water heater pilot goes out

Nick1

Hi everyone,
I have a rental property - which I bought in summer 2011 - with two water heaters and two furnaces in the basement (all with pilot lights).

On one water heater (30 gal) the pilot went out every week or two last summer. It was fine until this June, when it started going out every several days.

I put a new thermocouple in last weekend but it went out again a few days later.

Today I increased the water temperature to see if that will make a difference.

It seems to be a seasonal thing. My guess is that there is not enough air flow - hence increasing the water temperature to increase air up-flow (I read this somewhere).

Other thing which I might do - check the drip loop at the gas meter(s), check for air intake obstruction, increase pilot flame if possible, check/replace gas valve.


The other water heater (50 gal) and furnaces are fine.

Would appreciate any input.

I am in New Jersey.

Thanks,
Nick

biggles

water temp setting has nothing to do with gas or pilot no connection except the flame and heat from it.remove the burner assembly and clean the pilot is it covering the thermolcouple probe? QTIP into the point when the TC screws into on the gas valve...if the pilot doesn't see a sold flame hit it won't check the ghas to open.to remove the sembly shut the gas brak the main gas into the burnder and disconnect the copper cap from the TC into the gas valve...and pull out

ben's plumbing

your gas valve is going bad....seasonal means its being used more to heat water often.... how old is heater...? if it 10yrs or older I would replace heater....ben

hvac benny

How are you supplying combustion air to the mechanical room? If its brought into the furnace return air from outside and then out a spill grill on the plenum it's possible that in the warmer months when the furnaces are not being used, and no summer switch is being used, that when both water heaters fire at once they suck all the oxygen out of the room, and therefore the pilot(s) go out. This could also cause a downdraft on your flue and CO to be brought into the structure. Not trying to scare you, but it's worth looking into as a possible cause before you start switching out parts.

mojoejoejo

I have come across the same problem. If you have a water heater with a seals burner, your problem may be a ceramic filter sitting between the burner and the tank. This filter gets clogged with lint, dust, hair, ect. Get a long bristle brush with a long flexible handle and brush that filter clean. Maybe someone can find a video that's out there on how to do this.

mojoejoejo

BTW this is a big problem on a.o smith water heaters