Lazy Pilot light creating carbon

[Scamp_Cliff]

Hello! New here to the RV Net Forum, looking for some help.

I have a water heater pilot issue Atwood 91043.

I have replaced the Thrmocoupler and I now have a large lazy pilot light that creates carbon in the tube and on the coupler.

My 91043 is a manual light and I do not see a pilot adjustment screw, in fact the bottom left corner of this valve reads NO Pilot adj.

Should I try a new coupler, or just replace the 91043 with the 91602?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Cliff

[Scamp_Cliff]

Old-Biscuit I posted today under "Shore Power Charging Issue"

Confirmed the issue again coming home yesterday. Our New WF-8935 doesn't charge unless I pull the over load fuse and simply put it back in its place. No blown fuses, or anything, just a simple unplug and replug move with the fuse.

Wondering if it is wired wrong from the installers, maybe they bypassed the shunt?

Cliff

[C_Schomer]

I used to carry a piece of 1/4" plastic tubing in my tool pouch. Most of the time I could just blow down the pilot tube and the flame would clean right up. An LP pilot orifice is usually .013" or smaller and sometimes it required removing to clean it, if obstructed from the upstream side. Craig

[Old-Biscuit]

Scamp Cliff wrote:
Man, we are one for one for fixes! You all some great people.

I'll search through some electrical posts and see if i can find my fix before I post.

Thanks for everything!

Cleaning the pilot tube orifice fixed my lazy flame. Must of been something from the factory or packaging as it was that way from the get go.

Cliff

Go for 2 for 2....
What's the electrical issue?????

[Scamp_Cliff]

Man, we are one for one for fixes! You all some great people.

I'll search through some electrical posts and see if i can find my fix before I post.

Thanks for everything!

Cleaning the pilot tube orifice fixed my lazy flame. Must of been something from the factory or packaging as it was that way from the get go.

Cliff

[Fisherman]

Had the same problem a couple years ago, there was a tiny spider in the pilot tube where the flame comes out, Of course it got cremated but the dead body still made the pilot weak and sooty. All you need is a pipe cleaner to clean it out.

[Scamp_Cliff]

Thank you all for the quick responses! Old-Biscuit, thanks for the manual!

I'll clean the orifice tonight and update.

Then, we shall see about my next concern.

One thing at a time.

Thanks!

Cliff

[wa8yxm]

Ok Pilot light size should not affect the air/fuel mix
But the first reply suggested cleaning the pilot orifice
Yup that may well be the issue

Now Since I can not SEE the pilot I do not know if there is an air/fuel adjustment (the No pilot adjustment refers to the fuel metering jet not the air/fuel mix) a carbon flame needs more air.

But most pilots I've seen that too is NOT adjustable as I recall.

[Old-Biscuit]

Atwood Pilot Water Heater Models
Note: The size of the gas line does not have any affect on the size of the pilot flame. Only the gas pressure and pilot orifice regulate the height of the pilot flame.

Pilot Adjustment
Only the gas pressure, gas valve and the pilot orifice regulate the height of the pilot flame.

See Pg 7 for sequence of operation (Pilot Flame etc)

Atwood Service Manual...various models

[opnspaces]

Two things to check right off the bat.

Clean out the orifice. Remove the burner tube and then unscrew the orifice. Make sure the orifice is clear and maybe blow some air through it. Do not stick a piece of wire in the orifice or you could damage it.

Second while you have the burner off push a rag through the entire burner tube in the tank. Just start at one end and pull the rag out the other end. While this won't help your pilot light it will definitely help if there are any unseen spider webs in the tube.