How To Fix a Low or Weak Pilot Light
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- In this "How to" video, I tell you how I easily and inexpensively corrected the weak pilot light problem on a water heater, but this could be the problem with any gas fixture that has a low pilot. You can use brake cleaner to clear a restriction in the pilot line.
Hello everybody it's handyman Bruce and I am here at a rental house today. Got a water heater that's out. The pilot won't stay lit. The pilot's really low they're telling me so let's check it out and see what we can figure out.
All right so there's the burner assembly and the pilot. Let's see if we could light this thing here. There we go. So you can see that small pilot right there. The pilot is really low so I'm thinking that's the problem. When I let up on the valve, the pilot goes out, but I don't think it's the thermocouple because what I did is I used my little flame here to heat up the thermocouple and it stayed on so I think the problem is that the pilot's too low to even keep the thermocouple warm so let's see if that's true.
Now is we're gonna undo that little screw in there that holds the pilot assembly onto there. And then we're gonna undo the nut here that holds the gas tube for the pilot into the gas valve. Before we do that, let's go ahead and shut the gas off to be safe.
We're not gonna be able to show this with the camera, but we got a little stubby screwdriver. We're gonna get in here, reach my arm in there, we're gonna unscrew that screw right there. I'll take it out and I'll show it to you.
All right. There's the pilot assembly right there. And the thermocouples still attached. If we need to, we can disconnect the thermocouple out of here to get some more working space but I don't think I'm gonna need it. I'm gonna try cleaning that out there and see if I can blow through this line, put it back in, see if we can get a much stronger pilot.
Okay, we've got the pilot assembly screwed back in there. You can see those two screws there that I attached it with. Oh, I've got this threaded her. Tightened on there. Now let's turn the gas valve back on and let's see what we get here.
Okay, now we're gonna hold down the pilot. Okay, and now let's see what we get, if my theory's right, we're gonna get a much stronger pilot this time. Let's turn the light off again. Oh, yeah. That's much better. In fact, I can even hear it stronger. Sweet. Okay. Let's let that run for a few seconds here.
All right. I released the button. Now let's see if we can get our burner to light. Sure did. That pilot is a lot stronger now. Think we just solved our problem.
So if you're curious what I did. I used just a little bit of brake cleaner on the end, where the pilot light comes out, right at the tip, then I just blew through it with my mouth through that tube so worked pretty well. The way to get that clog out is send it on through. I think we've solved our problem so I hope this helps you guys to know that sometimes repairs are pretty simple and you can avoid that big expense so you do-it-yourselfers, I hope this helps you take care of a problem at your house.
Again, as I've said before, we're all about helping families. We hope this helps your family to stay home more and enjoy your home more. That's why our slogan is bringing your family home. Please subscribe to our channel so you can be notified if we send out more videos. In fact, if there's a logo on the screen, sometimes it moves around on me. I don't know why it does that. But if there's a little logo in the corner, just click on that logo. It'll automatically subscribe you to our channel.
Also, like the video and just comment down below. Say hey this really helped me. I appreciate it. Or man my water heater wasn't anything like this. You might have one of those newer type water heaters that is more energy efficient. Doesn't have an accessible door like that, but maybe you solved the problem a different way. You can leave a comment there that might help somebody so please comment and keep the discussion going. Thanks guys.
I can't express how thankful I am to have come across your video. As the expression goes "when it rains, it pours", this has been the case. So to now have a functioning hot water tank with 7 kids is an absolute blessing. Thank you.
Wow! We have 6 kids, so I know how it goes! Glad to help!!!
This helped me get my water heater going again for the price of some brake cleaner, thanks.
Thanks Bruce for taking your time to make this video. I used your approach on an RV water heater and it worked perfectly.
Thanks for this. Your tip about checking the thermocouple was a great help for me in diagnosing my pilot light problem on my gas fireplace. (I had to use a small pin to ream out the orifice hole since pressurized air didn't work well enough. Must have been some corrosion) Everything is working now!
Awesome! Glad to help! Please subscribe, if you haven't already.
@@Homemaintenancesolution I hear that's not recommended (using a needle) in case you end up enlarging the pilot hole. I would think it's fine if you're careful. Any thoughts?
@@AndysGeneral Probably fine, if you are careful to not use a lot of force.
I have a Unitrol valve on an old propane stock tank heater. I need to adjust the pilot. Right now the heater is frozen in 6 inches of ice. It is 8deg with a 12mph North wind. Thanks for the demo..
I can't believe this worked, I didn't have break cleaner so I read in your comments that WD 40 works so I used that. It unclogged my pilot and now it works great. Hope this solves the problem. Thanks
Awesome! Glad to help! Please subscribe.
Thank you so much! I had a clod pilot light on my kettle corn machine, thank you again!
I'm going to try it tomorrow. My pilot light looks like the before picture. I'll let you know how it comes out.
