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This morning, there was no hot water and I noticed the pilot was off on the hot water heater. I tried to light it and it did, but then once I turned it up, it went off.
After that, I tried to light it again, and it sparked, but would not light. It is the kind lit with gas where you continously press the trigger button and hold down another button.
After many tries, I gave up, splashed some water on myself and went to work.
Can anybody tell me how to light it and keep it lit?
Also, does running the shower for a long time cause the pilot to go out? I have never had this problem before. And that's what I was doing.
This morning, there was no hot water and I noticed the pilot was off on the hot water heater.
I tried to light it and it did, but then once I turned it up, it went off.
After that, I tried to light it again, and it sparked, but would not light.
That would only make the main burner stay off, not the pilot light.
Since when ?
In addition to preventing the main burner gas valve from coming on, another major point of the thermocouple is to sense when the pilot is out for some reason. (Wind, gas co. shutoff, etc.) So you don't get raw gas from the pilot spewing into the furnace, etc.
When the TC itself fails, it won't let the pilot stay lit after you release the override button. Classic symptoms of a TC failure.
If the OP is at all handy with tools, they are easy to replace. And there are many YouTube videos for guidance.
In addition to preventing the main burner gas valve from coming on, another major point of the thermocouple is to sense when the pilot is out for some reason. (Wind, gas co. shutoff, etc.) So you don't get raw gas from the pilot spewing into the furnace, etc.
When the TC itself fails, it won't let the pilot stay lit after you release the override button. Classic symptoms of a TC failure.
If the OP is at all handy with tools, they are easy to replace. And there are many YouTube videos for guidance.
How would you know that the TC failed first and then the gas flow got shut off, rather than the pilot light failing for some other reason and then the TC responding properly? Couldn't either thing happen?
In addition to preventing the main burner gas valve from coming on, another major point of the thermocouple is to sense when the pilot is out for some reason. (Wind, gas co. shutoff, etc.) So you don't get raw gas from the pilot spewing into the furnace, etc.
When the TC itself fails, it won't let the pilot stay lit after you release the override button. Classic symptoms of a TC failure.
If the OP is at all handy with tools, they are easy to replace. And there are many YouTube videos for guidance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ncole1
How would you know that the TC failed first and then the gas flow got shut off, rather than the pilot light failing for some other reason and then the TC responding properly? Couldn't either thing happen?
If the pilot is out, but stays on after re-lighting, then pilot went out for some reason by itself (high wind, etc)
If pilot does not stay lit, then 99% of the time the TC has failed (or you got the procedure wrong ). (that's also why they are easy to replace, are inexpensive, and universal replacements are available at any hardware store )
In the 5 homes I've lived in over last 40 years, I have replaced TC's in all of them, some twice)
If the pilot is out, but stays on after re-lighting, then pilot went out for some reason by itself (high wind, etc)
If pilot does not stay lit, then 99% of the time the TC has failed (or you got the procedure wrong ). (that's also why they are easy to replace, are inexpensive, and universal replacements are available at any hardware store )
In the 5 homes I've lived in over last 40 years, I have replaced TC's in all of them, some twice)
As always, YMMV
Thanks for the detailed explanation. The only experience I had was my Dad's house - where the pilot light went out due to a rusted main tank and water leaking out. Of course the water heater was almost 25 years old and croaked.
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Huh ?
). (that's also why they are easy to replace, are inexpensive, and universal replacements are available at any hardware store 
)
