I've had this unit since I bought my house 12 years ago and would have been installed way before that. Once cooled, use a needle to clear anything that may block the flow of gas. There are numerous reasons why your pilot light trips off over and over. We will love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. The pilot light went out on my gas water heater. Dirt and debris can collect in the pilot tube, causing the flow of gas to be blocked. While most homeowners might consider this a last resort, you should understand that most people are not DIY-inclined. This usually happens when the tube is kinked at one or many points. This is otherwise known as jump-starting the thermocouple. Reason 1: Dirty Pilot Tube. A faulty electrical system is often detected by a breaker shutdown, which causes the involuntary shutdown of the water heater. Any advice? Turn on your hot water tap and wait for about 4 -5 minutes for the burner to ignite. Damaged Thermocouple Solutions: Dealing with a broken thermocouple is somewhat techy, and as such, you may require the expertise of a technician if you’re not one. I am not a professional, just documenting how i repaired the hot water heater's pilot light to stay on. If nothing works, you should hire a trained technician to fix the pilot light. A bent, dirty, or damaged thermocouple could be the reason your water heater pilot won’t stay lit. This issue often stems from the bad wiring of the internal devices. Obviously, if it doesn’t, your issue likely isn’t caused by the pilot tube. Before removing the thermocouple, ensure the gas is turned off, and the thermocouple is cool. That sounds more like a thermocouple. To start the process, turn off the gas and wait for the tube to cool. We’ll try to touch on all the possible reasons why your heater is in such a situation. Technician indicates the whole water heater needs to be changed. Another possible reason why a pilot won’t stay lit has to do with the flex tubing. Watch out for large objects as they might be the biggest culprits. When the pilot light goes out for any reason, the thermocouple closes the burner's gas supply valve to prevent gas escaping and filling your house. Clean the pilot tube: In this case, your pilot tube needs thorough cleaning to function properly. This is not a rare issue that most of the people can never understand. Don’t forget to wait for it to cool down first. To confirm your suspicions, remove the thermocouple and test it with a multimeter. If it is not, you can bend the thermocouple back into alignment with the pilot tube—but only after allowing everything to … The Pilot Light on My Water Heater is Lit but the Burner Does Not Light. If the voltage it supplies is below 20 MV, then it is damaged. Why a Water Heater Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit The primary reason a pilot light won't stay lit … When a pilot light won’t stay lit on your gas water heater, this is exactly what you can expect. Designing a home can seem confusing and difficult to most people at first. Your heater's pilot light allows the burner to cycle on and off while maintaining the water in the tank at a constant temperature. If you repeat the process five times, and the result is the same, then other problems might be the cause. Below are some reasons why your burner won’t stay lit. The flex tube is how the gas reaches the device, and if the continuous flow of gas is interrupted, the pilot light won’t stay lit. Well, unless you want to start the day without a shower, you battle the elements and embrace the bone-chilling cold. Flex Tube Issues. Check the flex tube: Check along the tube to straighten it, so there’s no obstruction to the flow of gas. Once the thermocouple detects that the pilot light isn’t lit, it turns the gas off as a safety measure. Because it's restricting the flow of gas to the pilot. You need to troubleshoot and check your water shower. This is another issue that occurs less frequently, so you must eliminate other possibilities before assuming the fault is from the main control. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are many things that could go wrong and cause your pilot light not to stay lit. If you need help with your water heater and aren’t sure what the issue is, please let us know what you need and one of our professionals will assist you. I have a Gas Wall Heater and the pilot won't stay lit. Even after trying to relight the pilot light, you still may experience it going off. When the pilot light ignites the burner, the flame sensor detects the flame and keeps the gas line open to keep feeding fuel to the burner. It’s a $7 part and take 10 minutes to change, a monkey could do it. I just had the same problem. Gas heaters, whether they warm up air or water in a home, rely on a pilot light to trigger the flame of the actual heater. This pilot light may not always stay lit, due to a variety of … Check the flex tube: Check along the tube to straighten it, so there’s no obstruction to the flow of gas. If you suspect this is the case, or you have noticed that your pilot light simply will not stay on for more than a few seconds, turn the pilot light on and see if it is actually aimed at the thermocouple. Also, dealing with gas and electricity is quite delicate, which is why you should be quite careful. If you’re not a technician yourself, then I can imagine that at that moment, nothing is more annoying than battling with a pilot light that won’t stay lit. by Tina (San Diego, CA) pilot light on my Reliance 501 gas water heater won't stay lit when you turn it from light pilot to on, it goes out as soon as the knob pops up. If the water heater pilot stays lit after several trials, then you need to contact a professional technician who will help solve the … The usual suspects, however, are the thermocouple, pilot tube, flex tube, and main control valve. Obstructed Thermocouple. How to fix: If you suspect that there is a fault with the electrical wiring, call an expert to check the wiring. The solution was adjusting the thermocouple. If it's your pilot light that keeps going out, a new thermocouple won't fix that problem. Hiring a technician might incur extra expenses, but it might also be keeping you safe, which should be a top priority. On the plus side, hiring a technician or a handyman ensures that you don’t damage anything else, which will also cost more to fix. If your pilot light malfunctions during this period, you can always go back to where you bought it and get it fixed. Your water heater pilot light works in concert with other parts. Here are 5 reasons why your pilot light won’t stay lit and how you can fix it. I followed the instructions and had it lit three times now for about 15 minutes each time but it wont stay lit. Email us at info@greatpros.comFor issues with a project please call 623-745-0777, Questions You Need to Ask a Contractor Before you Hire Them - Questions to Ask General Contractor, The No-Stress Guide on How to Hire a Contractor near you, How to Find a Good Contractor - Everything you Need to Look for. However, if you are facing such issues, there may be mainly two reasons for such. Why Water Heater Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit After Replacing Thermocouple? 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