Smev oven - will replacing the thermocouple fix this?

[KompetentKrew]

Time to try what Boater Sam suggested back in #17
and Hunter Wanderer said in #35

Indeed. Will keep testing manually for a couple of days, because my initial reaction is disbelief that it's such an easy fix.

This problem came with the boat, as did the PO's instructions to use WD40. As you might imagine it can interrupt cooking can be quite annoying.

 

[mickbond]

When this fault occurred on my hob (Eno) I screwed up a small piece of tin foil and dropped it into the knob before replacing it. This packing gave enough extra clearance for the valve to fully engage and since then the valve has worked perfectly.

 

[Iliade]

Did the PO always remove the knob to squirt in the WD-40...?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Did the PO always remove the knob to squirt in the WD-40...?

Yes, I'm sure he told me to do so. I bought the boat in Monnickendam, and the PO sailed the boat back to the UK with me - I'm sure he must've showed me this "fix" during that trip. I always believed it was necessary for the WD40 to penetrate down the shaft revealed by the knob's removal - because there's a rim around the shaft, the oil wouldn't go down there just by spraying it beneath.

 

[Boater Sam]

Using solvent like WD40 is not a good idea. It is white spirit with a tint amount of mineral oil.

Gas taps are greased inside with Molicote molybdenum based grease which seals the gas in. Solvent will wash this out leading to gas leaks and stiff unlubricated valves.

WD40 is not a suitable gas valve lubricant .

Packing the knobs with a bit of foil is an easy fix because it is logical and correct, why are you so reluctant to believe me and others that this will fix your problem?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Packing the knobs with a bit of foil is an easy fix because it is logical and correct, why are you so reluctant to believe me and others that this will fix your problem?

I wouldn't describe myself as "reluctant" - your approach has been the first I have tried and it seems to be working.

What doesn't make sense to me is why the PO's directions appeared to work before - previously, spraying WD40 fixed the fault for a week at a time. Perhaps what really fixed the problem was the act of removing and replaced the knob, and the WD40 was just placebo - in which case, why didn't it work when I tried 3-in-1 oil and PlusGas?

I don't doubt you, I just can't reconcile what I am now experiencing with what I experienced previously.

 

[Boater Sam]

I am glad it has solved your problem, its the simple things that often work.