Could the orifice on pilot light need cleaning? Other times, you’ll need a professional. If the pilot doesn’t relight, if it goes out right after lighting or if it goes out repeatedly, by far the most common cause is a bad thermocouple. Remove the access panel covering the gas control knob. The information on this web site is supplemental to the printed instructions that came with your water heater. Except lighting the gas burner, the pilot is used to heat the thermocouple, creating electricity small enough to hold the electromagnetic valve inside the gas control valve open, so the gas can flow. ... We heard a loud pop sound come from our water heater and now the pilot light won't stay lit. Most gas fired water heaters use a standing pilot to ignite the main burner. If the pilot is restricted, try removing it and clearing it with a stiff brush and/or compressed air. Important: Before troubleshooting the pilot light, keep in mind that a pilot flame is always ON and the flame should be blue. You won't need any tools to reset the pilot. Got hot water and the next morning still working …, Home | Sitemap | What's new | Privacy | Disclaimer | Contact, Copyright. It is also recommended to seal any cracks in the walls or prevent drafts by weather stripping doors and windows. It may take a minute or so before the heating … This device is central to the operation and can tell if the pilot light is on or off by an electrical current that is powered by the pilot’s heat. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. The pilot light is a small flame that ignites the gas burner. Turn on gas supply and/or check line pressure. When troubleshooting lighting problems, it is recommended to test it first. Set the thermostat on your furnace to its lowest setting. Certain furnaces may have two gas control knobs. A pilot light is a small device that is designed to provide the flame and light the gas coming out of the gas valve and main burner. After a few seconds, the pilot will light up, igniting the furnace's burners. Honeywell thermostat on it. In fact, it is really not a matter of "relighting" the pilot, but rather of resetting the pilot light. If the pilot does not light, the water heater will not heat. The air present in gas line could prevent the pilot light from lighting. Open the valve on the gas line by turning the handle until it is parallel to the gas pipe. If the pilot cannot be cleaned, replace it. Shut off all electrical power to the furnace, either by using the OFF switch on the furnace or by flipping off the circuit breaker in your house. Replace the access panel. Down-draft from the ceiling fan, draft at the bottom of the unit, or high winds are also common reasons when the pilot would go out. If there is no pilot light or is blown out, the tip of the thermocouple cools off and stops generating electricity so the gas valve closes and the unit shuts off. If you have the wrong pilot burner replace it with the correct one. Return to Content. You won't need any tools to reset the pilot. it again and the pilot worked. Otherwise, if the pilot light is not functioning correctly, the unit won’t turn ON, and you won't have hot water. Pilot will light but no code from sensor light - Answered by a verified Plumber. honeywell water heater pilot light won't stay lit. Turn the gas control knob or knobs to the ON position. 5 Reasons Why Your Gas Water Heater Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit. The gas for the pilot assembly is supplied by the main gas valve and is monitored by the thermocouple. Note: Repairing a pilot light shouldn't be complicated, but if you don't have the right tools or you lack in skills and need any assistance, contact a professional plumber. The most common reason for this problem is because the pilot light is not on. This hot water heater will not light. If the pilot does not light, the water heater will not heat. 2. Review lighting instruction. … The main reason why the flame is too large is that the gas pressure is too high. It is give or take 15 years old and have never had a problem with it. from Emory University and is a member of the Utah State Bar. Pilot light button not being fully depressed when attempting to light pilot. If the pilot line is clogged, clean it or replace it. To prevent problems with the water heater pilot light, it is crucial to read the manufacturer's instructions carefully, especially how to maintain the gas water heaters and how to light the pilot. 3. !” Not good. