I have a Gaffers Stattler Model U60-2 gas heater in my condo, dating from 1978.
The heater wouldn't come on at normal temperature settings, and I had to turn the thermostat up to maximum to get it to work. After a couple of weeks it wouldn't come on at all. I figured that the thermostat needed replacing, and did that. The heater still does not respond. The pilot light is on. I checked the wiring at the thermostat location with a test light and there is no voltage. What should I check next, and am I going to be able to get parts for a 28 year old furnace? Thanks.

 

Welcome, Walter.

Probably a thermopile thermostat.

Does it use any electricity?


Curious.




Unlikely unless there was damage.


Important:
Does the new thermostat work with millivolt pilot generators?



This might very well be the case.
But can your lamp detect 0.75V (less than 1 volt)?



If it has a pilot generator, you might need a new thermopile.
Surely it has been replaced once in the past 28 years. But maybe not. Do you recall?




Depends on whether a generic part is available or whose parts that manufacturer used and what it needs.

But the answer is more than likely, yes.


If it is a dead Powerpile, no problem.
If the gas valve is bad, you'll need professional assistance to assess and replace it. (How many BTU/h is this heater? Like 60,000?)


Can you provide a close up photograph of the pilot area?

 

Thanks for answering my post. The furnace does use electricity, it is plugged into an outlet inside the closet. The replacement thermostat that I purchased is a Honeywell CT87N. I don't know if it is supposed to work with millivolt pilot generators, but the packaging indicates that it is supposed to work with everything including heat pumps and electric heat systems. My test probe measures 80-500 V AC or DC. I'll buy a true volt/ohm meter. The pilot light is the old type that is on all the time, and it is lit now. Prior to the problem starting, the burner would turn on and the blower would start, and it would cycle normally according to the temp setting on the thermostat. Over a few day's period it would only start if the temp was turned up past 80 degrees, and then it wouldn't turn on at all. The BTU rating is 60,000 and the electrical rating is 5 amps. I don't have a digital camera but the pilot area looks like one on a water heater, with a thermocouple probe next to the flame. I doubt now that the thermostat is bad, I'm going to try and replace the transformer first as it's an inexpensive part.

 

Okay. It isn't at all what I was picturing. (I was thinking a heater or wall furnace.)


> The pilot light is the old type that is on all the time, and it is lit now.
Okay. Your thermocouple must be working.



> Over a few day's period it would only start if the temp was turned up past 80 degrees,
> and then it wouldn't turn on at all.

This is strange.


> I'm going to try and replace the transformer first as it's an inexpensive part.

Is it showing 24V output on the secondary?

You should be able to make a little spark by striking a wire against the terminals to short them for a fraction of a second.