# Mendota FV-41 pilot issue-troubleshooting



## CatchaFire (Dec 9, 2020)

This has so far been an informative board, so thanks. I too have the same problem as a poster below with the delayed ignition issue. I'm going to investigate some of the things discussed there and see if my installer did in fact install ALL the LP conversion parts including the burner orifices.

Just context, this stove was installed in 2013. I installed the unit but had the company I bought it from, install the LP conversion, log set and initial fire-up. Aside from the delayed ignition it has worked perfectly for its lifetime with the exception of the original remote failing. I replaced that roughly 6 months ago and had a service person do the routine maintenance (clean the spark and flame sensor). This stove is in our vacation rental, 3hrs from my home on the rural coast. I can't get a service person there for a minimum of a month because they are booked out, so I'm trying to figure out the problem remotely-and will be headed up in a day or so.

A guest was there running the fireplace fine one night fine turned it off and went to bed. In the morning they woke to strong smell of gas in the house. He thought he saw a small pilot turning it off the night before - but didn't see that in the morning. (obviously, we had them turn off the gas to the house and clear the house).

I can't recall from my use when being there ever seeing a standing pilot light. I thought this system was just IPI - just electronic ignition of the pilot light. Googling the SIT proflame system, I found a cozy heat manual that shows the option of the IPI or CPI -standing pilot light. My FV-41 manual doesn't have any info about CPI. It would make sense to me that if a standing pilot option was inadvertently selected on the remote, then the pilot blew out from a draft - there would be a gas leak/smell in house.
 1. Does the FV-41 even have the option of CPI-standing pilot light?
2. If not, what should I troubleshoot next-are there components that commonly fail that would not shut off the gas to the pilot?


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## CatchaFire (Dec 12, 2020)

Just in case others have encountered this, I'm going to post a possible solution. I haven't made it up to the property yet, and this is my first property using propane - so I feel a little stupid about this. We have a contract with Amerigas to keep our tanks min. 35% full - apparently they are having some huge distribution issues and haven't delivered gas in quite some time. I was told by a service tech that didn't even visit yet thankfully, that if the gas pressure drops to low (empty or low tanks) there is a scent that they put in the gas that settles to the bottom and will be emitted through a (partially?) open gas regulator - to help let you know the tanks are low!


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## Millbilly (Dec 12, 2020)

I have seen a very few amount of valves fail and flow gas without a pilot. It is very rare and can happen.  I also will say I have several customers a year call, sometimes borderline frantic, because they have a gas leak... And I go out and there is absolutely zero gas leak.  Other odors occur such as dust settling on the top of the firebox heating up for example.  I would not discard the gas odor claim but would evaluate it with an open mind.  It's possible the gas is from another source? Perhaps range left slightly on?


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