A gas stove is a completely familiar and understandable device. However, its use may raise certain questions. So, the housewife may not understand how to turn on the oven in a gas stove if the owner has not previously encountered a specific model.
But dishes cooked in the oven usually turn out to be much tastier than those cooked on the hob, and retain more useful elements. Therefore, it’s worth learning how to start the oven once, so that you can easily pamper your household with mouth-watering culinary masterpieces of any complexity. Do you agree?
In this material we will understand the principles of operation of gas ovens, talk about ways to ignite a flame in them and the safety precautions that must be observed when operating such equipment. We will supplement the material with visual photos and thematic video recommendations.
The principle of operation of a gas oven
Understanding exactly how a gas oven works, it is much easier to properly light a fire in it. If the hob burner directly heats the bottom of the pan and diffusely heats the limited space around it, then the oven builds up the desired temperature in the isolated space. Heating of the air that participates in heat treatment often occurs from below, after which the hot streams evenly rise upward, circulating inside the oven.
The oven has its own separate burner in which the gas-air mixture burns. Burners are most often diffusion: the mixing of gas and air in them occurs naturally, without additional oxygen intake.
After opening the tap, the gas passes through the nozzle, combines with air and is ignited by a spark. The latter is formed due to electricity or open fire from a match or lighter.
The additional convection function in the oven ensures more even heating of the ingredients in the dish and helps create an appetizing crust. It’s definitely worth paying extra for such functionality, because the taste of the dishes becomes even brighter
If your oven is equipped with convection, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of turning on, using and turning off this mode.
Ways to light a fire in the oven
Ignition of the flame can be carried out in two ways, which directly depend on the functional features of the equipment model itself. It depends on them how correctly the housewife can light the gas oven in her kitchen.
The methods for lighting a fire in the oven are as follows:
- Electric ignition of the oven is common to many modifications and is more convenient and safer, since it does not involve direct human contact with the burner.
- Manually igniting a flame requires some skill. But models of stoves or ovens with a similar principle of igniting fire usually cost slightly less.
The algorithm for operating different ovens will be slightly different. Let's consider the features of use in more detail.
Method #1 - electric ignition of the oven
Turning on the oven using automatic ignition is quite easy and quick.
To do this you just need to take a few simple steps:
- turn the gas supply tap, setting it to maximum;
- press and do not release the electric ignition button;
- after the flame appears, release the ignition button after 5-10 seconds.
If after these manipulations the fire does not light or the burner does not work correctly, you need to stop the fuel supply and open the oven door for ventilation. After a couple of minutes, you need to try to ignite again.
The automatic ignition button for a gas oven is usually located on the stove panel next to the temperature regulator for the oven
The need to hold down the auto-ignition button lies in the oven's safety system. The gas control sensor needs a certain temperature and time to properly monitor the operation of the equipment.
Additionally, holding is intended to protect the device from producing unwanted sparks if the button is pressed accidentally. After briefly pressing this button, you can set the temperature level required for cooking a specific dish.
Method #2 - manually starting the flame
You can also light the gas in the oven manually. Even if the cabinet is equipped with electric ignition, situations may arise when this option will not work. Therefore, even owners of modern technological models should understand how to light an oven in a gas stove with matches.
The process looks like this step by step:
- ventilate the oven for a few minutes and locate the pilot hole;
- bring a burning match or lighter to the igniter;
- turn the gas supply relay and hold it until the flame flares up;
- after ignition, do not release the feed handle for 15 seconds so that the security system responds correctly to turning on the oven;
- If the flame in the burner is produced stably, without separation or sparks, you can close the door and warm up the cabinet for subsequent cooking.
To find the igniter window, carefully inspect the bottom and sides of the oven when it is turned off. Most often, the required hole is located at the bottom of the cabinet or on its walls. If the oven is equipped with a gas grill, you should look for its burner on top.
A gas grill is another way to get an incredibly tasty crust on meat, to thoroughly bake the dough for a pie or fluffy biscuit.
For ignition, it is better to use long fireplace matches or a special lighter with an extended nozzle. This will protect your hands from burns and maximize the distance between the burner pilot and your hand.
