LG Heaters

I dismantled my heater today to see what condition it is in and found a very rusty burner ring and broken thermocouple. Should I assume that the coil has been leaking or could this be from water exposure from underneath?

I intend to fill it up and find out if it holds pressure, but I have doubts at this point. If it needs a new coil, should I also assume the need to replace the buner assembly as well or would the rust just be cosmetic aspect of it being iron.

Seems to be the only weak part of this Judson project as everything else checks out excellent. Still, a bad heater would kind of suck. The coils are well coated with carbon, but I can't see any cracks yet.

All looks normal to me, black soot on coil, and the rusty burner totally normal!....after all the burner is un-coated cast iron so it rust.

I'd say just fire it up and run some pressure threw it and see, but it's not an indication of a leaky coil from what I see.

Oh and while you have the burner out, definitely clean out thos jets on the burner....even semi clogged they really rob your heat!   

I hope you are right, it has been worrying me all day. I plan to clean the jets and replace the thermocouple this weekend.

Keeping fingers crossed....

Yeah it looks pretty good to me. Clean the jets and bang the elbow on the table and watch all the gunk come out of it.

A trick Paul Lucas taught my pops was to soak the burner ring in gas. It helps to remove the carbon build up... Then get a welding tip cleaner and clean out the jets... Home depot or Lowes should have the thermo coupler for like $14 bucks...

The burner ring looks normal... My 2 LG#3 and 1 LG#2 looks the same, with them being 20+ yrs old...

Thanks Nate, got the tip cleaners that Les suggested in his videos. I was just surprised and now relieved to hear all these comments. I was really starting to think that I was looking at needing major repairs.

I will order a couple of parts and fire it up next week.

Another question: Les suggests to clean the jets and then tap the assembly several times to shake out the debris. Would applying suction to the pipe work better or not? Seems like it would be faster and more efficient that banging it on the table and shaking it out.

Banging the burner assembly breaks the carbon deposits loose. You don't have to get caveman on it, just gentle tapping or banging.  Suction would not achieve the same effect.
Also, I had trouble getting the tip cleaner into a lot of the holes but found that a tip drill worked wonders. You can pick one up at a local welding supply store.
Something like this should be just fine.

Thanks...the tip drill looks like a great idea. Back to the store.

Tapplng it jars the debris loose. Then shaking it then I would blowe it out.with air.

milspec6 wrote:Thanks...the tip drill looks like a great idea.  Back to the store.

Before using a drill bit to clean jets read this, from the manufacture!..................

DO NOT use a drill in an attempt to remove build up. Increasing the bore size of the jets will result in improper and many times, dangerous operation of the heater.

Troubleshooting Tips: Does the flame come out the bottom of the heater or does the burner flame float?
1. Vent is stopped up.
Unstop Vent.
2. Diverter or starkap is off.
Install diverter or starkap
3. Wind is blowing down into heater.
Install diverter or starkap
4. Burner jet orifices are too big.
Install new burner jets. Ofifice size 68 (1/32)" on LP gas 2HT and 3HT heaters. Screw thread size 5/16" X 27

I know first hand using anything to clean the jets that can make hole in them even just a hair larger is not good LOL.

What it does is creates a "rich" air to fuel mixture (the four large holes on the sides of jets regulate the amount of air injected into the mixture, and if you make the little hole for fuel any larger then you don't have the proper mixture), which really messes with the efficiency and heat out put of the heater...........so stick to the welding tip cleaners.  

Davey is right

Sure, now you tell me.  

I just followed the video that Les posted and never used anything larger than a #18 tip cleaner.

I used a smaller drill to create a pilot hole and then cleaned it with the tip cleaner. The guy before me hadn't cleaned the burner and the carbon buildup was like concrete.

Pro Touch wrote:I used a smaller drill to create a pilot hole and then cleaned it with the tip cleaner. The guy before me hadn't cleaned the burner and the carbon buildup was like concrete.

I understand what you mean...had a few that were tough to clean out. There were a few that appear to have been replaced and the tip cleaner just flew through those.

