Budget Appliance Repair
Fellow, Academy of Sublime Masters of Appliantology
| Joined: | Sat Apr 2nd, 2005 |
| Location: | Eureka, California USA |
| Posts: | 2478 |
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On most all heaters when I find this type of problem, it's becuase of a weak thermocouple or pilot generator, or a week pilot flame becuase of a partially clogged pilot orfice cuasing pilot flame to be not efficient enough to heat thermocouple/pilot generator correctly.
Remove the pilot assembly and carefully clean the pilot oriface and clean the themocouple/pilot generator tip with emory cloth and give that a try.
If you have a meter that reads millivolts you should take a reading on the thermocouple/pilot generator before you start and then again after you are done cleaning.
I just had one today with a pilot generator, (they usually put out around 500-700 millivolts), I was only getting 327m.v. before cleaning the pilot and after cleaning I got a good 490m.v. -- NOTE: in this case the pilot wasn't going out but the main gas valve wouldn't open when t-stat called for heating. Burner would come on if you tapped the gas valve.
One I had the other day that used a thermocouple, (they usually put out 30millivots), was doing exactly what yours is doing until they couldn't even get the pilot to stay lit. I was only getting 13.9m.v. when I started, which wasn't even enough to keep the pilot safety magnet energized, (the customer had already replaced the thermocouple, so this was a brand new thermocouple). After cleaning the pilot and pilot oriface I got 32.9m.v. and the heater worked fine.
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William Burk (Willie)
Willie's Budget Appliance Repair
Eureka, CA 95501
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