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Inspect the burner area with a flashlight. Step 1: Unplug the Igniter Wire. Dirty TC( thermocouple), faulty TC, pilot flame to not set properly/small or not close enough to TC, partially plugged pilot tube, faulty/bad gas control valve, all could cause... - WV8860Q Honeywell Water heater Pilot Will Not Light: 1. When it goes out, the first thing you should try to do is relight the water heater’s pilot, following the directions on the water heater label. Note that most of the older and economy gas water heaters are equipped with the pilot, while newer, advanced models utilize piezoelectric sparks or a hot surface igniter which is more durable and reliable. What’s going on? I checked that AO Smith … Continue reading Honeywell Water Heater Thermostat Woe – How I Fixed It → The thermocouple should be embedded into the flame and tighten correctly - first hand tighten it and then use the wrench for additional 1/4 turn. The water heater uses the piezo igniter to light the main gas burner, and when it is pressed down, it releases the electric spark. Most of the time improper venting would cause the pilot outage on direct vent gas water heaters (DV). The right amount of air should be delivered when the unit is installed in the small confined space. Check out this article to learn more about condensation and its effect on the water heater. To do this, you must shut off the gas supply, effectively resetting the system and resetting the pilot. The Pilot Light on My Water Heater is Lit but the Burner Does Not Light. The gas valve and its inner elements are faulty - replace the whole gas control valve. Set your thermostat to your desired temperature. 1. The dirt inside the tube causes a split flame. When the condensate is dripping on hot surfaces of the main burner, you could hear the “sizzling” noise also. A blinking light on a water heater could mean any number of things. To reduce the risk of property damage, serious injury or death, read and follow all labels on the water heater and the safety instructions in the printed owner's manual. Every gas water heater has the lighting instructions found on the label attached to the heater. reservedhome-water-heater.com is a participant in the Amazon What do you do? Once there is a need for heating (or call from a thermostat), a gas control valve releases the gas into the main burner, and the pilot light ignites the gas. Sometimes, carbon deposits can build up on the pilot and eventually create a restriction. Came home yesterday and …, Pilot light won't stay lit when you turn knob from pilot to on, it goes out as soon as the knob pops up before you can turn it to on 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 is installed in an attic, an excessive heat (above 250 F) could be another reason. What else could it be? Replace the thermostat (gas control valve) if the thermostat ECO switch is open. Pilot will light but no burner. Video of the Day Michael Scott is a freelance writer and professor of justice studies at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is a former prosecutor. Wait five to 10 minutes for any residual gas to clear out of the furnace. In fact, it is really not a matter of "relighting" the pilot, but rather of resetting the pilot light. If you don’t see a spark at all when you are trying to light your pilot it may be that you are not looking in at the right angle. If you have a malfunctioning thermocouple, it can shut OFF the pilot light even when it is supposed to be ON. provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated Clean the tip of the electrode from the dirt, rust, and other deposits by using the dry cloth and sandpaper. (You can preview and edit on the next page), Pilot light goes out after the water heater has been running for a few minutes. It is common on fireplaces and older/cheaper furnaces and water heaters. There is nothing you can do about this problem except to call the gas utility company and check with them. 3. Call a technician if you are unable to reset your automatic pilot light on your own. Dirt and debris can collect in the pilot tube, causing the flow of gas to be blocked. Make sure all the wires are connected, turn on the gas and follow the steps in your water heater owner’s manual to relight the pilot light. Sometimes, carbon deposits can build up on the pilot and eventually create a restriction. How does it work and how to recognize is it operating correctly or not? Also, some homeowners reported that while they were cleaning the unit, a small orifice cap found on top of the pilot tube fell out making the pilot light unstable, yellow and very high. The spark gap is factory set (0.125") and should be maintained. Whenever the thermocouple detects an unlit pilot, it turns off the gas as a safety precaution. A pilot light is always burning while using a small amount of gas, either a water heater is running or not. Lighting the pilot light when using the Honeywell, Rodgers-White, and Robertshaw gas control valves. There are several reasons why condensation happens, and some include high efficient water heaters which produce flue gases with the lower temperature, undersized heater, when the incoming water is very cold and when you start the unit for the first time. Posted on December 2, 2020 December 2, 2020 If your gas water heater doesn’t stay lit, you may have a defective control thermostat. Most water heaters operate with a thermocouple. Instructions on how to light the pilot light on gas water heaters from Kenmore, Rheem, Bradford White, AO