30
votes
I ran out of propane and now the water heater pilot light will not stay lit
I have had similar problems in the past when running out, what I found is I had to hold the pilot for several minutes to get the lines full of propane again. I found it easiest to light the stove top ...
- 100k
13
votes
I ran out of propane and now the water heater pilot light will not stay lit
My understanding of pilot lights is that they heat a thermocouple, which is a mass of metal that detects heat. The electronics behind that thermocouple will shut off the gas to the pilot if the ...
- 536
6
votes
Pilot light on switch comes on when light is off
With pilot switches, you can get any combination you want, simply by wiring it differently.
Top: the pilot is on when the switch/light is on.
Middle: The pilot is on always.
Bottom: The pilot is ...
3
votes
Problem replacing Slater Pilot Switch with Leviton
The new switch is just the same as the old switch except that the connection between the switch's load terminal and the hot side of the pilot light is internal to the new switch. This internal ...
- 8,432
3
votes
Accepted
Will my stove's pilot light ignite automatically when the gas is turned back on?
If there were a way to spark the pilot light automatically, you would not even have the pilot light at all (you would just use THAT thing to spark the flame only when needed). This is how my stove ...
- 566
3
votes
Old Carrier Furnace, 3-Wire Pilot Assembly, Electrode Sparks Continually While it Runs
I experience this exact same problem (sparking throughout the entire cycle) when the 646AX gas valve assembly failed and had to be replaced. No direct replacement was available but the stated ...
- 31
3
votes
No pilot light on gas oven?
According to online documentation, this model uses a glow bar. For an oven (not a stove top) one should NOT have to press any button to get anything to ignite - the thermostat and circuitry will take ...
- 1,539
3
votes
Does a fireplace with switch on wall need to have the pilot on constantly
In almost every case you have a gas valve with “pilot” and on yes the pilot stays on. This is normal, the quantity of gas is very small. The air in the line had to be purged and because the flow is ...
- 100k
3
votes
Indication light on switch lit when switch is off
This is a "switch leg" which is why there is a blue (normally neutral) wire going to a switch. Switches don't use neutral.
Switches don't normally use power. They run on human power, and ...
2
votes
Propane gas fireplace pilot won't light
Blow into the gas pilot to unclog it.
Its definitely not a spider that crawled into it but possibly grease build up. You may want to consider fitting a gas oil filter for your system.
- 5,861
2
votes
Accepted
Pilot in gas water heater still goes out after replacing thermocouple
I reinstalled the pilot and cleaned out the burner and related assemblies and the pilot was only going out in the morning.
The issue turned out to be because we are still on a low-pressure gas system,...
- 165
2
votes
Accepted
Water heater pilot light won't stay lit. Plumber says it's attic heat
I realize this is an old question, but it's hot once again and the question may come up for someone else.. so I thought I'd venture an answer. I don't work as a heating/cooling professional, I'm just ...
- 172
2
votes
Old Carrier Furnace, 3-Wire Pilot Assembly, Electrode Sparks Continually While it Runs
The following is a sequence of operation for that style of Bryant/Payne/Carrier
furnace that
uses the three wire bimetal safety switch:
The thermostat calls for heat.
24 volts goes to the HOLD coil ...
- 2,292
2
votes
How to Turn On a Wall Heater
Check the valve in the bottom 2 pictures that is connected to the pipe that comes up through the floor. That is the manual gas valve that may need to be turned if it is turned off. First, turn the ...
- 12.2k
2
votes
Accepted
Why doesn't my furnace start? Pilot Light ignites and continuous clicking
It helps to have an understanding of how the gas control works. The gas control valve operates a solenoid-operated valve that delivers gas to the burners when your thermostat calls for heat.
The ...
- 36
2
votes
Gas Fireplace Pilot Won't Light
I also believe you don't have an electronic spark ignition and a pilot. Although I don't have a thermostat, I do have a light switch which will turn on my logs burner. I suspect your thermostat ...
- 61
2
votes
Pilot light on gas log fireplace extinguishes when turn gas control knob to "on"
Once you light the pilot hold it there for up to a minute then turn to on.
It is possible the thermal pile or thermocouple is not quite hot enough.
I find giving it a minute usually works if it still ...
- 100k
2
votes
LP fireplace: My pilot and burner both shut down
A 100lb tank? In Winter? In Maine? You are almost certainly overdrawing the tank.
Liquified Propane has to boil to provide you with gas, and it takes heat to do that. The pressure in a propane tank is ...
- 139k
1
vote
Can a marginal transformer be responsible for random standing pilot light cutoff?
Usually the pilot light is normally only controlled by the thermocouple/ sensor on systems of this age probably only a millivolt controlled gas valve.
What I have seen quite often is the burners get ...
- 100k
1
vote
Gas water heater burner flame goes orange as I turn temperature dial up
Your burners probably need cleaning. Regardless of whether you are talking about the pilot light or the main burner, an orange flame indicates an excess of gas to oxygen.
See, for example: https://...
- 151
1
vote
Pilot Switch as an indicator
Yes you could add a smart CT and adjust it to turn the pilot light on when current is being used, I use these to monitor equipment , if a belt or chain breaks the motor is not drawing enough so it ...
- 100k
1
vote
Pilot light keeps going out
The thermocouple needs to be screwed tightly into it's socket. And the pilot flame needs to be fairly robust. If the pilot is weak it will not maintain enough heat to sustain the electric voltage ...
- 6,735
1
vote
Pilot light keeps going out
Something to look at is the pilot flame itself. It is often adjustable by removing a small screw cover marked plt.adj. or something similar. The thermocouple should be fully immersed and the flame ...
- 6,116
1
vote
How to Turn On a Wall Heater
This is an Empire style wall furnace. It does not need electricity. You'll be glad for that later.
The twisty valve is designed to completely shut off gas flow if it doesn't feel heat from the ...
1
vote
Accepted
How to check and turn on pilot light of this water tank?
There are detailed instructions on the water heater, text and diagrams, but the following is my recollections.
If the gas tap at the end of the house supply piping is turned off, the knobs on the ...
- 19.7k
1
vote
Old Carrier Furnace, 3-Wire Pilot Assembly, Electrode Sparks Continually While it Runs
These 3-wire assemblies are crap. They sometimes act as you've described, other times they spark and never ignite the pilot. You can try taking the assembly out and cleaning it up, or just replace ...
- 129k
1
vote
Pilot won't stay lit after replacing thermocouple
If their is a good flame on the thermocouple then it is a bad gas valve. Sometimes if the gas valve is just barely bad a hotter thermocouple will work for a short time but finding a hotter ...
- 1,551
1
vote
Accepted
Is It Okay To Keep Relighting The Pilot Light on A Water Heater?
You should properly repair the problem. You are dealing with gas, there is some risk in that. You're also burning your time messing with it so often.
- 4,034
1
vote
Gas fireplace flame won't stay on; both flame and pilot go out
Standard gas log sets are fairly simple. If the gas fireplace shuts off after a few minutes, it's pretty much always going to be a pilot head issue, or a valve issue. Take note that it’s the pilot ...
- 11
1
vote
Tempstar furnace, pilot light turns on then off in 1 second
Check to make sure the wiring for the flame sensor is properly connected, and the wire is not damaged. If that all seems good. Replace the flame sensor. If the pilot is not proving, it's almost ...
- 129k
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