Aaargh! I can't get the pilot light on my water heater to stay on.

[flavio]

I'm following the directions on the side. I turn it to "pilot" push down this button which lets some gas out and light it. It says to hold the button for a minute so I do. Then as soon as I let go it goes right out again.

I had to take a freezing cold shower today. What the hell could be wrong with it?

 

[MacBaine]

Turn it on full for about 20 minutes or so and close the door. Then throw a match in there.

But seriously... sometimes it just takes a long time to catch. Is there gas coming out after the flame goes out? If not, then you need to make sure it is turned on all the way. If there is, then just try again, and hold the pilot down longer... it may just need to heat up a bit more.

 

[Sluggo]

You arent holding the deal long enough to heat up the thermocouple that tells it there is a real flame there. Possibly broken, possibly just need to hold the deal down longer and heat up the thermocouple some more.

1 minute should do it, but some models take longer.

I always had good luck "preheating" the thermocouple with a lighter before pushing the thing down.

The thermocouple looks like a small metal tube, the pilot flame burns against this and it acts as a heat sensor to make sure there is a viable flame for the burner to ignite off of. You can imagine if the gas kept flowing but no pilot light to burn it off, when the burner starts pumping a bunch of gas.... Water heater go BOOM

 

[boyRacer]

my fingers went numb from holding that stupid knob... i swear... i was holding that thing for almost 30 minutes before it stayed on by itself. :|

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: BoYRaCeR
my fingers went numb from holding that stupid knob... i swear... i was holding that thing for almost 30 minutes before it stayed on by itself. :|

I had the same problem last fall, and I had to hold that stupid button down for about 4-5 min before the thing would stay lit.

 

[MacBaine]

Originally posted by: BoYRaCeR
my fingers went numb from holding that stupid knob... i swear... i was holding that thing for almost 30 minutes before it stayed on by itself. :|

\

lol.... I could make so many dirty jokes from that...

 

[Thegonagle]

Do you know why the pilot light went out in the first place?

The thermocouple (also sometimes known as a thermopile) can go bad, but it is usually replaceable.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: MacBaine

Originally posted by: BoYRaCeR
my fingers went numb from holding that stupid knob... i swear... i was holding that thing for almost 30 minutes before it stayed on by itself. :|

\

lol.... I could make so many dirty jokes from that...

Hey hey hey now...

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: Garfang
Do you know why the pilot light went out in the first place?

The thermocouple (also sometimes known as a thermopile) can go bad, but it is usually replaceable.

Another weird thing that happens is that in some older houses, the wind can blow the pilot light out if the vent is screwy.

 

[PsychoAndy]

sluggo's on the right track. i've been in your boat before and it can be a REAL PITA to get the thing to stay on, but realize that its there for your safety.

try getting matches with an extension arm or so and heating it up.

-PAB

 

[flavio]

I just tried again about 4 more times. I have one of those lighters that's about 12 inches long and I tried heating it uo until it looked like it was turning red then tried keeping the pilot on about 5 minutes before I left go of the button each time. It still just goes right back out.

Maybe this thermocouple is bad. It's making me nuts though.