Cleaned out my burner jets. Hitting 220 ATW. This dang gum thing is burning may hand. Lol. I guess I'll have to do this like every few months. Tool about 10 minutes.

I hope it doesn't have to be every few months, but I guess if the efficiency calls for it, then so be it.

I will just have to get one of those swing arm magnifying glasses for my bench first....not going to strain so much the next time around.

Rob, I had the LG services at the beginning of December and have lost performance well before now. Just got so bad, only two jets working, had to do something.

Rob and Ryan,

I hate to be the Bearer of bad news, but in my experience the LG heater jets have to be cleaned fairly often if you want to keep your heat up.......I have to do mine about every two months I'd say, Which if I had to guess is prob between every 1-200 hrs (just my best guess..........and 1-200 hrs for some of you guys might be every month!

Also, even though Les says do not remove the burner jets from the burner ring, I have found that by not doing so and just cleaning them with a welding tip cleaner as he suggest, I just can't get them truly clean.

For 20+ yrs I removed them to clean them, until I heard about using a tip cleaner and saw Les's video. After that I cleaned them installed on ring with the tip cleaner as suggested. But after a couple times doing it that way, I started to notice I just wasn't getting the same improvement in restoring the heat I did by removing, and it really seemed as they were clogged again much sooner doing it Les's way. So now I am back to removing them to thoroughly clean them again, like I did successfully for many yrs.

I don't believe they can be truly 100% cleaned unless removed, one reason for that is what I stated above, my experience/observations in the difference between the two methods of cleaning. The main reason I believe this is, because there is no way to clean the carbon/soot from the inside/backside of the jets without removing them! And if not removed then they're not 100% clean, so I think what happens is the remaining carbon/soot you're not removing on the inside/backside of the jets then just re-clogs them up sooner, since it's just sitting right there on the other side of the orifice you're cleaning with the tip cleaner. So once you start using the heater again the gas pressure just pushes the unremoved debris into those tiny orifices.

I support your opinion Davey, removing the jets was the way I had planned on going before viewing the video by Les. Seems like a good soak would do more than just shoving a tip cleaner in there, but I am new to this LG heater thing so I followed the video.

I really don't see how removing the jets could be a bad thing...can anyone shed some light on this?

The thing that can be bad about removing the jets, is they can get heat seized in the burner ring (I've never had this happen), and if you're not careful you can cross thread or strip them when putting them back in, again never had this happen. If you have any type of mechanical ability or common sense, I do not see you having a problem...........AND the good thing is, if you did happen to have a problem and lets say stripped one causing need for replacement of the burner ring, I know where they can be had for $45 brand new, burner ring including all new jets...something else the suppliers that charge $12 per jet, and $200 for the burner ring do not what us to know!!    

Thank me now or later.

Davey Cracker wrote:The thing that can be bad about removing the jets, is they can get heat seized in the burner ring (I've never had this happen), and if you're not careful you can cross thread or strip them when putting them back in, again never had this happen. If you have any type of mechanical ability or common sense, I do not see you having a problem...........AND the good thing is, if you did happen to have a problem and lets say stripped one causing need for replacement of the burner ring, I know where they can be had for $45 brand new, burner ring including all new jets...something else the suppliers that charge $12 per jet, and $200 for the burner ring do not what us to know!!    

Thank me now or later.

And that place would be where?  

Heck it might be better to just purchase a new set of jets and when you replace the dirty one just put those on a cleaning solution till it's time to switch them out.

Good idea Mo. Davey, hit us with that link bro! Somebody's gonna be searching that.

I know you don't shop at sunbelt Ryan but the sell them for 10.46 but from what I recall Little Giant sell them for less

http://www.sun-beltusa.com/parts/little-giant-heater-parts/burner-jets.html

Cobb has the jets for the number 3 for less not sure if its the same jet for the number 4

http://www.cobbcarpet.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68&products_id=3991

I got go and watch my son clean some carpet I feel like crap today

No sunbelt for me. I'll buy mine from Davey if it kills me!!!!!

I owe on over proved shipping anyway.