I am hoping to get some information about a problem I am having with my hot water heater.
About a week ago we got some water in the basement, and ever since then, the pilot on my hot water heater goes out every few days.
I have no problems re-lighting it, and it heats the water to the proper temperature. I didn't know if water can damage the pilot to where it would need to be replaced, or maybe it's just dirty and needs to be replaced.....
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Ray
Water actually rose high enuf to get *in* the pilot?? If so, yes that can damage it. The pilot orifice is god-awful tiny. It wouldn't take much muck to clog it a bit.
There are a whole lot of different burner/pilot designs so how you take it out and clean varies. If you get it out, my preference would be for compressed air blown back thru it.
Change your thermocouple. After running for a long time then going out for a while, sometimes they never work right again.
Sometimes you can fix it by just cleaning the contact under the nut. I had one I thought was bad so I took it out and went looking for one. No joy so I cleaned it up and put it back. It worked for 10 more years and I moved.
I tried to find a pilot to fly my water heater in 1968 and there were none available. Of course this is 2006 so things may have changed since then. I'd suggest calling your local airports.
Mark
On a serious note. REPLACE THE THERMCOUPLE.... Problem solved.....
Mark
On another note, why would anyone want to heat hot water?
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