Water Heater - Pilot Will Not Stay On

[upmm019]

I have a 6 gallon atwood water heater ( model G6A-7 ) and the pilot light will not say lit. If I hold the control valve in the pilot position it does light but after 30 second to a minute or more it will not stay lit.

So I replaced the pilot assembly with this from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QN2TIIhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QN2TII

However, it does the same thing.. pilot will light but will not stay lit.

[Old-Biscuit]

upmm019 wrote:
I was able to fire it and it seemed to work just fine... pilot held, etc.

Good deal!

Tilting gas valve is OK..whatever it takes to 'align' burner tube so gas flows 'straight' down the center of tube.
That allows for the air to be pulled in and mixed with the gas for correct air/fuel ratio

When burner tubes are not aligned the gas bounces off side walls of tube, air doesn't get mixed and flame sputters

Air/fuel ratio is critical.....

[upmm019]

I was able to fire it and it seemed to work just fine... pilot held, etc.

[upmm019]

I installed the new control valve but it has to be tilted a bit for the gas tube to attach ... I hope that is not an issue.

[Cobra21]

My flame was too small, I had cleaned the tube and replaced the thermocouple, but a breeze would repeatedly blow the flame out. Been good for this season now.
Thanks for the advice though, much appreciated.
Brian

[Old-Biscuit]

Cobra21 wrote:
Check the piolet in the dark and make sure it's large enough to stay lit. I had this problem with mine. The gas valve on mine has an adjustment screw for piolet flame size. Can't really see the piolet well in the day time.
Brian

Be careful 'adjusting' that pilot flame.
Just needs to heat tip of thermocoupe

TOO HIGH and that can generate too much heat which can cause the ECO Probe (High temp t-stat) that sticks into tank from back of gas control to TRIP (190*F). When it trips---one time device----then NEW Gas Control Valve!

Och!

[Old-Biscuit]

goducks10 wrote:
My son just had the same issue with his WH. He bought a new circuit board and that fixed it. Not sure on the brand.

No circuit board on OPs Pilot Flame water heater

And replacing the circuit board is NOT the cure-all fix.

It's much better to actually TRACE the issue and then replace the FAULTY part vs throwing part at it.

[goducks10]

My son just had the same issue with his WH. He bought a new circuit board and that fixed it. Not sure on the brand.

[upmm019]

The old and new pilot was very strong.... I ordered a gas control valve now off amazon and will try that.

[Cobra21]

Check the piolet in the dark and make sure it's large enough to stay lit. I had this problem with mine. The gas valve on mine has an adjustment screw for piolet flame size. Can't really see the piolet well in the day time.
Brian

[Old-Biscuit]

darsben1 wrote:
Since the thermocouple/pilot light assembly is new and if the flame is making good contact with the thermocouple that leaves only one thing and that is the gas valve has gone bad.

YEP.......
Pilot flame heating thermocouple...thermocouple connection tight....millivolt signal from thermocouple energizes magnet which allows gas to flow thru MAIN

You can do an easy test on thermocouple.
Disconnect it from gas control. Attach multimeter clip to end/other clip to tubing and then heat thermocouple with lighter. 12 millivots..good.





Weak magnet.....won't stay open
ECO Probe (high temp t-stat) blown...one shot device. Too high water temp or too HIGH of pilot flame (190*F) no millivolt signal completed circuit

Either case.........new gas control

[darsben1]

Since the thermocouple/pilot light assembly is new and if the flame is making good contact with the thermocouple that leaves only one thing and that is the gas valve has gone bad.