ReplyI think maybe you've been reading to many of fateddy's "what if" posts.
Professional Member
How is it that we work all day with gas heating equipment that has redundant safetys to prevent gas flow if ignition does not ocur within a few seconds, even locks out after a few attempts.
We then come home to a gas stove that has spark ignition on all 4 burners that is controlled by placing the knob in the high position. It is possiable to turn the knob past the ignition position without the burner lighting.
I present the following seneraio,
A toddler manages to turn on all 4 burners without any of them lighting. A while later you smell gas and run to the kitchen, your natural reaction would be to turn off the gas but remember that inorder to turn it off you have to go past the high position which activates the spark ignitor.
I know that natural gas is lignter than air but it scares me to think that you could have do do this 4 times to shutdown all 4 flowing burners.
What are the odds of causing an explosion while attempting to stop the gas flow. Anyone ever hear of this happening?
What would you do, or am I barking up the wrong tree here?
How does this stuff get certified?
Professional Member
I think maybe you've been reading to many of fateddy's "what if" posts.
If you try to fail, and succeed.
Which have you done ?
Professional Member
LOL tool. My gas stove has "stops" on all the knobs, they don't turn all the way around. Turn all the way to the left to light, turn back the right to shut them off. I don't see how that would be possible on newer stoves. Older models are a different story though. Bottom line is this...tell the kids to stay AWAY from the stove!
"If you can't fix it, don't break it."
AOP Committee/Professional Member*
How about gas stoves unvented yet allowed to dump 800 ppm of CO into the home? Lunacy! I rarely see people using their exhaust fans. These fans are too noisy (because they move so much air), don't move enough air to do much good until you get to the 1,400 CFM Suck-O-Matic, and they are not interlocked with the burners.
As for accidental ignition, I had this happend in front of me by the damn cat. He walked across the control panel turning on a burner without the igniter cycling on. I don't know who I was more angry at, the damn cat for walking on my counters or the stove mfrs. for building such inherently unsafe equipment. Why after all the litigation this hasn't been stopped is beyond me.
Good Point Kev,
Keep the fire inside the fireplace.
Professional Member
Just make sure to put the cig out before you go running over there to turn off the gas.
Regular Guest
I'd just shut off the gas to the stove and open up the house. Our stove has a shutoff in the basement, and I can't imagine anyone putting in a gas appliance without some way to remotely cut off the gas if there's a problem. Turning the stove knobs past the electronic ignition with a kitchen full of natural gas is a very bad idea.Originally posted by kevink1955
your natural reaction would be to turn off the gas but remember that inorder to turn it off you have to go past the high position which activates the spark ignitor.
I know that natural gas is lignter than air but it scares me to think that you could have do do this 4 times to shutdown all 4 flowing burners.
What are the odds of causing an explosion while attempting to stop the gas flow. Anyone ever hear of this happening?
They also make knob covers for ranges to prevent toddlers from getting to them in the first place.
Regular Guest
On our gas stove, tou can turn it past high with out lighting BUT if you turn it past the position where the ignitor is activated, the spark will not activate until the knob is released.
Professional Member
Yea I agree the best thing to do would be to turn the gas off from a remote location and let the place air out but you would have to overcome the first responce most people would have and that would be turn the stove knobs off.
I ran across another weird gas thing today. The local Firehouse wants to install a "Stock Pot Stove". Their other Firehouse already has one that was installed a few years ago. The already installed stove has a gas lockout control that shuts down all gas if the pilot goes out.
They have looked at 3 diffrent manfacturers of these stoves and none of them offer any safetys at all anymore. If the pilot goes out you can still open the main burner valve and allow 60,000 BTU of gas to flow.
It appears the reason the manfacturers deleted the safetys is related to the Robert-Shaw RS-11 recall. It's hard to belive that the manfacturers feel it's ok to produce a product without safetys instead of redesigning it around another manfacturers safety.
Who approves these products, They are building Bombs
Regular Guest
I don't know but I've been told.....
The basic distinction in the level of safety control required is whether the equipment is designed to be operated without a person supervising the equipment. A gas range is intended to be supervised, and therefore has lower levels of safety controls required.
A gas furnace or water heater operates untended, and thus requires more controls and safeties.
If you disagree with that, re-read paragraph 1 before replying.....
Seattle Pioneer
Professional Member
thats funnyOriginally posted by Toolpusher
I think maybe you've been reading to many of fateddy's "what if" posts.
Professional Member*
its called be prepared for any thing with kids
do whatever you can to prvent this from happening
get child proof knobs get a stove where the knobs are out of reach put a gate in front of the stove what ever it takes kids are smart we are dum my kids have proven that time after time
Regular Guest
As for accidental ignition, I had this happend in front of me by the damn cat. He walked across the control panel turning on a burner without the igniter cycling on. I don't know who I was more angry at, the damn cat for walking on my counters or the stove mfrs. for building such inherently unsafe equipment. Why after all the litigation this hasn't been stopped is beyond me.
