Blocked gas jet

[PaulSB]

Three of the rings on our gas cooker are working perfectly, the fourth will not light using either the ignition button or a naked flame. I'm sure no as is coming through the jet. When I removed the burner I found debris and water in the well surrounding the jet and feel it's likely either water, debris or both have got into the jet.

The jet looks to be removeable with a small spanner. Is this safe to do? I presume the gas flow is governed by the on/off dial and not the jet. If I try pushing a pin in to clear debris this might worsen things by pushing debris in further?

Any thoughts?

 

[fossyant]

Could also stick a pin down the jet and make sure the burner parts are all clean.

 

[classic33]

A pin is way too big for a gas jet. A piece of wire such as that from an electrical lead. One strand, rolled flat, should be small enough. And it'll be softer than the material the gas jet is made from.
I'd go no further than this, unless I had a spare jet to hand.

Is the area around the jet now clear of any debris? You can remove the jet, 6mm is a common size, but bear in mind you may have to seal it again when replacing it. Some are tapered to get around sealing them with anything.

 

[T4tomo]

Turn the gas off at the meter before pissing around with anything!
Id probably not start unless I had a new jet to hand incase I needed it.*
*This assumes I'm competent to piss around with gas, I'm not, I'd call out a Corgi engineer

 

[OldShep]

We’ve a propane hob. Every few years I take all the jets out and leave them soak in meths for a couple of hours. Shake them about a bit, blow through them and refit.
I feel that the propane gas leaves, over time, an oily residue. Don’t know whether natural gas does the same.

 

[DRM]

I feel that the propane gas leaves, over time, an oily residue.

You're correct, Propane does have an oily black tar in it called heavy ends, usually it's worse in the cheap stuff, and some of the propane that was being sold about 2 years back was full of it,it was wrecking the LPG regulators on forklifts the length & breadth of Britain,costing companies thousands

 

[tyred]

There is a tool you can get for this, a selection of very fine point tools on the end of a handle. My mum has one, "borrowed" from the kitchen she used to work in before retirement. The guy who serviced there appliances was always happy to give a few away.

Something like this https://ebay.us/m/xSwBwe

 

[PaulSB]

Thanks, some useful information and suggestions here. I won't be getting my spanners out - interesting that even changing a light bulb worries me, I hadn't even considered the gas risk. Lesson learned. I'll be investigating further shortly.