How To Change an Alke Heater Thermocouple

If your Alke Heater isn’t firing and you are unsure how to fix it, you’ve come to the right place. Issues with the thermocouple are the most common cause of problems with Alke Heaters. It might not be connected properly or there could be a fault with your current thermocouple. We’re here to address these common troubleshooting issues by showing you how to change and Alke heater thermocouple from Collins Nets.

What is a thermocouple?

Thermocouples are safety devices that can be found on many gas appliances, such as cookers, heaters, and even cars. On an Alke heater they monitor the pilot light, and shut the heater down if the light goes off by sending signals to and from the safety device to the pilot light.

It works by stopping the gas flow when the light goes out. Without a thermocouple installed, the gas would build up even when the heater is turned off – which is of course extremely dangerous.

1. Identify the thermocouple

The first step to replacing the thermocouple is first identifying it. Thermocouples are frequently used as safety devices on many household and industrial appliances, however their appearance can vary often vary. Luckily, the thermocouple is easy to identify on all of our gas brooders/alke heaters, and the process of changing it is the same across our range.

The thermocouple is the thin wire that starts at the control unit at the end of the brooder, runs alongside the gas line, and connects to the ceramic element that heats the device. You’ll find a demonstration of this fifteen seconds into the below instructional video.

2. Remove the old thermocouple

Important: Before removing the thermocouple, take note of how much it protrudes on the ceramic element end. You need to ensure that when the new thermocouple is positioned, it protrudes the same amount that the old one did. This is because Alke Brooders are wound precisely when manufacturing and require this level of precision to make a connection and ensure the brooder works. If you push in the thermocouple too far, it can actually cook the end of it. Conversely, if you don’t push in the thermocouple far enough it won’t keep the valve open and the gas won’t flow.

Loosen the nuts on each end of the thermocouple, before removing them. Unwind the end of the old thermocouple and remove, then place to one side.

3. Replace the thermocouple

Reverse the process of removing the old thermocouple. Start by positioning the new thermocouple and winding it enough to reach the desired amount it protrudes from the ceramic element. Tighten the nuts and test the Alke heater out. If you can’t get a connection after you replace the thermocouple, try and loosen the bolt that is shown below and adjust the thermocouple, before tightening and trying again.

If you are still having problems after taking these steps, you are more than welcome to give us a call. Our friendly team would be happy to help you with the troubleshooting of your Collins Nets Alke Heater.

Need a hand?

Watch our instructional video on How to Change an Alke Heater Thermocouple

Alke Heaters at Collins Nets

We supply a range of Alke Gas Brooders/Heaters which are well suited to the game and poultry industry. We sell three thermostatic gas and two ceramic heaters.

Whatever the age of your birds and size of the flock, you’ll certainly find the ideal brooder here.

Global 10 Gas Brooder | Perfect for <2000 day old chicks. Heat range 3000-30,000 Btu.

Global 5 Gas Brooder | Perfect for <1250 day old chicks. Heat range of 2500-19,500 Btu.

AP2 Brooder | Perfect for <1200 day old chicks.

Type 41 Gas Brooder | Perfect for <400 birds. Heat range of 3000-6400 Btu.

Type 81 Gas Brooder | Perfect for <800 birds. Heat range of 6000-12,800 Btu.