Yea , but that CAT LEARNED A LESSON and didnt have to SUE anyone----damn smart cat
Regular Guest
You bring up some good points. Surprisingly we don't hear of more explosions caused by stoves.Originally posted by kevink1955
turn the stove knobs off.
It appears the reason the manfacturers deleted the safetys is related to the Robert-Shaw RS-11 recall. It's hard to belive that the manfacturers feel it's ok to produce a product without safetys instead of redesigning it around another manfacturers safety.
Who approves these products, They are building Bombs
People will heat a home with a gas stove and be completely unaware that after awhile they are liable to get CO poisoning. Once the oxygen level gets lowered the combustion process has to use the exhaust gases and without enough oxygen, CO is produced.
Only seen that once in the last few years and that was enough.
Son walked in the kitchen recently and found the stove burner partially on (elec ignition), strong smell of gas, and vented his anger. No one would admit to causing this but it made us a little bit more conscious of the danger.
Has Consumer Reports ever addressed this?
Regular Guest
I found this
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 22, 2004
December 22, 2004
Release # 05-073 Robertshaw’s Hotline: (800) 232-9389
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
CPSC, Robertshaw Controls Company Announce Recall of Certain Models of 7000 Series Gas Control Valves
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the manufacturer named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: Robertshaw 7000 Series Gas Control Valve
Units: About 425,000 gas control valves
Manufacturer: Robertshaw Controls Company of Long Beach, Calif.
Hazard: Fire hazard. If the pilot light goes out, the gas valve could stick in an open position, permitting gas to continue to flow. This can result in a gas explosion and fire, which could result in severe personal injury or property damage.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of flash fires, involving three reports of injuries. The injuries involved first and second degree burns.
Description: The 7000 Series Gas Valves that are being recalled are installed in gas appliances including residential space heaters, wall heaters, boilers, fireplaces, pool heaters, infrared heaters and furnaces, and commercial heating applications such as commercial cooking appliances, fryers, commercial water heaters, and poultry brooders. The recalled valves were manufactured between February 2003 and September 2004 and have production dates beginning with code 0306 and ending with 0436.
However, not all 7000 Series valves manufactured during the indicated timeframe are being recalled. Of particular note are model numbers containing the letters “MV.” Recalled gas valves include “MV” models that also include the letters “LP” and model numbers 7000AMV; 7000BMV; 7000BMV-S7CL; 7000MVLC; and 7000MVRCLC. All “MV” valves with the indicated date codes that have been converted to Liquid Propane (LP) gas use are also included in the recall. NOT included in the recall are model numbers 7010 and above; model numbers containing the letters “D” or “BV;” and model numbers containing the letters “MV” except for the ones listed above. A full list of recalled model numbers is available at http://www.robertshaw.com or can be obtained by calling (800) 232-9389.
Sold through: Gas appliance retailers and distributors; food service equipment manufacturers and dealers; specialty retailers, such as fireplace, pool and spa dealers; and poultry equipment manufacturers. The gas control valves and components were also sold separately through gas appliance service providers.
Manufactured in: Assembled in Mexico.
Remedy: Free repair or replacement if necessary. If you smell gas near the appliance or in the building, immediately leave the area and call your gas company or a certified gas technician to investigate the cause. If you do not smell gas, check the pilot lights on your gas appliances. If any pilot lights are out, do not attempt to relight. Have the appliance examined by a qualified technician. Have the date-code of your 7000 gas valve ready when you contact Robertshaw.
Consumer Contact : Call Robertshaw toll-free at (800) 232-9389 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, or visit http://www.robertshaw.com to review a list of affected appliances and register for the recall.
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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2004
Release # 05-047 Firm’s Hotline: (888) 665-4640
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
CPSC, York International Corp. Announce Recall of Gas Furnaces
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the manufacturer named below, today announced voluntary recalls of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of product: Gas furnaces
Units: About 226,000
Manufacturer: The Unitary Products Group (UPG) of York International Corp., of York, Pa.
Hazard: These furnaces can overheat, causing heat-exchanger cracking, burn-through and, in extreme cases, furnace wrapper burn-through. This can lead to heating and possible burning of the drywall and other combustibles adjacent to the furnace, which poses a fire and smoke hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: UPG has received 27 reports of fires, some resulting in extensive property damage that could be related to these hazards. There have been no injuries reported.
Description: The recall involves Coleman, Coleman Evcon and Red T brand furnaces. The furnaces are a silver color with white access panels. The “Coleman,” “Coleman Evcon” and “Red T” brand names are located on the middle of the front access panel. These model furnaces with model numbers listed below are included in the recall:
DGAM075BDD
DGAM075BDE
DGAM075BDF
DGAT070BDD
DGAT070BDE
DGAT070BDF
DGAT075BDD
DGAT075BDE
DGAT075BDF
DLAS075BDD
DLAS075BDE
DLAS075BDF
[Edited by MikeJ on 03-15-2005 at 03:20 PM]
Professional Member*
educate and keep the kids away from the stove. There are more dangers lurking there than just the one you descibed.
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