# Am I looking for trouble?



## trafick (Oct 11, 2010)

Hello All,

I have a Jotul Allagash in my fire place.  It has a standing pilot light.  Is it OK to turn this off and on?  I use the stove mainly on Saturday and Sunday morning and occaisonally during the week in the winter and don't want the pilot on all the time.  I start and stop the pilot each time I turn the stove on/off.  Is this going to wear out the thermocouple and the thermopile prematurely?  What are some other options?

Thanks
Adam


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## raiderfan (Oct 11, 2010)

I had a propane wall heater for my basement at one time, and the installer told me to leave the pilot on for the season and shut it off when done in the offseason.

The propane it used was minimal.  The reason I didn't like it was that the pilot itself seemed noisy to me.


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## DAKSY (Oct 11, 2010)

Your TC & TP are electrical components. 
Like a light bulb, they almost never fail when in constant use, 
but more often than not, they fail upon start up.
Your BEST bet is to leave the pilot on.
It will use 800 - 1000 BTU/Hr & this will cost you $$$.
By leaving it on, you will also eliminate a "Cold Sink" in your home.
A DV stove will take cold air in whether it's burning or not & this 
cold will be introduced into your home. 
The pilot will actually keep the stove somewhat warm.
Your call.


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## Fsappo (Oct 12, 2010)

What Bob said exactly....again
When folks tell me that the pilot wastes gas, I tell them to put their hand on the glass of the stove with only the pilot going.  You are still adding btus to your home.  Running the pilot light when you dont want heat, like in the summer..now your wasting gas.


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## peedenmark7 (Oct 24, 2010)

isnt it also true that spiders love lp and will nest in the pilot orifice when turned off ?


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## DAKSY (Oct 24, 2010)

peedenmark7 said:
			
		

> isnt it also true that spiders love lp and will nest in the pilot orifice when turned off ?



Close, but not exactly.
Actually, those pesky spiders like mercaptan. 
That's the odorant added to LP so you can smell it.
They build their nest behind the BURNER orifice in 
the burner feed tube & that nest looks so perfect, 
you'd think it came from the factory that way...


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## peedenmark7 (Oct 24, 2010)

my mistake, you are correct as thats exactly the problem I had with my used lopi berkshire when we tried to fire it.. ended up have to clean it all the way back to and before the valve.
works great now though !

so to anyone removing an lop stove... I would suggest taping both ends shut.


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