Bradford White Water Heater polite keeps going out

Bradford White Water Heater polite keeps going out

My water heater won’t lite. If your pilot light will not stay lit, it is important that you take steps to fix it immediately. However, this can be tricky. There are a wide variety of problems that can make a pilot light turn itself off. Many of these centers around a device called a thermocouple. The thermocouple in your water heater detects whether your pilot light is on by generating an electrical current powered by its heat. If the thermocouple cools, it assumes that the pilot light is off and shuts down the gas. However, a faulty thermocouple can lead to problems, and there are many ways one can go wrong.

Dirty Thermocouple

If you can light your pilot light, but it does not stay lit reliably, there are many possible causes for your problem. One of them is a dirty thermocouple. Take a look at your pilot light. Attempt to light it while observing it carefully. You should be able to see the flame touching or heating the thermocouple. Because of this, the thermocouple should be visible. Look at it carefully and determine if it is dirty. If it is, you can clean it off by sanding it with fine sandpaper. Turn the gas off and wait for the thermocouple to cool down thoroughly before you begin. Focus on the tip of the thermocouple.

Once you have done this, you can turn the gas back on, light the pilot light, and check to see if it stays on.

Bent Thermocouple

Sometimes, when you check the condition of your thermocouple, you may find that it has been bent out of the way. This prevents it from being heated by your pilot light. This, in turn, causes your thermocouple to conclude that, because it is cold, the pilot light is off and it should turn off the supply of gas. Luckily, this problem is quite straightforward to fix. Simply bend the thermocouple back so it is closer to your pilot light. Again, wait until your thermocouple has cooled to do this, and be sure the gas is off.

Dirty Pilot Tube

Sometimes, a pilot light can become unreliable because the pilot tube is dirty. If this is the case for your pilot light, you can fix it yourself easily. First, turn off the gas and wait for the pilot tube to become cool. Next, use a needle to remove any blockages in the pilot tube. Once you are done, test your pilot light to see if it is working again.

Damaged Thermocouple

If you try all of the techniques here unsuccessfully, there is a good chance that your thermocouple is simply damaged and requires repair or replacement. If this is the case, you will need to remove it. Shut down the supply of gas, and wait for your furnace to cool down. Next, you will need to remove the cover on your furnace entirely. Once you have done this, you can find the nut holding the thermocouple and unscrew it.

You may opt to send your thermocouple to be repaired, or simply install a new one. If you choose a new one, be sure to purchase one that is designed to work with your particular furnace.

If you choose to install a new one on your own, make sure it ends up close enough to the flame to be heated by it.