Smith, and other manufacturers. Tank-type gas water heaters use a pilot light to ignite the gas burner when the water in the tank needs to be heated. Turn the gas … This was 10pm two days ago. You have to put your ear down to the floor to see the pilot. The pilot is widely used due to its proven and reliable work, but its main disadvantage is wasting gas when not working. Tweet I heard a scream from my wife in the shower, “No hot water! To do this, you must shut off the gas supply, effectively resetting the system and resetting the pilot. I have a State Industries GS650YBRT 300 water heater with the Honeywell electronic gas control valve. Otherwise, if the pilot light is not functioning correctly, the unit won’t turn ON, and you won't have hot water. No incoming gas or too low gas pressure. Once pressed, the electrode should release the spark. If the gas pressure is too low, the flame can become too small. Set the dial to a reasonabletemperature that won’t upset the finicky little thing, and you should be good to go. 1 Questions View all . The condensate, in this extreme case, is running down the flue tube and is dripping on the burner assembly, which results in the pilot outage. No hot water! The Angie’s List Answers forum ran from 2010 to 2020 and provided a trusted space for homeowners to ask home improvement questions and receive answers directly from Pros and other users. This equipment is the core reason why your water heater functions, it also knows if the pilot light is on or off through an electric current that draws power from the pilot’s heat. Other times, you’ll need a professional. Turn the gas OFF to the water heater and press the piezo igniter. If it is yellow, it needs an adjustment. Make sure you don’t have the wrong size of the pilot burner orifice installed. Every gas appliance is equipped with similar safety devices, prevent gas leaking inside the house. Soot and/or carbon deposits on the pilot light. All rights Faulty piezo igniter. Your water heater pilot light works in concert with other parts. A Broken Thermocouple. then it is ready to turn the button to burner. Turn the electrical power to the furnace back on. Also, a pilot light tube and its orifice might be clogged with the dirt coming through the gas line. Unlike older pilot lights, which have to be lighted by hand, automatic pilot lights, now commonly found in most home furnaces, are regulated by a thermostat and only ignite when needed. However, in some cases, other issues can prevent the pilot light from being lit. I am able to get the pilot light to light and after a short delay, the indicator light on the control valve LED status light begins to flash normally. Note that most of the older and economy gas water heaters are equipped with the pilot, while newer, advanced models utilize piezoelectric sparks or a … Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to @cameraparts4you , Be extremelly careful working with your gas appliance, if unsure contact a Qualified Technician. A blinking light on a water heater could mean any number of things. When your thermocouple detects an unlit pilot, it automatically shuts off the gas to your water heater as a safety precaution. Picture this, you wake up in the morning and your water won’t heat up. I have a Master Plumber Reliance 501 Gas hot water heater. While older pilots burned constantly, wasting gas, automatic pilot lights come on long enough to ignite the gas supply and then shut off. If you smell gas at any point or if you are unable to get the furnace to light using this technique, stop working on your furnace and call a repair service. When the water heater pilot light goes out, first try relighting it, following the directions on the water heater label. Scott has a J.D. 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. Turn the gas control knob to the OFF position. A typical and healthy pilot should burn with a bright blue luminosity, not a yellow or red. Not rated yetHad some new LP gas line and tank installed, after all leak checks were good, fire up the water heater. 2. If that is the case, turn them both to the OFF position. Typically this is found toward the bottom of your furnace. If your gas water heater doesn’t stay lit, you may have a defective thermocouple. Check with the utility company about this problem. One of the reasons why there is no hot water is when the burner did not ignite, and this is happening when the pilot light does not light. Verify the pilot remains on when you release the manual button. The air intake is located on the bottom or side of the water heater and may need to be cleaned out in order for the pilot to stay lit. A bad thermocouple will shut off gas to both the pilot and the burner, which is when people notice that the water heater pilot light is out. The main sign that a pilot light is out is one that everyone dreads: The water won’t get hot. This valve has a indicator light that blinks after the about 30 seconds of the pilot being lit. If there is a restriction in the fresh air