Honeywell VR8300Q 3518

[scouser007]

Hi everyone,
I need some help with the above valve. I have 3 of them and have them mounted to a nice new aluminum brew stand. However I can not get gas to pass through these valves.
I am going to list a brain dump in the home that someone will tell me what I am missing. Any help is greatly appreicated as I feel I have $210 in paperweights right now.
I have an AC DC adaptor with tons of amps. I have the positive connected to the TH and negative to the TR. When I apply current I can hear the valve click. Its a loud click when applied, quite click when voltage is removed.
I have a regulator lowering the pressure to 20psi, then a secondary adjustable regulator 0-15psi. I have installed the LP kit, new spring, turned the screw 6 times from flush on the valve. I hooked the secondary regulator to a homemade manometer to check pressure, I have 6inches of water, thus 12wc. This is plumbed into the valve. The pilot lights and stays lit after about 20 seconds, I then move the selection switch from pilot to on, apply 24V and have no gas coming out of it. Pilot just keeps on going. If I remove the thermcouple the pilot shuts off after about 20 seconds. I have tried this with 2 valves and 3 thermocouples.
Now for the random stuff that should have took my eye brows off. Removed the pipe from the inlet of the valve and lit it, get about a 6-8 yellow flame. I have tried unscrewing the inlet pressure adjust on the valve, and then screwing it all the way in while monotoring the outlet, nothing. I have jacked up the pressure till the pilot is 6-8 inches of flame, still no outlet gas. I have reduced the pressure till the pilot goes out. I have sucked on the oulet pipe (hold the jokes) and it is locked closed, apply pressure and the additional pressure seems to release through the pilot. I have tried reversing the current on the TH and TR.
What the heck am I missing here? How do I further trouble shoot this? Is it possible that I have overpressured 2 valves?

Thanks
Simon

 

[kladue]

From the description you provided, the part number is a bit newer than the current literature, but valve should operate the same. Only a couple possibilities, inlet pressure too high, or possibly the valve is not happy with DC power, all I have ever used was 24VAC on honeywell furnace valves. That the valve clicks when powered is a good sign, the next part in the gas circuit is the adjustable regulator that drives the main valve, if pressure is at or below 12-14" it should open, above that and the safety lockout feature kicks in.

 

[scouser007]

24VAC, I have no idea how I missed that one. It does sound like the valve is opening but I have no idea how the thermocouple works, it clearly uses voltage and resistance. I did test and it appears as though the thermocouple is working.
Guess next up is a different power supply, never worked with anything on the AC side other than 120, it will be nice not to get such a large shock.
For pressure I used a 5/8ID tubing, bent in a loop, partially filled, hooked up the gas, marked a zero point, turned the regulator till I saw 5 1/2 inch rise, then disconnected and plumbed it to the valve.
This should not be this hard!

 

[scouser007]

Ohh and thanks for the help, both on this thread and the other million I have read fo yours. When done and time allowing I may post a lengthy thread on how my build went and the traps I fell into. I have a fairly nice modular aluminum set up, right size to go into the attic since my wife will not allow me to use them as coffee tables!

 

[Aschecte]

Uhh here is a dumb question is this a nat gas or lp valve ? 12" wc would sound like lp but just wanted to make sure. Most honeywell valves ship as natural gas then you need to field replace the pistons and springs.

 

[scouser007]

I am using LP, first regulator to 20psi, secondary is a variable from 0-15psi. End game is to feed a manifold with 20psi then slit to 3 vaiable regulators to adjust 0.5psi range or wc pressure.
I have changed out the springs to LP and 10wc approx.
I have just ordered a 24vac transformer to give this a test. I could not find anything local with enough amps.

I just tried to attach a pic of the stand so far...

 

[scouser007]

And a few better pics:

 

[kladue]

Some advice, use regulators built for low pressure, the flow rates on the adjustable regulators are too low at low pressure setting and stability is poor, the btu rating was at a higher than useable pressure for the gas valves. Look for a low pressure secondary regulator for that purpose with a 100K Btu rating, burner will be running at ~ 60-80K. The low pressure secondary regulators can be found at RV parts supplier or local propane dealer.
From the picture I can see you have not switched the pilot burners to LP, nice yellow flame is the indicator, orifice change is 5-10 minute operation with 2 wrenches.

 

[scouser007]

Okay more confusion on my side.
I agree the regulators are crap for this, I will look for the correct ones. The lowest I could find were 0-10 psi and they are cheap and flaky as heck.

Pilot to LP? I was not aware of any change that can be made with the pilot just the spring in the valve. The pilot is connected directly to the honeywell valve. I will take a look into this also.
Thanks again.
And is 60-80k enough for keggle brewing? I was assuming it will be but after taking off my arm hair and not my eye brows so far I have to wonder.

 

[kladue]

Here is a link to an inexpensive second stage low pressure regulator http://www.plumbingsupply.com/gas.html, and here is the LP orifice for the pilot http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=bvie&cp=26&gs_id=5a&xhr=t&q=honeywell+pilot+lp+orifice&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=657&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3327308968818447131&sa=X&ei=Z7BSTpnyEajkiAKK6-mUAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CFcQ8wIwBg.

 

[scouser007]

Okay bought the valves and I think I have the correct pilot orifice in the bag that it came in. Looks like there should have been a 0.010 and 0.018.
24vac transformer in the mail.
Lets see what all of this stuff does. I hope I get this all working before my keg runs out!

 

[scouser007]

Okay bought the valves and I think I have the correct pilot orifice in the bag that it came in. Looks like there should have been a 0.010 and 0.018.
24vac transformer in the mail.
Lets see what all of this stuff does. I hope I get this all working before my keg runs out!

 

[scouser007]

Thanks for the help 24vac was the key. The regulators are not the best but do allow for a little over 11WC pressure, but the pilots get a little tricky to control as there is a pressure drop when the burner fires. I did find the correct orifices for the pilots visibly smaller hole.
Looks sweet!

 

[scouser007]

Quick update.
In case anyone is trying to do something similar everything now works great. I have it connected to a control panel and have no issues at all. I would actually highly recomend this valve set up, about 10 seconds after the pilot light goes out the gas is shut off.
The only thing i have not figured out how to do and if its really possible is to trigger an external alarm if the pilot light goes out.