Blodgett 1060 Technical Question

[Pizza De Puta]

I just purchased an old, used Blodgett 1060 that has been converted to propane.  I hooked everything up but I get no gas, either at the pilot or on the main burners.  I have plenty of gas that the valve and the regulator on the back blows clear.  The unit was supposedly in commercial use just four months ago before the business was closed. 

Also I notice that the thermostat spins around with no detents or stops.  Is this normal?

The red pilot button only pushes in about 1/8", it seems like it should go in farther.  In this typical?

Any hints from the pros out there?

[buceriasdon]

Your control unit must be serviced. Your control knob should not "spin" around. Something is wrong.

[scott123]

RE, are you getting gas up to the thermostat? Are you getting gas after the thermostat?

Did you purchase this oven from someone who is trustworthy? Are you able to contact the owner that was using this oven 4 months ago and find out if the thermostat was spinning then? I've never seen a spinning thermostat, but, from my experience, if things start acting strange and the oven still happens to work, they tend to be ignored.  Too many pizza ovens are run on a wing and a prayer.

From what I can tell:

1. You are being lied to and the thermostat is/was busted
2. The oven still works with a broken thermostat
3. The thermostat broke in the last 4 months.

I don't see #3 being all that likely.

Btw, I know I'm stating the obvious here, but both the pilot and the pressure regulator were swapped out during the conversion, correct?

Also, I'm not sure you'll need it, but for reference, I did find this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLODGETT-THERMOSTAT-999-1000-1048-1060-961P-PIZZA-OVEN-/280739205640

Once you get this oven up and running, we need to talk about some potential mods.  I'm not sure this can do fast baked NY as is. It might be close, but I still think it's going to need some help (like a brick ceiling and/or a thermostat mod).

Lastly, congratulations on the new (for you) oven 

[Pizza De Puta]

I checked the regulator on the back of the unit and all piping for blockages--all are clear.  I've confimed that gas is getting to the "stack".  --->Automatic Pilot Valve--Manual Gas Valve--Thermostat.  I've taken these three components apart from one another.

Automatic Pilot Valve--No gas flows from one end to the other.

Manual Valve--Opens and Closes properly.

Thermostat--No gas flows top to bottom regardless of setting.

This unit is old and worn but pretty simply made.  I have it outside on a covered patio.  It did not come with any exhaust attachments--I suppose I'll need to invest in those, as well.  I paid under a grand but I'm sure that I was lied to about its prior operation.  I hope I can get it up and running without spending an arm and a leg.

[scott123]

Does the gas flow on the automatic pilot valve when the button on top is depressed?

Again, stating the obvious, but you are following the directions for lighting the pilot light in the manual, correct?:

Lighting
1.Turn the MANUAL CONTROL VALVE to OFF.
2.Push the red button on the AUTOMATIC SAFETY PILOT VALVE.
3.Apply a lighted match or taper to pilot burner.
4.After pilot burner lights, continue to depress red button for about 30 seconds and release.
5.Turn the MANUAL CONTROL VALVE to ON.
6.Set THERMOSTAT to desired temperature.

Does the thermostat come apart?  This is outside of my skill set, but, before you toss it, it might be worth taking a look at the guts. Otherwise, I think it's time for a new one. I did some googling and found a better price

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLODGETT-ROB-SHAW-OVEN-THERMOSTAT-300-650-7707-11529-/260972788538?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc330bb3a

[Pizza De Puta]

Yes, when I push on the red, AUTOMATIC SAFETY PILOT VALVE, it only goes in about 1/8" of an inch or less, and it seems like it should retract much farther.   The red button for the pilot sticks-out about 3/4" but only depresses slightly.  Can anyone comfirm this?  I don't hear or smell any pilot gas when I push the pilot button.   A match to the pilot burner produces nothing . . . and that's where we are.  The pilot line is clear of obstructions but I'm not confident any gas is getting past this ASP valve. 

The thermostat looks to be fairly new and was definitely replaced in the not too distant past.  I've tried blowing compressed air in the intake of the thermostat while moving the dial but I can't get any flow through this part, either.  The temp dial on this suspicious thermostat spins with the right amount of resistance but it does not stop at the end of temp range.  It will spin in full circle, either direction if one keeps turning.

Thank you for your input.

Does the gas flow on the automatic pilot valve when the button on top is depressed?

Again, stating the obvious, but you are following the directions for lighting the pilot light in the manual, correct?:

Lighting
1.Turn the MANUAL CONTROL VALVE to OFF.
2.Push the red button on the AUTOMATIC SAFETY PILOT VALVE.
3.Apply a lighted match or taper to pilot burner.
4.After pilot burner lights, continue to depress red button for about 30 seconds and release.
5.Turn the MANUAL CONTROL VALVE to ON.
6.Set THERMOSTAT to desired temperature.

