Gas Water Heater pilot light does not stay lit. Gas is On. Any Ideas Why?

Question

I have tried to light it about 12 times tonight. As long as I hold down the pilot button everythings good. But when I release the pilot to turn to the "on" position the flame goes out. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

there are a few possible causes but this is usually caused by a problem with the safety thermocouple

there is usually a thermocouple that is designed to be in the pilot light flame (it normally looks like a small metal cylinder with wires leading away from it)

if the thermocouple isn't hot enough, that indicates that the pilot light has been blown out or something, and it is no longer safe to keep feeding gas to the pilot light (it isn't burning so the gas could fill up a room and cause an explosion)

there are several reasons why the thermocouple might not be registering the temperature

1. the pilot light gas nozzle is partially plugged and so the flame is not as big or as hot as it should be and isn't heating the thermocouple (sometimes you can clean the nozzle with a pipe cleaner or one of these cans of pressurized air)

2. the thermocouple has moved (been bumped or broken) and is no longer in the right place to be heated by the flame

3. the thermocouple wire is broken or unattached at the other end

If it isn't the thermocouple, then it may be the gas valve itself which is usually not repairable and kind of expensive to replace

it could, of course, also be something else

good luck

Answer 2

Water Heater Pilot Light

Answer 3

The thermocouple is bad or not positioned properly. Its about an inch long probe looking device made of brass and protrudes into the pilot flame.Has a small tube or brass wire leading back to the control unit. It detects a flame from the pilot and keeps the gas on. When no heat is detected by the thermocouple it shuts off the gas to the pilot light so you don't die of gas poison or blow up the place. It is a safety device.
They do go bad and you will not be able to light the pilot without it. Be sure though that the probe is protruding into the flame when the pilot is lit. Keep the pilot button down for about a minute to heat the probe.
Most thermocouples are universal. I have seen them at wal-mart.
Good luck

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Gas Water Heater pilot light does not stay lit. Gas is On. Any Ideas Why?
I have tried to light it about 12 times tonight. As long as I hold down the pilot button everythings good. But when I release the pilot to turn to the "on" position the flame goes out. Any suggestions?

Answer 5

Premier Plus Water Heater

Answer 6

You have several possibilities. One--your glow plug to keep the flame lit is burned out or missing (that's the most likely), Two--you have a draft that blows the flame out (not likely but it happens) Three--you have a spewy water leak somewhere that is wetting the gas nuzzle (not likely but possible) Five--you have an irregular gas pressure delivery and the pressure sometimes is low enough that the flame goes out. Six-- you have a mischievous ghost in your equipment room.

In any case, you have a very dangerous situation and need to get it corrected at once--IMMEDIATELY--and DO NOT ACCEPT REPAIRS BY YOUR PENNY-PINCHING LAWLORD. REFUSE TO PAY YOUR RENT AND HIRE A LAWYER IF HE/SHE TRIED TO FIX IT INSTEAD OF CALLING A PROFESSIONAL.

AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, sleep with a window open ALL THE WAY. (AND DON'T SMOKE IN YOUR APARTMENT OR USE CANDLES.) OH, AND BEWARE OF THE PILOT LIGHT ON YOUR STOVE--IF IT IS GAS. THAT CAN IGNITE YOUR GAS LIGHT ESCAPE AS WELL. LEAVE A WINDOW OPEN NEAR IT AS WELL SO YOU DONT HAVE ANY GAS BUILDUP.

And be warned that gas can collect in the walls or a closet AND that the gas company sometimes (rarely) fails to put the "smell" in your natural gas and you could have a room full of the stuff and not know it--just like my brother-in-law who lit a cig in such a situation and he and the house ended up spread over two city blocks in a small rural town. FACT!!

It's your life, dude!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Bad or loose thermocouple
Bad gas valve
Poor pilot flame - low gas pressure or blocked orifice
High winds or downdraft
Badly cracked heat exchanger
Improper venting

Good idea to call a plumber. This could be a dangerous problem

Answer 8

One possibility is that the pilot flame isn't lined up properly to heat the thermocouple. The thermocouple is that wire near the pilot that runs to the gas valve and unless that fat end of it gets heated to a specific temperature, the gas valve won't open to allow the pilot to stay on.
At least, that is what mine did.
Another possiblity is the thermocouple might be bad. They do go bad but the good news is they are very inexpensive and easy to replace.

Answer 9

you may have to get a new thermocouple. when the pilot comes on it is in direct contact with a medal probe from there it sends a milli volts to a controler. so change the thermocouple an see what happens. if u do an still not staying on i would then check your gas pressure coming out of your gas valve

Answer 10

The temperature sensor is probably faulty, it indicates the heat generated by the pilot. If it thinks the pilot isn't lit it turns the gas off.

Call the gas company they will usually fix it free if it's something simple.