Continuing water heater troubles

Is it in an area where it's affected by wind? Mine is outside - in a closet - but at times the wind used to get in there and blow the pilot out. I've since corrected that problem and the pilot stays strong all the time. Probably a stretch, but also worth considering is its acess to oxygen. If your heater is so well sealed in an enclosure that the fire has no air to fuel it, it might squelch the pilot. Of course, when the burner is up and running, it has enough force to pull air - even through the smallest area. The pilot, on the other hand, is not that strong...

might be a bad thermostat/ gas valve assembly. I had a go out ccasionally tank once. replaced the thermocouple and it helped but didnt stop it altogether:(

Then one nite I heard water running the tank had a leak inside the flue, spraying water out the chimney pipe.

so the water leaked a little putting out the pilot occasionally...

how old is your tank?

A chimney can depending on wind and rapid barometric changes downdraft for a second, is it old possibly leaking.

No, it wasn't breeze or the lack thereof - it was a dirty/clogged burner. Thanks for your advice anyway.

Dot

It's funny you asked about the tank age. My friend's husband came and looked at it and said it was made in 1981, and I probably don't have even 10 of the

Anyway, he put a lighter and a meter on the new thermocouple and said it was bad, but the old one was still good. He showed me how to take out the burner arm and clean the slots out with a kitchen matchstick, which made the burner flame about three times bigger, which has apparently fixed the problem.

Thanks anyway!

Dot

Old, yes, leaking, no.

Thanks anyway!

Dot

Hi, Most gas valve main body has a provision to adjust pilot flame size. It has a little plug hiding the adjusting screw. Remove plug, using a small screw driver adjust the flame bigger or smaller. Tony

Hi, You mean pilot nozzle?