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50 gal gas water heater / pilot won't light, we see spark but won't light. Was working fine but had to shut gas off for work in other part of house and now won't relight.
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does the pilot go out when you let off the button? Or does the pilot not light at all?
If you dont get any gas at all to the pilot the the gas valve is bad. Of you get a pilot light that goes out when you let go of the button then the therno couple is not reading the flame (needs adjustment so the pilot flame touches it) did you kink the new thermocouple? or over tighten it at the gas valve. if it was kinked its now toast,cant straighten them. If kinked and starightened the fluid inside has broken the inner seal and wont work.
You need to replace the thermocouple. When you light the pilot it is supose to heat the thermocouple. the thermocouple produces a small electric current which allows the gas valve to open and keep the pilot going. and allowing the main burner to come on.
Sounds like gas control needs replacing. Before you do, Shut gas off at valve and your tanks and take a 3/8 or 7/16 wrench and remove the end of the thermocouple that screws in to gas control. Now spray a shot of WD-40in the hole it came out of. Now take a piece of fine steel wool and twirl it in your fingers until it's a few inches long and small enough round to put down in that hole and spin it with your fingers to clean surface where thermocouple seats, well. Use compressed air and blow it out now. Take a little piece of fine steel wool again and rub end of thermocouple that goes in the hole, so it's nice and shiny and clean. Now re-assemble, snug it up and re-try lighting. If pilot stays on, but burner won't light, and your 100% sure water is not already hot, ( check temperature coming out pressure relief valve, carefully) and temperature lever is over to hot setting, then replace gas control. One good indication of a faulty control is if you move the temperature lever all the way over to coldest and back all the way over to hottest and you don't hear it click.
Usual problems are:. Bad thermocouple, Bad vent, blowing pilot outl. Too small of pilot flame. Low gas pressure Leaking water heater, dripping on pilot. Bad gas valve. If your water heater is more than 8 years old and the gas valve is bad, I would replace the water heater. IF you decide to replace the pilot or the gas vavle, be sure to mount pilot exactly as is was designed. If you replace gas valve get an exact replacment or a "listed" replacement. If you'rd doing this and it's older, replace the temperature/relief vavle also. Water heaters can be very dangeroius if not properly repaired/maintained.
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