Great! Let me know how you do!
Helped me so much thank you sir
Very easy to assemble.
Tried that. Still have low flame. Thermal couple test good with lighter but flame still goes out when I release solenoid
So happy I found this.! I swapped parts out and nothing worked. Parts cleaner. Genius!! Worked on my Mr heater radiant heater
My pilot flame is too large. Is there a solution for that? I have one of those Honeywell gas controllers.
There should be an adjustment on it somewhere. Research Honeywell gas valve adjustment for pilot. Hope you find something!
Thanks very helpful
Thank you appreciate you doing what you do.
dam that's an old water heater. dude u don't give up on ur sh@t. good fix. ur funny.
thanks ! helped me fix my deep fryer
Mine wont light at all since the gas company changed their pipe from the hoise to the road. Blue it out and it has no restriciton in the pilot. The thermocouple is nice and clean too.
It really works
I think they need a new hot water heater. I thought there is a filter on the bottom that needs to be cleaned.
Great helped me much
Glad it helped!
Thanks ☺️
Standing pilot for oven. When converting from NG to LP. Is it necessary to cange pilot orifice too beside the main orifice?
Not usually, but you need to look up the manufacturer's recommendations on that. You don't want to end up with a "hot" pilot. There should be info online on the manufacturer's website.
Thanks buddy
You bet! Glad to help
I have new thermocouple but it still looks low is there another way to adjust it??
You need to go back and watch it more carefully. The thermocouple doesn't have anything to do with the pilot strength. It just turn the gas off of there is no pilot.
@@brucepetrov1813 there is a pilot. But it won't stay on
@@mikemachen4170 does it go out when you let go of the button?
@@brucepetrov1813 no it will run one cycle. I know that new doesn't necessarily mean good. I've pulled new parts that where bad in automotive
@@mikemachen4170 if it runs one cycle then I'm thinking it is partially clogged like I showed in the video. Does seem to be a weak and low pilot flame?
Thank You Sir 💯
You saved me around 1,500$ I had two techs come out and give me a estimates they said it was a valve so I brought one changed it still didn’t work so I cleaned that part out with the parts clearer and my furnace fired right up it was clogged THANK YOU
Awesome! Glad to help! Please subscribe.
Had this same weak pilot light issue where it wouldn't heat up my thermo-couple for a garage space heater.
Removed the pilot gas line. Sprayed a little brake cleaner into the business end and let it soak for a minute. Then blew some air through it and it was audibly unclogged after a moment. A spurt of cleaner and gunk came out of the tube and you could hear the air coming through the tube. I re-connected the tube to the space heater and wow. The pilot stays lit and fires up the heater when needed now.
My wife can again enjoy the garage for her furniture refinishing hobby.
Thank you so much.
P
Thank-you!! This worked great. I used carb cleaner on the burner end and blew compressed air through the control end. Our basement had flooded and water heater did not work unit I used your fix. We now have hot water! Thank-you again!!
I'm glad to hear that!! Great job!
maybe soap up the gas connection before lighting anything to make sure there is no gas leak
I'm going to give this a try with my other gas boiler as I replaced the thermo couple prior to watching this and pilot still weak, but I already did it with my furnace and it worked. Thanks for the helpful vid.
3 years on this upload and still helping people out like myself , thank you ! Good cleaning on the pilot line and it finally stayed on
Great to hear!!! Glad to help
Nice tip! Im setting up a propane ventless heater to run off of a grill sized bottle of fuel, for when power goes out in the winter. Heater was given to me, but had a weak pilot. Didn't want to stay lit, and if/when it would, wasn't reigniting after first burn. Same symptoms as this video (low pilot flame, thermocouple not warming properly). Took the line and pilot tip out, swabbed the tip with some wire and bore bristle, blew thru the line. Scuffed and cleaned the thermocouple and ignitor with some medium grit sandpaper. Working like a charm now! Thanks!! 🥇
Glad to help!! Good plan for back up heat!
I had the same issue with my food trailer pilot, so I soaked it in gasoline all day then blew it out with my air gun. It now works like brand new.
Dunno if anyone gives a shit but if you're stoned like me atm you can stream all the latest movies and series on Instaflixxer. Have been binge watching with my brother these days :)
@Xavier Andres yup, I've been using InstaFlixxer for since december myself :)
My propane hot water heater is a wall mount. The pilot comes on, the heating unit lights but will not stay on for more then a minute. I'm following the directions on the unit but to no avail.
you literally skipped the part of showing where you fixed the pilot
Hi , can you help me ... my pilot light is working -stay lit - but once I turn the gas valve higher from vacation to warmer - the pilot light died off without lighting the main burner .What's wrong ? please help...Thank you
That's an unusual problem. I'm not clear on what all is happening, but it sounds like once the big gas valve opens for the burner, that you are losing whatever pressure you have going to the pilot burner and it goes out from a lack of gas.
