Gas fireplace/stove won't start

[Finster]

Hello...we have a gas fired stove to heat our cottage. It's contolled by an electrical wall thermostat. When the inside temp falls below the set temp on the thermostat..the flame doesn't start.
We have to hit the front of the door, below the glass with the handle of a screwdriver!
A small hiss starts, and the flame starts. Our landlord replaced the batteries in the thermostat, which did nothing. Is there a valve or a thermopile part behind the door, where we're hitting?? Seems like spmething is either getting stuck on or off. Help, it's starting to get cold here!

[paul52446m]

Hello...we have a gas fired stove to heat our cottage. It's contolled by an electrical wall thermostat. When the inside temp falls below the set temp on the thermostat..the flame doesn't start.
We have to hit the front of the door, below the glass with the handle of a screwdriver!
A small hiss starts, and the flame starts. Our landlord replaced the batteries in the thermostat, which did nothing. Is there a valve or a thermopile part behind the door, where we're hitting?? Seems like spmething is either getting stuck on or off. Help, it's starting to get cold here!

Sounds like something is sticking or you have some lose wire connection.
You would need to take some pic of the unit and all the controls so i can see what you have. If your stat is making a relay, then the relay could be sticking
or you could have low voltage on the 24 volt side.
Need more info to know what you have. Paul

[Finster]

Gas fireplace/stove won't start

Ok...I'll try and add a photo of the front of the stove, and the controls. I don't want to turn the pilot off to look inside..as it's not my stove. Not sure if that will help ya.
The metal ID plate on the back is almost impossible to see, as the stove is in front of a wall. I'll see if I can ID the mfg'r.

In doing some research, I believe it needs a new thermopile. It shuts off just fine when the wall thermostat "tells" it to. Its' intermitent about coming on...

[paul52446m]

Gas fireplace/stove won't start

Ok...I'll try and add a photo of the front of the stove, and the controls. I don't want to turn the pilot off to look inside..as it's not my stove. Not sure if that will help ya.
The metal ID plate on the back is almost impossible to see, as the stove is in front of a wall. I'll see if I can ID the mfg'r.

In doing some research, I believe it needs a new thermopile. It shuts off just fine when the wall thermostat "tells" it to. Its' intermitent about coming on...

You could be right i have seen gas valves that you had to tap on to get them to
open.Some times its the valve sticking and sometimes it a lose connection or a week power pile. Or a dirty pilot so the power pile can't produce the right power.
with out getting into it and start testing, it would be hard to find the trouble.
Paul