Hot water heater not working on propane.

[Mikec557]

Originally Posted by DOUBLETROUBLE

Installed a new thermocouple and pilot light, it's came in a kit. It still isn't working. My guess, the gas valve? The gas stove top works fine so I ruled out the tank valve and regulator.

What are the chances that the pilot flame orifice is partially clogged?

When you press and hold the gas flow button, and light the pilot... while you're waiting for the Thermocoupler to get hot...

1. What does the pilot flame look like? Mostly blue with some yellow?

2. Is the flame tall enough to engulf the Thermocoupler?

3. Are you keeping the gas button depressed for 30-60 seconds so the Thermocoupler has a chance to get good and hot?

4. When you release the gas button, does the pilot light stay lit at all?

5. If the pilot stays lit, did you rotate the gas knob to ON?

I can't remember if the gas valve clicked before finally opening the gas line. I can only remember hearing the "woohoosh" of the released gas igniting.

This guy's voice may make you want to cut your wrists but it might be worth watching...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3EKbSiAJyiI

[DOUBLETROUBLE]

Your right about his voice......
To answer your questions
The flame is blue, didn't see any yellow. I tried to turn the pilot adjusy screw but nothing seemed to change.

It's hard to see but im pretty surethe flame is touching the thermocouple

I kept the gas valve depressed well past 30-60 seconds

When I release the valve the flame starts to die down and gone in a couple seconds

I also tried to rotate the switch to on before the flame would die. It went out as soon as it went to on position.

[DOUBLETROUBLE]

One thing to note.
When I tried to adjust the pilot flame I backed out the screw about 1/4 turn and it just got loose. No change in the flame though.

[Mikec557]

Originally Posted by DOUBLETROUBLE

Your right about his voice......
To answer your questions
The flame is blue, didn't see any yellow. I tried to turn the pilot adjusy screw but nothing seemed to change.

It's hard to see but im pretty surethe flame is touching the thermocouple

I kept the gas valve depressed well past 30-60 seconds

When I release the valve the flame starts to die down and gone in a couple seconds

I also tried to rotate the switch to on before the flame would die. It went out as soon as it went to on position.

Sounds to me like your testing has eliminated everything but the regulator (not sure that's the right word). I've no idea re replacing or even availability.

Maybe the lack of change to the pilot light from pilot adjustment screw confirms the regulator is toast.

[MSG Coons]

My friend had the same issue. It turned out to be the circuit board.

[Isaacs]

Originally Posted by DOUBLETROUBLE

Pulled it apart this morning. Flushed out the tank while I had things apart. And cleaned things up a bit.
Tested the thermocouple with a meter set on mv400ac and put flame to it (on a bench of course and not grounding on anything conductive) and had no voltage reading using a lighter. Tried a hand held propane torch and still same. Gonna go to camping world and find a new thermocouple and try that. Fingers crossed.
Hopefully I don't accidently wonder into a nice used fifth wheel. Might get myself into trouble......

You should be checking for DC millivolts; it looks like your meter is set for AC.

[Isaacs]

Originally Posted by DOUBLETROUBLE

One thing to note.
When I tried to adjust the pilot flame I backed out the screw about 1/4 turn and it just got loose. No change in the flame though.

Not sure, but I think that screw may have to be removed which will reveal the pilot adjusting screw underneath it.

Another thing you could try is to use a small torch or even a BBQ lighter to heat up the thermocouple; get it nice and hot. Then immediately turn the selector valve to the "on" position and see if the main burner comes on.

[felidoc1]

There's a chance that you're all complicating this. Spiders love to build their webs in the orifice and throat of the burner. Pull the burner assembly out and make sure to clear and webs. Blow it all out with compressed are clear. It's the first place I look and simple to repair.

[pitman44]

Originally Posted by Kahoneys

Why is everyone trying to heat hot water? I heat cool water but once its hot our heater shuts off. I know I am going to be unfriended by lots of people but I had to say it.

When you first fire it up it's a cool water heater, but ofter that it's a hot water heater. Water is still pretty darned hot right before it starts heating again. At least way more than luckwarm even.

[pitman44]

There are two parts to the circuitry you're testing. The thermocouple provides a small amount of voltage (30milli-volts DC) to hold open the pilot valve inside the gas valve. A thermocouple doesn't provide enough power to pull the pilot valve open. That's why you have to hold that red button down long enough for the thermocouple to provide enough power to energize the solenoid that olds the pilot valve open.

If the thermocouple is good and the flame is engulfing the last third, roughly, of the thermocouple and you hold the button down for 30-60 seconds after lighting the pilot, the solenoid inside the gas valve has failed. There's no repairing that. Get a new gas valve.

[KowalskyKs]

Originally Posted by Kahoneys

Why is everyone trying to heat hot water? I heat cool water but once its hot our heater shuts off. I know I am going to be unfriended by lots of people but I had to say it.

My dad always said "you heat hot water????" He broke me of saying that pretty quickly.

[Mikec557]

Since you've already installed a new Thermocoupler...

I think Piman44 and Isaac have the answer. Use a Flic-a-bic and heat the Thermocoupler, just as the pilot light should. Heat for 30-60 seconds, then turn the knob to ON. If the burner doesn't light, then the solenoid didn't open. If the solenoid didn't open, then the gas valve is shot.

Isaac
Another thing you could try is to use a small torch or even a BBQ lighter to heat up the thermocouple; get it nice and hot. Then immediately turn the selector valve to the "on" position and see if the main burner comes on.

Pitman:
If the thermocouple is good and the flame is engulfing the last third, roughly, of the thermocouple and you hold the button down for 30-60 seconds after lighting the pilot, the solenoid inside the gas valve has failed. There's no repairing that. Get a new gas valve.

[Greg58]

I just replaced the pilot assembly and control valve on one of our travel trailers, the valve has 3/4 male pipe threads. The complete process takes about 30 minutes. I changed to a robertshaw type valve with the turn dial temperature adjustment, my old Atwood valve had the slide on the back of the valve.

[Greg58]

Here’s the old valve and the new one installed.

[Greg58]

The tilt in valve was the same on the original as well. The valve and pilot assembly cost less than $130 from Amazon.

[Greg58]

The valve doesn’t have a pilot adjustment, you have a small jet at the end of the pilot tube, the new assembly comes with the jet installed. If you take the old assembly apart you can see how it looks. It has a very small opening, hold it up to a light and you’ll see the orifice.

[Greg58]

Luckily for me the standing pilot type heater is what I know about, in the 80’s I work for Atlanta gas and light as a appliance installer, all heaters had standing pilots. I contracted with AGL for 7years, installed an average of 60 water heaters a year.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Greg58

Luckily for me the standing pilot type heater is what I know about, in the 80’s I work for Atlanta gas and light as a appliance installer, all heaters had standing pilots. I contracted with AGL for 7years, installed an average of 60 water heaters a year.

He has a suburban water heater it looks like a gas valve was about 134.00 a new heater was around 330.00

[felidoc1]

I'm telling you, I just did this. Take the whole assembly out and look down the throat of the burner assembly. Mine was completely obstructed by spider web. I cleaned it out and everything worked. I don't know what the attraction is but the same problem occurs in my outside propane patio heaters. Pull the whole thing out and look...you've done everything else.

[Greg58]

I wasn’t suggesting he use what I did, I meant the process wasn’t that bad. I search for a replacement valve for the original model and decided on the one above. I used the burner orifice from the old valve, it works great.