Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Legate on November 29, 2006, 04:08:30 AM
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Two nights ago the pilot light on my hot water tank went out. The next morning I tried relighting as per the directions but nothing seems to happen. Even though I can hear gas being released when I press and hold the button down, even inserting a BBQ lighter to the pilot valve won't ignite it. The gas lines seem to be alright because my gas furnace is fine.
I thought it might be a bad thermocouple ($8.00 to fix on your own or $100.00 for someone else) but seeing as how I can actually hear gas being released when the button is compressed I don't see how that could be the case. The problem isn't getting the pilot to stay lit, the problem is lighting it at all.
Any ideas?
Bad time to have to buy a new hot water tank with christmas right around the corner.
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If it won't light with a lighter there's no gas coming out. Or if there is, it's too small an amount that will get dispersed too quickly.
Gas operation is pretty straight cut - if it's there it will light or go bang on you. :D
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Well, I made sure there wasn't enough buildup of gas to cause a problem when I tried the BBQ lighter. With one attempt the gas ignited that had collected at the base, but it didn't catch on the pilot. So, there has to be gas coming out, but I can't smell it so there might not be a lot...
I've also noticed a small leak just above the pilot and I think this is what originally put it out.
I really hope I don't need a new tank.
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try cleaning the pilot hole with one of those fuzzy pipe cleaners-- I have propane in my house...have to do that twice a year
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Try hiring an expert to take a look at it before you burn down your house.
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Crank up the gas to the max and leave it like that for ohhh maybe an hour... go to local bar and have a few beers, seek advice.
Go home and try to relight it again... it should work now.
Mac.
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Originally posted by eagl
Try hiring an expert to take a look at it before you burn down your house.
Now what you have to go and tell him that for.
I wa going to tell him to first take macs advise but before lighting the pilot to set up a webcam and make sure he has a good connect and is broadcasting so we can watch and help diagnose the problem.
:D
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i had a similar problem many years ago with a furnace. turned out to be a bad mercury switch on the thermostat.
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dorothy's lands in oz, details at eleven. what eagl said.
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Amen...don't mess around with gas.
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I agree with Dred.... this must be a webcam moment!!!
Dude you'll make History!!!
<<>> I'm not worthy!!!!!
:aok
Mac
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Thermocoupling............... ...................
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I'm leaning toward the thermocouple or.... user. Easy things first, when the flame caught, how long did you hold the button before letting go?
If I read you right above and the flame couldn't get to the pilot, then it's not the thermocouple because you're bypassing it by pressing the button. I think that would indicate a gas flow problem.
Sanity check: Is the gas still on in the house? I had a similar situation (even to the point of hearing gas and getting a little flicker) when a series of unfortunate events ended with the gas being shut off in our apartment many years ago.
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Originally posted by Legate
I've also noticed a small leak just above the pilot and I think this is what originally put it out.
I really hope I don't need a new tank.
A water leak? If your tank has a water leak it's time to replace it, especially if it's over 7-10 years old. The anode rod has probably rotted away and now the tank is rotting.
I just replaced mine last week. Wife went to take a shower and there was no hot water. Went to the basement and there was water everywhere. I have gas also, went to sears and got a 30 gal power miser 9 for about $340.00. I stayed with the 30 gal because combined with gas the small tank makes for quick recovery, we very rarely run out of hot water.
I used to work with a friend of mine, we replaced dozens of them so I knew what I was doing, even brought the old gas line up to code.
Natural gas can be intimidating, but it is low pressure and if the job is done right you will have no problems. You can check for leaks of current(and new)connections with soap & water(it will bubble).
It also saves you money, I cook and heat my hot water with gas and my bill is under $25 a month. If I was doing both with electricity it would cost me at least four times that. My brother has his hot water connected to his boiler(oil) and he has gone through a tank of oil the past month.
So if you replace it and are thinking of going electric, my advice would be to stick with gas. Good luck.
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If there is a thermocupple, (a small cylindrical thingy attached to some wires, you have to get that hot before it will let the gas come out when your not holding the gas button. Try to hold the button, light the gas and keep holding the button for a bit until the thermocupple gets hot. The puropose of the thermocupple is to ensure there is fire enough to burn whatever gas comes out. it will shut down the gas in the absence of flame. If you hear gas coming out and you try to light it and it blows out the match, then i dunno what that could be. Weak gas or weak match iguess.
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Originally posted by eagl
Try hiring an expert to take a look at it before you burn down your house.
Winner.
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Around here the gas company will make a free house call to solve these kinds of problems. Give that a try.
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sounds like bad gas valve. should cost about $50.
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If you have to buy a new water heater, consider getting one of those new-fangled ones that just heats the water as you need it. I think they are more expensive up front, but cost less in the long run, b/c you are only using the energy to heat the water, not keep it warm when you don't need it.
My mom had one installed after her 5 yr old water heater (w/ tank) corroded through and flooded her house.
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Someone didn't shut off the 1/4 turn valve before the control did they? The handle should be in line with the pipe not across it The thermocouple will not affect lighting the pilot other than the pilot will not stay lit without holding the button down, but it will light holding the button bad thermocouple or not.
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Pilot orfice might need cleaned, way to check it is take pilot line off where it hooks to the control then push the red button down and if you hear gas then the control is working correctly and you need to clean the pilot line and orfice.
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What Eagl said and what Sixpence said. If you have a water leak it's already screwed.
Charon
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How old is the water heater? If it's more than 5 to 8 years old figure on replacing it. You'll be money ahead in the long run.
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Agree, if it had a leak, replace it. Not worth the money or hassle.
A bad thermocouple will still allow gas to flow when the pilot/on/off switch is in the pilot position and pressed.
And no it doesnt have any wires on it. It is a small copper tube with a fitting made of aluminum or similar on one end and the "sensor" on the other. If you want to start here be sure to check the threads on the old ones. Some go in clockwise, others counterclockwise.
But im thinking this isnt the case anyway. It SHOULD light anyway, but just go out after you release the pilot button. Not the case with your heater.
Depending on the age of the unit, it may have a "flame roll-out" switch. This is a heat sensitive "breaker" type switch mounted USUALLY near the pilot access door. It has two wires leading to it. One on each side. If this thing goes, your heater wont fire at all...not even the pilot (again gas will still flow when the pilot button is pressed.)
Gas valves themselves go extremely rarely. Again the pilot would at least light. In addition, more often than not gas valves will just leak but still
function.
Anyway, like somone else mention if the unit is older than 8 years and has leaked, just get a new one.
BTW change your anode rode every two years, or year and a half with a water softener. Just need some pipe dope (NOT TEFLON TAPE) and usualy an 1" 1/16" socket and ratchet. Shut the supply to the tank off, drain a couple gallons out of the drain at the bottom (NOT THE T&P DROP) and spin the old one out, install the new. Done.
you DO have the gas valve knob (where you set the temperature not the knob on the top) set to "pilot" when you are trying to light the thing right?
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Originally posted by Sixpence
I cook and heat my hot water with gas and my bill is under $25 a month.
lol, they must have heard me, just got a $30 bill:lol