How to turn on the oven in a gas stove
The oven is turned on manually and automatically. The oven is lit with a match or electric ignition.
If there is no electric ignition button on the panel, then:
- Open the oven door.
- Turn the gas supply knob - a characteristic output noise will be heard.
- At the bottom in front there is a hole in which the burner is visible - a match is brought here (long fireplace matches are convenient for this purpose).
- Close the door.
The “Grill” function is located on the oven switch handle or is represented by a separate handle. It quickly browns the dish, creating a crust on the outside, leaving it juicy on the inside.
To operate the grill you need:
- Press and turn to the right the oven mode and temperature selection switch.
- Press the electric ignition button or use matches.
- Lock the switch for 10 seconds.
A spit may be provided to ensure even cooking of large pieces of poultry and meat. The spit consists of a frame, a metal part with forks and screws and a removable handle.
When using the grill, leave the door ajar.
Meat or fish is wrapped in foil, the whole chicken is placed on a spit (if available).
The vegetables are placed on a baking sheet, greased with oil and placed on the very top. Cook for about 5 minutes.
To light a gas oven, you can use matches, an electric lighter or an electric ignition. Electric ignition can be semi-automatic, in which simultaneously with turning the lever you need to press the electric ignition button, and automatic.
In the second option, the ignition mechanism is built into the handles and is activated simultaneously with their rotation. The mechanism for igniting the oven burners is not present in all gas stoves, but only in models with 6-channel electric ignition.
To light the main burner using the built-in electric ignition, you need to open the oven and turn the rotary switch knob counterclockwise all the way to the maximum temperature scale. Then you need to simultaneously press the PU button or the TUPA toggle switch and the button of the electric ignition device.
The ignition process lasts no more than 5 seconds. It happens that this time is not enough and the flame goes out when the STOP handle is released. In this case, you need to take a break to allow the gas to dissipate and try again after 1 minute.
From the moment the burner lights up, you must hold the button or lever TUPA for 15 seconds until the fuse trips, which allows gas to flow into the burner. Now all that remains is to make sure that the flame is burning stable and set the required temperature
For the grill burner, the same ignition principle applies, but the TUPA handle is turned all the way clockwise. This is the only and unchangeable position that sets the temperature at a level sufficient for the grill to operate.
After turning the switch, the gas enters the upper burner; there is a fuse installed here, which shuts off the gas outlet in the event of the flame extinguishing.
To light the bottom burner in the Hephaestus stove using matches or an electric lighter, open the oven door, then press and turn the TUPA knob to 270 °C.
Bring the fire source to the igniter window while simultaneously pressing the PU button or the rotary switch knob all the way, holding it pressed for about 15 s. After making sure that the gas is burning, the handle is placed in the position required for use.
After the PU button or TUP handle is released, you need to make sure that the flame continues to burn. The lower the room temperature, the longer it will take. If the flame still goes out, re-ignite
The temperature regime is selected in accordance with the technology for preparing certain products. General recommendations are shown in the table.
We suggest you read: How to store ginger root in the refrigerator
If ignition was successful and the flame did not go out, close the oven and leave to warm up. In order for the oven to establish a stable temperature, you must wait at least 5 minutes.
To light the top burner, open the oven and turn the switch to the “Grill” position. Bring a match or electric lighter to the top burner, while simultaneously pressing the TUPA handle or the PU button, holding for 15 seconds.
The top burner of the oven only works in one mode - the temperature is not adjustable. To ensure that food is properly fried, use a spit that turns at a certain speed, or turn the food manually.
It often happens that the burner does not light the first time, so after lighting it is necessary to make sure that the flame is burning and only then close the oven. If the burner still goes out, repeat the procedure from the very beginning.
Safety precautions when lighting the oven
No matter how you light the flame in the oven, you should always follow specific rules for safe operation. Interacting with gas is always a risk, so you should be extremely careful to eliminate the likelihood of an emergency.
Next, let's look at the basic rules for safely igniting the oven:
- Before turning on a gas oven, always ventilate it to free the space from possible gas accumulation.
