Kiko
Member
My parents had a ventless gas log system installed in their fireplace 3 yrs ago, purchased from Lowes. The main burners are ignited by a solenoid located in the gas valve. This solenoid is powered by a remote controlled receiver box wired to the solenoid, which takes 4 AA batteries (six volts).
The burners stopped working and did not work even after fresh batteries were installed in the remote and the receiver. I disconnected the wires to the solenoid and used my voltmeter to check the voltage coming from the box. It read 6 volts in both the "on" and "off" positions, which means the solenoid should be able to open and close, if working properly. I then touched the solenoid wires to the terminals of a 9 volt battery, and the solenoid opened and closed and the burners turned on and off.
I lined up 5 AA batteries (7.5 volts) and the solenoid still worked fine. However, when I removed one of the batteries, the solenoid turned off the burners but would not turn them on unless I increased the voltage.
I have four questions:
1. Why would the solenoid work in one direction, i.e., close, but not open, with 6 volts?
2. Why would increasing the voltage to 7.5 volts allow it to open and close, when it is designed to open and close with 6 volts?
3. Does a solenoid wear out slowly, or does it go all at once?
4. Is there a way to add an additional battery to the receiver, so I don't have to mess with trying to replace the solenoid, if the solenoid is defective?
The burners stopped working and did not work even after fresh batteries were installed in the remote and the receiver. I disconnected the wires to the solenoid and used my voltmeter to check the voltage coming from the box. It read 6 volts in both the "on" and "off" positions, which means the solenoid should be able to open and close, if working properly. I then touched the solenoid wires to the terminals of a 9 volt battery, and the solenoid opened and closed and the burners turned on and off.
I lined up 5 AA batteries (7.5 volts) and the solenoid still worked fine. However, when I removed one of the batteries, the solenoid turned off the burners but would not turn them on unless I increased the voltage.
I have four questions:
1. Why would the solenoid work in one direction, i.e., close, but not open, with 6 volts?
2. Why would increasing the voltage to 7.5 volts allow it to open and close, when it is designed to open and close with 6 volts?
3. Does a solenoid wear out slowly, or does it go all at once?
4. Is there a way to add an additional battery to the receiver, so I don't have to mess with trying to replace the solenoid, if the solenoid is defective?
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