Heater gas valve

[chrisg44]

I’m working on an old comfort zone heater. It’s 355,000 BTU per the label, but it’s old and very badly disintegrated. I have included pictures I kept it working for my cousin up to this season where it’s been on and off. They had a partial meltdown of the valve and thermostat plastic from roll out disassembled and clean the heat exchanger. It was set it up with stop the rollout after changing to a Robertshaw gas valve I found online that looked very similar to it, but was half inch instead of three-quarter inch. It worked on and off this season, sometimes needing to be tapped stopped working completely and I found that the thermal pile was completely disintegrated where the wires were basically connecting to it replaced the whole unit for pilot, light and new thermal pile. On occasion pilot light still turns off despite flame hitting thermal pile. Guess well still needs to be tapped to usually get it to start. I’ve been looking for the right gas valve to get, but cannot find. The heater is very old. is it OK to replace it with any Hayward millivolt natural gas valve? I found a Hayward one that says 150,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 BTUs, or are valves very specific? I’ve included some pictures if anyone can help me get the right part.

 

[chrisg44]

1st post original gas valve, these pictures one I found

 

[JamesW]

35 years old?

Time to let it go.

Replace the heater.

 

[swamprat69]

There is no " right part " for replacing the gas valve. Melting of plastic parts on both the upper control panel and gas valve are indications of an ongoing and serious safety concern with the heater questioning the integrity of the combustion chamber and flue passages. Why wasn't the heater shut down by a safety ( rollout switch ) due to excessive heat in these areas? If the plastic gas valve knob melted, I would also question the integrity of the insulation on the gas valve solenoid windings. Gas valves are designed to work correctly within very specific parameters under which the heater design was approved to work safely. Just replacing it with a valve that "kinda looks the same" IS NOT OK. I could find no information on the heater itself and I doubt that any parts are available to correct the core problem(s). The heater should be taken out of service without any attempts to repair due to safety concerns. Looks like it is in an outside shed. Surprised the shed is still standing.