A recent problem led to a visit from an engineer who found that a mouse had eaten a hole in the clear plastic pipe that goes from the gas valve to the burner. What is the purpose of this pipe?
Sounds like the pressure compensation pipe. This references the pressure in the combustion chamber, which will be slightly negative in respect to atmospheric, to the gas valve. My background is industrial so any domestic engineers please put me right but the theory would be the same I would have thought.
did the engineer fix it? I’m surprised he didn’t tell you what work was carried out and a basic description of what the parts were.
So it is a secondary safety thing after the flame failure electrode? If the gas does not light the pressure does not drop and the gas valve switches off?
It is my understanding, I am not a domestic engineer, that the compensation pipe to the valve is more to do with precise gas flow regulation though will also shut of the gas if there is a flue blockage when the combustion chamber pressure increases to above atmospheric, i.e. above that at the valve. Just to repeat again, I am not a domestic engineer, I am using my industrial knowledge which may not be directly transferable to domestic. I am very wary of giving any advice in a domestic situation so welcome confirmation of this from a Gas Safe engineer.