Rheem 40gal water heater - Pilot won't stay light...thoughts ?
 

Hi,

I have Rheem Fury 40 gallon water heater.

Model # 41V40-34PF
MFG : 12/2003

I had to shut off gas to water heater during the summer month for some other house repair. It was working perfectly fine then.

Now when I try to lit pilot light per instruction, it won't light up. I am able to see blue flame at pilot when I am pressing knob at pilot light and strike pizzo electric spark button. But after couple of minutes (as per instruction) when I let red knob(which is at pilot light) go as per instruction, it pops up as it should do BUT pilot light inside water heater (seen through glass little glass window) won't stay lit. It goes off.

Is it a bad thermocouple ?

Can a generic thermocouple be used in this water heater.
Honeywell 36 in. Lead Length Universal Gas Thermocouple CQ100A1005
$9.96 - The Home Depot

Or do I need to get Rheem thermocouple replacement kit ?

Thanks for taking time to reply.

-Anku

Pilot viewing window looks like this :
http://www.diychatroom.com/attachmen...alve-below.jpg

Control knobs looks like this in my water heater :

http://www.diychatroom.com/attachmen...alve-right.jpg

I believe that you will have to buy the entire burner assembly. Before you do this, tap on the gas valve with a screw driver and then try relighting it, holding in the pilot for several minutes. I relight about forty to fifty hot water tanks per week, and have found that this often helps with the difficult ones.

hvac benny writes :
"I believe that you will have to buy the entire burner assembly. Before you do this, tap on the gas valve with a screw driver and then try relighting it, holding in the pilot for several minutes. I relight about forty to fifty hot water tanks per week, and have found that this often helps with the difficult ones."

Thank you very much 'hvac benny'. At first I was skeptical with your suggestion. But since you are professional and do this job day in and out, I decided you to it a try. As you suggested I tapped gas valve with screw driver 3 times on three sides (not very hard just gentle tap). After that I tried to relight pilot and to my surprise it stayed on. I was so delighted. I owe you a beer :-)

My water heater is working properly now. Once again thanks for taking time to reply.

-Anku

Ah yes, yet another satisfied customer to totally free advice network, where DIY'rs exchange experiences and know how, isn't it a wonderful thing!

Mark

Absolutely, Mark. I have used diychatroom.com network so many times to solve various issues with my home appliance and pluming. I love this web site.