Make sure your gas service valve is open all the way first.
Next, check to see if your pilot flame is low. It could be weak from a clog and when the pressure drops, it just doesn't have enough to keep the pilot going because of the clog. Have you tried cleaning the pilot burner like I did in the video?
Thank you Bruce, following your instructions I finally fixed my furnace. Your advice is much appreciated.
Great! Glad to help. Please subscribe to our channel so that you will be notified when we release new videos!
Thanks man! I’ve got a low pilot on my wall heater. Gonna give this a try!
You beautiful soul you. Thnx for this vid.
I thank you I thought my gas valve was bad.
have a DV Empire wall 35,000 BTU ...pilot wunt stay on and the thermostat clicks on at 80..aint right. what to do ?
That's a little too complicated to diagnose remotely. Sorry.
Why didn't you film what you actually did to fix it? Isn't that the point to making the vid in the first place?
Yeah, it would have been nice, but I didn't have a camera man and had no way to prop up the camera. Sorry. I hope it helps you fix your problem anyway!
Many thanks for your information. my heater is very easy to turn off, and pilot can not hold (even after 1-3 minutes). follow your instruction, clean it with WD-40 Contact Cleaner, now it is very easy to turn on
thanks
I didn't think about Brake and Parts Cleaner Spray or Starter and Carb Cleaner Spray. I put some Rusted Bolt and Nut spray in the tube and blew it out with compressed air, Then, to get that out thoroughly, I filled a 12ml blunt-tip syringe (from a printer ink cartridge refill kit) with Everclear, Pure Grain Alcohol, 190 Proof, then while holding a finger on the orifice hole, I filled the tube and blew it out, and did that two more times. I had adjusted the pilot flame in my AC/Furnace to max and the flame was barely touching the thermocouple, and after cleaning, the flame surrounded the thermocouple and blew 1½ inches past it. So I adjusted the pilot flame so it only goes about a ¼ inch past. It really works! I was amazed. I'll use Starter and Carb Cleaner Spray next time, unless you think Brake and Parts Cleaner Spray is better about loosening the crud. Thoughts, please. Thanks
Thanks, I am in the middle of a pilot light repair. Am wondering how to deal with this nozzle that is at the end of the pilot gas tube. I can't blow through it, but it doesn't seem clogged.
It's very hard to tell if it is clogged. If you blow through it and don't feel any air coming out, then it probably is. I cleaned mine with break part cleaner from an auto parts store. Use caution with it though. It is flammable. It will evaporate very quickly, so no harm using it to clean the pilot tip after you remove it from the water heater, but don't just spray it everywhere without thinking about weather or not there is an open flame present.
@@Homemaintenancesolution THank you - good advice! It turns out I had a bad thermocouple that I had to replace.
@@WalidGabrRayan Good job figuring it out! Congrats and glad to help!
@@Homemaintenancesolution Do be careful with the brake cleaner and ensure it is dry before putting in back in service.. The older stuff is chlorinated and can produce chlorine gas when is burns, it should say on the can if it contains chlorine or not.
@@tomb134 Great info, Tom! Thanks for your contribution.
Nice video, great camera work too, did you spray inside the pilot tubing as well or ?
Its a very bad idea to use any cleaner around a area that will have a open flame very dangerous
Brake cleaner evaporates very quickly, allow a minute or so for that to happen, and you'll have nothing to worry about.
The brake cleaner evaporates fast
Dummy don't say it. while it's on. Lol
Great video! Thank you
Thanks!
looks like a new heater is needed
Actually, I'm still using that same heater. It's doing fine after several years.
Hi sir,can u please post a video regarding lpg room heater(3 ceramic plates) thermocouple issue,I mean how to make heater on without thermocouple.
Thanx Bro ☝🙏🙏🙏
Glad to help! Please subscribe...
Thank you sir. Your info was helpful.
I know what a good feeling comes from helping others with your videos. And let me tell you, this has helped me! I never thought a pilot line could clog like that, but I have EXACTLY the same problem with my Aladdin Dovre 400 propane gas heater! It has a separate thermocouple and thermopile. My thermocouple is so eroded from the flame, I had to bend the metal frame it's mounted on to raise it up into the pilot to stay lighted. The thermopile powers the main gas flow valve. I wanted to replace the entire pilot assembly but it's no longer available so I ordered the two elements, even though I probably don't need a new thermopile. I'd rather replace them both and keep the old thermopile as a spare.
I tried bumping up the secondary regulator pressure a bit. Adjusted the pilot flame set screw. None of which did hardly anything at all. I can't wait to try cleaning out the pilot line to if that fixes the problem. Will definitely update this post with my results.