Does the thermostat come apart?  This is outside of my skill set, but, before you toss it, it might be worth taking a look at the guts. Otherwise, I think it's time for a new one. I did some googling and found a better price

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLODGETT-ROB-SHAW-OVEN-THERMOSTAT-300-650-7707-11529-/260972788538?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc330bb3a

[scott123]

To be honest, I haven't been around for the initial lighting of a Blodgett pilot light.

Member waltertore has two Blodgett 1000s, but I think his safety valve is a little different than yours:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=19066

Here's another member who hasn't been here much, with a 1060. They've got an email, though.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=17126

One tricky part of this is that the safety valve on this oven was recalled back in 09, so other 1060 owners might not have your valve, depending on the age of their oven.  Can you get a part # from it? That would tell us which valve version it is.

Here's an idea.  If the safety valve button is stuck, you might be able to bypass it by heating the pilot thermocouple with a torch. Basically the button allows the pilot gas to flow so that it can be light with a match and then kept lit until the thermocouple gets hot enough and keeps the valve open. In theory, if the thermocouple gets hot enough, the valve will open.  I don't know exactly how hot to heat the thermocouple, though.  I do know that those thermocouples have overheating issues as well so be careful. I would take a torch, and, if you can, try 5" away for 30 seconds, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1. You should also be able to take the safety valve out completely and test this with compressed air or possibly even a flashlight on at the end of the valve.

It's very rare that I say this, but I would post this question over at PMQ.  It might take a while for a reply, but I know there are a bunch of Blodgett owners over there.

Since the safety valve is the first in the sequence, I would see if you can get the pilot light lit before replacing the thermostat.  You might have to replace the safety valve AND thermostat, but let's cross that bridge when we get there.

Edit:  Another thing to keep in mind is that even though you're not the original owner, if this oven has a faulty recalled safety valve, there's a possibility you might qualify for an upgrade. Did you get the original bill of sale?

[Pizza De Puta]

Thermocouple just broke off the Automatic Safety Pilot 

I'll try to find a service tech this week.

[norma427]

Pizza De Puta,

I hope you get your Blodgett 1060 repaired okay if you find a service tech.  Sorry to hear you are having problems with your oven since you purchased it. 

I also had problems with my GP-61 Baker’s Pride used oven when I purchased it.  It works okay now since I had a tech man service it.  The man I purchased my countertop deck oven from on eBay also said mine was working okay, but it wasn’t.

Norma

[scott123]

Thermocouple just broke off the Automatic Safety Pilot 

I'll try to find a service tech this week.

It depends on which version of valve you have, but that thermocouple might be able to be ordered separately.

How much is a service tech going to run you?  $100/hr? $150?  And what's he/she going to tell you?  You might as well take that money and put into it parts.  $300 should get you a safety valve and a thermostat.  It might be a bit wasteful to spend the money without being 100% certain you need to replace them, but it's more economical, imo, than paying a service tech.

[Pizza De Puta]

It depends on which version of valve you have, but that thermocouple might be able to be ordered separately.

How much is a service tech going to run you?  $100/hr? $150?  And what's he/she going to tell you?  You might as well take that money and put into it parts.  $300 should get you a safety valve and a thermostat.  It might be a bit wasteful to spend the money without being 100% certain you need to replace them, but it's more economical, imo, than paying a service tech.

Well, the tech told me over the phone that the broken thermocouple wasn't really a thermocouple afterall.  It was a fine hollow wire filled with mercury.  Luckily, I think I kept the hazardous waste reasonably contained. I had all of the panels and stones out of the unit which makes inspection and cleanup easy.  Pretty dangerous stuff for the unaware to work on.  The FMEA valve is being replaced with a less-lethal TS11 unit that I just ordered.  The oven was also missing a flue panel, a correct valve handle, and a vent hood which was ordered, too.  The thermostat may be bad also but $500 clams is enough to spend today.

[Pizza De Puta]

New gas valve, pilot element, and exhaust hood arrived today for the old Blodgett 1060 I recently purchased.  Six large doughballs ready to go in the refrigerator . . .  The tech put in the new parts and after purging the gas line of air we had a pilot!  A turn of the thermostat . . . and . . . and . . . and nothing . . . the threads are stripped inside the thermostat and cannot be fixed.  New thermostat ordered $187.  Try again next week  

The seller stated that the oven was in daily use just four months ago.  The seller also said he hooked a 5 gallon propane tank up and ran it for a while in this driveway.  Pure BS, this oven cannot function in its current condition.  Once we got the thermostat apart, it was evident that someone had monkied with the stops then spun the knob and stripped the threads that drive the control valve.  Caveat emptor.

Luckily, I bought the 1060 cheaply enough after offering him about half of his initial asking price and haggled-up only slightly.  Don't feel badly at all now for driving such a hard bargain.  In the end, I'll have about $1800 into the Blodgett with several new cooking chamber parts, as well as, everything new in the control panel.  It should be good to practice on and hone a solid commercial NY recipe.  Should we decide to open a restaurant, this piece will serve us well as a back-up/aux oven.