Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

[ezbtr]

Have'nt done one in years and took a brief look last night, basically push knob in, twist and light, correct?

 

[boat1010]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Normally you push it in and hold it while you light the pilot light. Then after it has warmed up you can turn it to on. There is a heat sensor there so if the flame gets blown out it will not keep flowing gas.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Depends. Most of the newer ones are electric pilots, so they spark to get the flame started ... considered safer since you don't have a flame on when not in use.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Normally you push it in and hold it while you light the pilot light. Then after it has warmed up you can turn it to on. There is a heat sensor there so if the flame gets blown out it will not keep flowing gas.

It's called a thermocouple

 

[boat1010]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

It's called a thermocouple

Thanks.. I could not for the life of me think of that when I was replying to this post.

 

[ezbtr]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

yeah was auto ignitor(newer 8 yr old type) held down for about a minute and all went well - the directions on it were decent too :>)

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Depends. Most of the newer ones are electric pilots, so they spark to get the flame started ... considered safer since you don't have a flame on when not in use.

Really? I don't think I've ever seen a water heater with electric ignition

 

[JB]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

The common term, "hot water heater" always amuses me. Hot water does not need heating. It is cold water that needs a heater, to make hot water.

We have a strange language. :facepalm:

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Really? I don't think I've ever seen a water heater with electric ignition

I have one in my camper, and my last home had one. Of course if you don't have LPG or Gas, you would not have electronic ignition.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

The common term, "hot water heater" always amuses me. Hot water does not need heating. It is cold water that needs a heater, to make hot water.

We have a strange language. :facepalm:

Yes, we do JB, My wife and I were just discussing that this afternoon.

 

[generator12]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

It's called a thermocouple

Yes, but it's not actually a thermocouple. It's a capillary in which the fluid expands when heated, sufficiently to push open a valve in the main gas line. When you turn to "on", you open a second valve in that same line and gas is free to flow into the burner.

An actual "thermocouple" is a junction of two dissimilar metals which produces a small voltage related to its real-time temperature. These require some electronic circuitry to convert that information into a usable function. Capillary systems don't require that, and thus are less expensive to make.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

All the water heaters I have worked on use actual thermocouples.

How Does a Gas Water Heater Thermocouple Work? | eHow.com

In the thermocouples used in most water heaters, the heat from the pilot light will generate a current measuring 20 millivolts in the thermocouple circuit. This voltage is sufficient to control and hold in the "open" position the gas control supply valve to the pilot.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Yes, but it's not actually a thermocouple. It's a capillary in which the fluid expands when heated, sufficiently to push open a valve in the main gas line. When you turn to "on", you open a second valve in that same line and gas is free to flow into the burner.

An actual "thermocouple" is a junction of two dissimilar metals which produces a small voltage related to its real-time temperature. These require some electronic circuitry to convert that information into a usable function. Capillary systems don't require that, and thus are less expensive to make.

You are talking about a mercury safety switch.
My water heater has a thermocouple.....my gas fireplace has both....redundancy.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Try to buy a capillary at the appliance parts store.

 

[generator12]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Try to buy a capillary at the appliance parts store.

Wow! I guess I've been out of that particular loop for too long! I stand corrected!

Thanks guys.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Wow! I guess I've been out of that particular loop for too long! I stand corrected!

Thanks guys.

Despite an evolutionary change in the "where used", it was an excellent description of a thermocouple nonetheless...

 

[mscher]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Glad to see, I'm not the only one, losing my mind.

 

[SteveMcD]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

A pilot light thermocouple is two dissimilar metals bonded together that produce about a quarter of a volt when heated, which is strong enough to hold a solenoid valve in the gas valve open, but not enough to actuate it, hence pushing and holding the knob for a minute. Release the knob, and if it stays on, then twist.

 

[hrdwrkingacguy]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Busted by the thread police....

 

[SteveMcD]

Re: Lighting hot water heater pilot light easy???

Busted by the thread police....

I read some of the responses here, and some are confusing thermocouples with sensing bulbs and spreading it. Sorry, I seem to be under some delusion this is a "technical" thread. I'll work on that. The OP asked a simple question, and he doesn't seem to be getting many simple answers. My answer is:No, the sequence is push, light, hold, twist.