- Inspect the hoses, periodically check the tightness of their connections, and if necessary, replace the worn one with a new one.
- Make sure the oven burner is fully ignited. If any section does not burn, turn off the gas supply, ventilate the cabinet and relight the flame.
- Never leave a working oven unattended, and remember to check for flames through the cabinet door window.
- Never use the oven while it is on as a heating source. You cannot heat the kitchen using air heated by a burner.
- Thoroughly clean all surfaces inside the oven after each cooking. Grease deposits and other contaminants can clog the igniter holes or the burner itself, which will cause the flame to burn unevenly or be completely absent during subsequent operation.
The smell of gas or the sound warning of a leak sensor is an alarm signal in which the use of the equipment is prohibited. Ventilate the room and, if possible, find the source of the fuel leak.
You can carry out the initial diagnosis of oven malfunctions yourself if the procedure does not involve disassembling the main components. In other cases, the work should be entrusted to a specialist
It is always worth monitoring the operation of potentially dangerous equipment. Incorrect functioning of any elements should raise alarm bells and become a reason to call a technician from the gas service to carry out an inspection, diagnose the problem and fix it.
Some features of the operation of stoves of various brands
There are three main plate control systems:
- mechanical;
- electronic;
- combined.
The principle of mechanical and combined control is described above.
How to turn on an oven in a stove with an electronic programmer using the Gorenje brand as an example:
- The time is set by simultaneously pressing buttons 2 and 3, then + and -.
- The selection of functions on the clock on a programmer with an analog display is carried out by pressing the “A” button.
- Press twice to confirm your choice.
How to light the oven in a gas stove Hephaestus, ARDO, Bosch, Indesit, Greta: tips
The Hephaestus gas stove is equipped with a handle that regulates the inclusion at the top and bottom. Turn and select a mode.
Press and hold the thermocouple button for several seconds and at the same time press the electric ignition button with the other hand (a spark or light is shown next to it). If piezo ignition is not provided, use matches.
To use the ARDO electric oven:
- Select the desired mode using the button or adjusting knob.
- Light it with a match or electric ignition.
- They don't close the door for a couple of minutes.
- Warm up the cabinet for 15 minutes.
The Bosch stove is equipped with a knob for timer, temperature, upper and lower heating. There are models with and without electric ignition. Set the temperature, select the heat, place the dish in the preheated oven and set the timer.
To turn on the Greta oven, turn and press the knob, hold it in this position for 15 seconds, then release. If necessary, no earlier than 1 minute later, repeat the procedure with the oven door open.
In Indesit models with piezo ignition, just turn the knob towards the maximum temperature and press. In models with manual ignition, you must hold the knob down for 15 seconds, otherwise the oven will not light.
Typical gas oven malfunctions
Even with careful use and proper ignition, the flame in the oven burner may be unstable or disappear completely. These common problems have very specific causes and are fairly easy to fix.
If the flame in the oven ignites without problems, but often goes out after some time, the reason can be sought in the operation of the gas control system. Most likely, its sensor is faulty or dirty, and therefore does not respond to ignition correctly, sending a signal to shut off the gas supply.
In the same situation, the thermocouple and solenoid valve of the gas stove may turn out to be problematic components. The latter does not receive enough voltage due to a breakdown of the flame control sensor and automatically shuts off the supply of blue fuel.
If the solenoid itself breaks down, the valve is not held in the open position, which also prevents proper gas flow.
In addition to malfunctions of specific parts, the cause of the flame going out after heating the oven may be an incorrectly adjusted minimum flame level. After maximum heating, the burner goes into gentle mode. If it does not meet the required parameters, the thermocouple will not warm up enough, which is why the device turns off.
If the gas burner in the oven does not turn on at all, the primary diagnosis will be to identify blockages in its openings, which may form due to carbon deposits or food debris, or contamination of the gas nozzle itself. If there are no deposits interfering with ignition, the structural parts are probably worn out and require replacement.
The gas tap as a separate unit can also influence the incorrect functioning of the burner in the oven. Any link in the design of the internal rotating mechanism may be damaged. Often this part cannot be repaired and must be completely replaced.
