIGH position.
...
Remember: The Burner Control Knob must be held all the way in for twenty (20) seconds after ignition in order to heat the thermocouple and allow the gas valve to stay open.
There could be a problem with the thermocouple. The small upright attachment next to the burner on the range top is one end of the thermocouple.
Test operation of thermocouple.
A simple way of testing the thermocouple is to ignite the burner with the control knob removed from the valve stem. Using your fingers directly on the valve stem, depress, turn to high, and light the burner
. If it stays lit after 20 seconds the thermocouple is working properly. If the burner does not stay lit when using the control knob, it is possible that the knob is contacting the face plate before the valve stem is fully depressed. Remedy this by adjusting the position of the knob on the valve stem.

More Here ➥
http://www.force10.com/files/documen...e%20Manual.pdf
Thank you, I hadn't seen that yet. It's possible I have just not been patient enough while waiting for the gas to arrive. I've been treating it more like a Weber grill than a marine system designed not to blow up a boat. I will walk through these steps this evening and report back!
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Old 10-07-2018, 05:51   #7
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

The first objective is to get a flame. The second is to keep it lit.

Regarding the first, you should have a pressure gauge on your propane tank, which when the tank valve is opened will show the line pressurized.

Boat's SHOULD also have a shut-off valve, usually a manual cock type, accessible right where the propane line connects to the stove. The purpose of this valve is an emergency shut-off in case you have a stove or solenoid malfunction and need to shut off gas to the stove. Make sure it's turned on.

Make sure you hold the knob IN when trying to light the burning. This disengages the thermocouple and allows the burner to light. Gas should not take too long to purge the line...if it's not lighting after 30 seconds, gas is not getting to the burner. I would do your initial lighting test with a grill starter wand just to ensure that you're getting gas and that the burner valves and thermocouples are operating correctly.

If you get a burner lit, continue to hold the knob depressed for @10 seconds, allowing the thermocouple of heat up. The thermocouple is a safety device; gas will only flow if the thermocouple is hot, preventing gas dumping into the boat if the burner is not lit. Usually you only need to hold it in for 3-4 seconds but it varies by stove and you're testing that the thermocouples actually work.

If the burner will not stay lit after the thermocouple is warmed up, and you release the knob, pull the knob out 1/16" or so on it's valve stem and retry. Some Force 10 valves have this problem.

If the burners will not stay lit you'll need to order new thermocouples from Force 10. Easy to install.

Once you get all the burners lit you can turn your attention to the sparker. But if there is corrosion at the battery box I would write the whole thing off and just use the grill wand, lol.
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Old 10-07-2018, 09:09   #8
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Propane tanks are also designed with a built in shut off, if too much propane is demanded, the tank can shut itself off. This was built in before collars on tanks, and if a tank fell over the valve could get knocked off, leaving a projectile. To check, turn the tank valve off, and slowly open the tank valve.
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Old 10-07-2018, 10:36   #9
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
From the: Gourmet Galley Range Manual - Force 10

5. Push control knob as far as it will go and turn it counterclockwise to the
HIGH, position until burner is lit.
6. Sometimes the burner will sputter for a while before igniting. Give your range 10-15 seconds to purge the air out of the gas line.
7. Continue holding the burner control knob all the way in for about twenty (20) seconds after ignition. This will heat the thermocouple and allow the gas valve to stay open. The thermocouple is designed to cut off the gas supply to the burner if the flame should accidentally be extinguished.
8. This arrangement also ensures that the range is childproof to the extent that a simple twisting of the control knobs will not light any burners or allow gas to enter your boat.
9. If the ignition fails, turn the burner OFF and apply a lit match or lighter to it before turning it back to the HIGH position.
...
Remember: The Burner Control Knob must be held all the way in for twenty (20) seconds after ignition in order to heat the thermocouple and allow the gas valve to stay open.
There could be a problem with the thermocouple. The small upright attachment next to the burner on the range top is one end of the thermocouple.
Test operation of thermocouple.
A simple way of testing the thermocouple is to ignite the burner with the control knob removed from the valve stem. Using your fingers directly on the valve stem, depress, turn to high, and light the burner
. If it stays lit after 20 seconds the thermocouple is working properly. If the burner does not stay lit when using the control knob, it is possible that the knob is contacting the face plate before the valve stem is fully depressed. Remedy this by adjusting the position of the knob on the valve stem.

More Here ➥
http://www.force10.com/files/documen...e%20Manual.pdf
And insure the thermocouple has not been inadvertently been moved to far from the burner. If it does not get hot you won't stay lite.
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Old 10-07-2018, 11:57   #10
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Possibility with long term non usage the gas regulator from the bottle is stuck. Mine sticks if not used for more than 4 or 5 days. A light tap on the regulator gets every ting working again.
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Old 10-07-2018, 12:43   #11
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Regarding the igniter and battery, get rid of the old battery and clean the area where battery contacts the 'holder' with T9 on a cotton swab or an emery board or sandpaper. Then put in a new battery. I do that occasionally on our 2007 stove to keep the igniter working.
In general, we find it takes longer to light the stove/oven when we've not used it for a while.
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Old 10-07-2018, 13:11   #12
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Have had a Dirce 10 for years. Go on line, look at the manual if you don’t have the manual that cane with your stove.

Clean the igniters as described in the manual. Be very careful putting the parts -all of them—including the spreader back exactly. Stove will not light if anything is tilted slightly.

Trust your wife’s nose—if she smells gas, there is gas.
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Old 10-07-2018, 13:41   #13
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

Quote:
Originally Posted by nickfox45 View Post
I recently got my LPG tank recertified and hooked it up expecting my gas stove to fire right up... wrong. I've never used it in the 2 years we've owned the boat but would like to now.

I'm not sure where to start as far as troubleshooting goes. How can I tell if propane is getting to the stove itself vs. not? There's a spot for a AA battery underneath the stove, which looks a bit corroded but not terrible. A new battery there did nothing for me. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
It takes a while for the gas to go through the lines and get to pressure. Give it a bit longer. Also get a can of compressed gas and blow out each jet at each burner for starters.
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how long has this been going on and why wasn't I told about it earlier.....
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Old 10-07-2018, 13:49   #14
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

I do have the same type of Force 10 LPG range. At one point I started to have trouble to light it and to keep it going. I removed the top of the of the cooking surface to access at the burner mechanisms. I found old grease, rust around the themocouple connections and at the base of the igniters. Cleaned everything, put washers to insure a solid ground for all parts. Bingo everything works since. To make sure that the 1.5 v battery is well connected, I simply welded wires directly to it.
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Old 10-07-2018, 16:35   #15
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Re: Troubleshooting My Force 10 Stove

When I bought my boat it was 15 years old and the stove and oven had never been used. I had a problem just like you. I found the Trident electric solenoid valve located in the propane locker was 'frozen'. If you remove the electric solenoid from the LPG piping and, WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THE VALVE BODY, have a helper energize the "safety electrical shut off circuit" (usually a red rocker switch labeled 'propane' located at the 12V distribution panel or adjacent to the stove). If the solenoid valve does not move and the valve body passage remains closed or only partially open, then replace the solenoid valve. While I am NOT recommending this procedure, you can temporarily repipe the gas line in the propane locker without reinstalling the electric solenoid and check for gas at the stove. If all good, then you have both identified the problem and tested the rest of the system (such as thermocouple safety feature). PROPANE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, IF UNSURE OF ANYTHING GET KNOWLEDGEABLE ASSISTANCE.

Here is what the solenoid valve looks like, and where to get a replacement:

https://www.defender.com/product3.js...260&id=1052829
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