Atwood propane only water heater, pilot flame burning high

[stefanarroyo]

Hey everyone. Looking for some help. I'm currently at a campground (first trip of the year), and when i lit my propane water heater, everything seemed normal. The pilot flame was small at the end of the pilot rod like it should be. After a while I noticed that the pilot flame was huge and looking like a campfire flame with orange in it. Way bigger than I've ever seen it. I took the burner tube, pilot rod and thermocoupler apart and tried to blow them out (lung pressure) and clean them as best as I could. When I put it back together, the pilot flame was blue and small like I've always seen it. After some time has passed again, the flame has grown. Its creating some black burn soot in the combustion chamber.
When the heater kicks on, the main heating flame is large and blue down the shaft like it should be.
Not sure what else I can do?
Is there an adjuster to lower the flame? Or is this a bigger problem?
I'll try to post a picture
Thanks

[parallax]

I had a similar problem with mine a couple years back. It acted like it wasnt getting full LP gas and was burning big and black. I ended up changing the thermal fuse. To test it I pulled the thermal fuse out and jumpered the fuse wire to connection. It worked with fuse out of system. I then went and bought 2 new ones. 1 for install and 1 for a spare.

Sorry pic is sideways.

[stefanarroyo]

I appreciate the reply, but I don't think this applies to mine as mine is only a propane model only. It's not electric...

[75462]

Do you see that small hole on the side of the pilot tube? Take a can of keyboard air a stick straw in that hole and blow out the spider web.

[stefanarroyo]

Ya I saw that hole and i did my best to blow that out with lung pressure. (No other tools here at the moment) and it seems like it was clear

[stefanarroyo]

That's the same hole seen in the picture on the pilot tube right?

[75462]

Do you have some 14 or 16 gauge wire you can strip back and try to stick in the hole while twisting the wire?

[75462]

yes, try covering that whole and see if the flame changes.

[stefanarroyo]

I don't have wire to try that, but when I cover the hole, the flame grows and becomes more yellow, and when I uncover it, it goes back to more blue

[damammel]

Originally Posted by stefanarroyo

I appreciate the reply, but I don't think this applies to mine as mine is only a propane model only. It's not electric...

Actually it may. You still have a thermal fuse on your gas only unit.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by stefanarroyo

I don't have wire to try that, but when I cover the hole, the flame grows and becomes more yellow, and when I uncover it, it goes back to more blue

That is what it should do