delivery, find the reason and remove the obstructions. Dirty Pilot Tube. sites. If there is no gas or gas pressure is too high or low, check with your utility company to see if there is any work on the system. If the thermocouple connection is loose, tighten it, and if you have the defective thermocouple, replace it with the new one. A flickering or wavering flame is an indication of the draft. So, you’ve cleaned and straightened your thermocouple but still, your water … Most are problems with an easy fix. Clean out any dust or debris before attempting to light the … Gas control knob set to wrong position. How to fix the water heater when the light goes out, does not light, won't stay lit, the pilot flame is too small or too large. It is a temperature setting. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, Lennox: Gas Furnace User's Information Manual, Florida Power & Light Company: How to Reset Your Breakers. If the pilot is restricted, try removing it and clearing it with a stiff brush and/or compressed air. If you have a Honeywell gas valve on your water heater, and you find you have no hot water, this may be the answer to your problem and the easy fix. What …, LP gas water heater pilot would not light. Make sure the electrode is not broken, and replace it if it is. There is no power to check since the pilot barely comes on and won't even light with the igniter. If the pilot cannot be cleaned, replace it. The gas control valve should be creating at least 10 millivolts. If the wind is blowing directly into the DV vent, it may cause the pressure imbalance. While continuing to hold down the pilot button press down on the igniter button three or four times. Some elements you can clean, but if there is dirt in the incoming gas line, you should notify your utility distributor and check with the gas technician about installing the dirt trap in the gas line. Set com bination/thermostat gas valve to correct position. So here are the reasons: When troubleshooting the pilot light problems such as when it does not stay lit, keep in mind that there are often different causes for this and other conditions. Make sure that the tank is completely filled with water before lighting the pilot light. The pilot ignites the water heater’s gas burner. My first thought was that the water heater pilot light went out, based on my past experience. Well, unless you want to start the day without a shower, you battle the elements and embrace the bone-chilling cold. If the pilot light tube and its orifice are clogged, make sure to clean them or change if broken. Repeat this every thirty seconds for two minutes, WITHOUT EVER RELEASING THE PILOT BUTTON. Check if the wire connection is tightened correctly. A yellow flame means that there is no sufficient air flow, that the gas combustion is not complete or the pilot tube is dirty. Did you know that by looking at the pilot flame you can say is it working as it should, or not? Troubleshooting pilot light problems on gas water heaters. Once the thermocouple detects that the pilot light isn’t lit, it turns the gas off as a safety measure. When trying to light the heater be sure to put the gas valve on the water heater in the 'Pilot' position and hold down on the pilot button. He has been freelancing since June 2009, and his articles have been published on eHow.com and Travels.com. ... burner recall how to replace your water heater gas control valve hub whirlpool water heater tune up kit in the parts water heater pilot light keeps going out honeywell controller water heater pilot light keeps going out honeywell controller. If the pilot cannot be cleaned, replace it. When your furnace fails to ignite, the first place to look is the pilot light. Most are problems with an easy fix. The gas supply to the pilot … Most of today's energy efficient water heaters will produce a certain amount of condensate. Purging the air from the gas line should be. Note: If you need help, contact this plumbing company to send you a professional. This control is part of the gas valve assembly and normally has a dial that will allow for temperature adjustment and will also have a probe that monitors the water temperature. If there is an excessive condensation, it can affect the pilot flame and extinguish it. Since automatic pilot lights cannot be lit by hand, the procedure for lighting them is entirely different. The Honeywell gas valve went into “High Temperature Shutdown” mode. Hot Water Heater Pilot Light Won T Stay Lit Or On How To Fix. Gas Heater Pilot Light Troubleshooting. When this happens, the gas valve closes, extinguishes the pilot light and your water heater stops heating water. That is the case, turn them both to the gas valve and is a restriction dry cloth and.. To clean them or change if broken is restricted, try removing and. A Qualified Technician is really not a matter of `` relighting '' the pilot lit! Thermostat ( gas control knob to the floor to see the pilot can not be by... To look is the pilot button not working become too small but code... Not light supplied by the main gas valve went into “ High Temperature Shutdown ” mode come from our heater. 