So, long story long, my gas supply line was clogged at the opening of the downstream brass bead. It was so clogged I'm surprised I had any pilot flame at all! Poked it with a piece of enamel copper wire and used compressed air to blow it out. My theory is heat over time caused a galvanic reaction between the brass bead and aluminum supply tube, building up aluminum oxide and clogging the opening. Really stupid using dissimilar metals like that. Should be copper into brass. Cool side at the regulator was perfectly clean. Also sprayed and blew carb cleaner through the orifice at the base of the pilot assembly several times.
Upon relighting, the pilot looked more like a torch! Had to back off again to the original setting on the second stage regulator and pilot adjustment under the stove. Haven't seen my pilot look that good in a long time.
It was a real bear unscrewing the brass fitting at the base of the pilot assembly. Completely rusted into place. In the process, damaged the metal frame and broke free the upper metal stem that splits the flame into 3 off the base. The entire pilot assembly also broke free from where it was press fit into the frame. Riveted igniter mounting tab was also rusted and broke. It was a complete mess. Had to bend and pound the frame straight again, scrape clean all the threads, apply dry graphite lube. Had to use my MIG to tack weld the pilot assembly to the frame again, then tack weld the broken stem into place. Also had to grind and drill out the rivet that held the igniter and reassemble it with a 6-32 pan head screw, nut, flat and star washers.
Needless to say, I did not get to bed until past midnight. In the end, the pilot works but it's too yellow, burns too rich. What I didn't realize at the time is the stem is also a carburetor. Concentric tubes, mounted such that it's elevated slightly by 4 tabs held by a crimped ring above the orifice. (At least when the stem broke away, I got a really good look at the orifice and know I had gotten it really clean.) The orifice shoots fuel up the smaller center tube. Air should be drawn up along the outer tube wall by convection. Air and fuel mix and burn right at the flame spreader. I welded the stem too close to the base, restricting air from getting in, making it too rich. Need to pull it apart one more time to drill a series of small holes around the base of the stem too allow more air to mix with the fuel, lean it out and make a nice blue flame again.
What a trip this has been. Thanks again for your video.
@@zerolabs Thank you so much for your detailed explanation of your water heater saga! This really helps me understand my problem better, and maybe prevent me from screwing this up. I have no one to help me, and I live so far out in the boonies that even if I could get a professional to come here (unlikely) I couldn't afford them.
I'm a 61 year old woman living off-grid who grew up in the city. I've had to learn how to do repairs on my own, so I'm very grateful for TH-cam where I can watch people who actually have experience and know-how!
My problem is a too low pilot that won't stay lit, and if I do get the flame to come on, it's too orange, not blue.
I have copper wire in various gauges, and carb cleaner, but need to get a can of compressed air. I sure hope I don't run into the kind of issues you dealt with, as welding goes far beyond my skills
Hi,
I’ve been working on my Slant Fit boiler, and I found my problem, however I need help with the replacement part of it.
The gas line that connects to the Thermpcouple, it broke off. I finally found a new aluminum line, however the one I got has a smaller nut. What do I do?
You probably need to get a different line with the right fitting.
Used brake cleaner and then some compressed air and hey presto the pilot Is working great and the gas fire is fixed.thanks. 👍👍
Awesome!
Great help.
Galvanized pipe for gas. Not here in Illinois! Black Pipe is used.
I saw that too. Galvanized drip leg. I'm sure it's against National Code.
thank you very much, but how can i do the opposit (how to reduce the pilot light please
Often there is an adjustment on the gas valve, but sure if all are adjustable.
Great video
I am about to do this tomorrow morning.
That's great. Hope this helps!
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The pilot nozzle was clogged. A little bit of removing it and blowing on it cleaned it up. Now pilot flame is plentiful.
Why does my pilot go out when I switch it on after I light it
It could be that your thermocouple is bad. I assume it stayed lit after you released the button, right?
Here's a video that explains several options you may have going on.
th-cam.com/video/RASBzK_XF2k/w-d-xo.html
i have a thick cotton mat under burner covering all vents why?>
Not sure, but that doesn't sound right. Does it look added or like it is original equipment?
@@Homemaintenancesolution its a perfect circle fit and water heater it secured with a lot of restriction room to work on and it has a mat also on bottom of heater thats on cement floor if i remove that one i would have to lift up water heater burner is enclosed all blocking all vents i dont know how it worked before there is even a glasss over most of bottom vent im thinking of breaking little window to let air flow
Lochinvar & A.O. Smith - Part 100093968 In-
@@brandowalford584 Don't break the glass! It sounds like you need a professional service call.
ias swindled by a loved one no money
appreciate it anyways god bless
I sleep very well knowing I don’t have a gas appliance burning anywhere in my house…
You poor thing
wow, great, I just took it out, sprayed DW40 over its nozzle and cleaned the tip with the cloth, and bam, its on
thanks for the vid
American safety old water heater install new one
needs new water heater.....