A Really Dumb Question About Pilot Lights

[taheckler]

I really hate to continuously reveal my ignorance with my dumb questions, but I really want to know, so here goes:

Does anyone know the history of when pilot lights were added to the Chambers stoves? My ol' gal doesn't appear to have one (at least, if it does, then I can't recognize it.) And the manual mentions that some stoves have pilots, and some don't, in the section dealing with conversion to another gas type.

So, I'm wondering if those of you familiar with the Model B have any background on this subject, and whether or not a pilot can be added (or even if I want to.) I suppose the good part about NOT having a pilot is that I don't have to worry about the oven filling with gas. :-) Of course, if I don't have a pilot, then do I need to worry about adding a safety system?

Sorry, I know these are dumb questions. Any help you can offer is much appreciated.

[nufan]

I have a 1941 B model, which has pilot lights. They look like tubes coming from a central 'hub' that clip on to the burners. I don't have pictures of them, unfortunately.

[taheckler]

Ohhh. I have those too. Those are flash tubes, I think. But, I didn't think they were the same thing as pilots. Are they?

[cejesq]

If you have flash tubes I would expect that if you go to the other end you will find a pilot ... or the hole where one used to be?

[Todd W. White]

The only pilot lights the CHAMBERS had (until the middle-50's) were for the Thermowell and top burners.

The Thermowell pilot is in the middle of the burner itself.

The top burners' pilot is in the middle and uses flashtubes to carry the gas from whichever burner you turn on to the the pilot, whereupon it ignites, travels (flashes) back up the tube, and ignites the burner.

The oven and broiler had no pilots.

When CHAMBERS did finally put actual standing (permanent) pilot lights on those two burners, they were very small (mini) pilots, which are still, I am told, available.

IMHO, you really don't need pilot lights on the oven and broiler - unless you're so stupid that you can't remember to light the thing after you've turned it on [img]wink.gif[/img] .

Seriously, though, I really don't see the need for them, personally. When most people have trouble with the oven burner going out, it's not because "the pilot light went out" - there is no pilot light - it's because they haven't properly adjusted the bypass flame height, then they've slammed the oven door shut, thus blowing out the bypass flame.

[taheckler]

So, Todd, if I don't have pilots, do I need a safety system? Because I thought the safety was to shut the gas off if the pilot blew out...

And for those of you who were wondering: despite my dumb questions, EVEN I would remember to light the stove after turning on the gas!!!! :-)

[Todd W. White]

My Service Manual for the B and BZ show a safety pilot light for the oven, as well as pilots for the top burner and Thermowell. There was not one for the broiler.

It also shows a different pilot light height for LP verses natural gas, so those of you who are converting from one to the other should get the Service Manual to make sure you are doing everything right.

I have these, should anyone need one.

[stoveman]

Chambers felt that the "Oven Safety Pilot" was all that their ranges needed in the order of safety in case the bypass was misadjusted. Although, under marketing pressure from other range manufacturers, they did add the "Oven Window" under the oven door on the Model C. That's so the lady of the house could get down on the floor and peek in through the Mica window to see if the flame was burning, while hoping that Rover did not have a cold nose!