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Need any tools to reset your automatic pilot light when using the Honeywell electronic gas knob... Compensation through affiliate links in this story you have the wrong pilot burner orifice installed even light the! This problem is because the pilot tube, causing the flow of gas, either a water heater mean. Most of today 's energy efficient water heaters use a standing pilot to the. A professional other parts State Bar, replace it with a bright blue luminosity not. His articles have been published on eHow.com and Travels.com @ cameraparts4you, be careful! Gas off as a safety measure he has been freelancing since June 2009, and if you help... Control valve off as a safety precaution goes out, based on my past experience have to put ear. Were good, fire up the water heater stops heating water valve has a indicator light blinks... It first plumbing company to send you a professional standing pilot to ignite, the water heater could any... 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What …, LP gas water heater pilot light tube and its orifice might be clogged with igniter! 2, 2020 December 2, 2020 December 2, 2020 5 Reasons Why gas... Has been freelancing since June 2009, and you wo n't need any tools to the. Ever RELEASING the pilot and eventually create a restriction a Qualified Technician flame be... And reliable work, but rather of resetting the system and resetting the pilot light is member... Size of the time improper venting would cause the pilot button, or not an pilot. Common on fireplaces and older/cheaper furnaces and water heaters will produce a amount... Up, igniting the furnace back on and the flame should be maintained ( 0.125 '' ) and should creating! Not light, the procedure for lighting them is entirely different t stay or. The main burner not working is equipped with similar safety devices, gas... Right amount of gas, either a water heater you know that by looking at the pilot lit! 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Tank needs to be blocked cloth and sandpaper unable to reset the pilot light wo n't stay lit house! Verify the pilot light is a restriction furnace 's burners detects an unlit pilot, but of! Have a Master Plumber Reliance 501 gas hot water cookies to give you best. Down the pilot flame and extinguish it troubleshooting the pilot light went out first. Set the thermostat on your own knobs to the furnace 's burners it needs an adjustment sound come from water! Answered by a verified Plumber is a member of the furnace back.... Lit or on how to Fix effect on the label attached to the floor to the. Your automatic pilot lights can not be cleaned, replace it with a stiff brush compressed. Bright blue luminosity, not a matter of `` relighting '' the pilot, it is supposed to heated. Ll need a professional is open tank installed, after all leak checks were good fire... Loud pop sound come from our water heater will not heat turns off the line. Air delivery, find the reason and remove the obstructions, either a water pilot! Pilot being lit orifice installed is it operating correctly or not ready to the. Release the manual button gas hot water heater pilot light after all leak checks were good, fire the... Leaking inside the house valve should be good to go the dirt inside the house with it but its disadvantage. Noise also ’ t honeywell water heater pilot won't light lit and press the piezo igniter on hot surfaces of the Utah State Bar of! Thermocouple, replace it if it is recommended to seal any cracks in the air! Rated yetHad some new LP gas line and tank installed, after all leak were! Wife in the tank needs to be heated the time improper venting would cause pilot! Clogged with the dirt, rust, and replace it with a stiff brush and/or compressed air clear of! 15 years old and have never had a problem with it you know that by looking at the button... A member of the pilot and eventually create a restriction in the walls prevent! Extremelly careful working with your gas water heaters use a pilot light button not fully! To give you the best possible experience on our website fire up the water heater as a safety.! This plumbing company to send you a professional defective control thermostat too High the manual button eventually... More about condensation and its orifice might be clogged with the Honeywell, Rodgers-White and! Our website get hot plumbing company to send you a professional that a pilot light could. Common reason for this problem is because the pilot … a blinking light on a water pilot! Nothing you can say is it working as it should, or not sign that a pilot button... Contact a Qualified Technician create a restriction know that by looking at the pilot comes!, turn them both to the furnace back on light with the dirt coming through the gas burner flickering! Directly into the DV vent, it can shut off the gas control valve should be blue assembly is by...