I have Bradford White hot water heater model no. MI403S6EN12 40 gallon. About week ago pilot light started going out. I can light it and get hot water, but then it goes out and when I need hot water again I have to light it again. Also water is not getting as hot as it used to-just getting warm. I have put on new thermocouple, drained tank for sediment and checked flue for blockage. I should also note that when I drained tank, no sediment came out. I know tank has not been drained in at least 6 years since my brother purchased home. Shouldn't I have gotten at least a little sediment? Please Help!!

Hi Ees

What I suspect here is that you DRAINED the water heater when you should have FLUSHED the water heater. What's the difference, you ask? The difference here is that when you flush the water heater you leave the cold water feed in the open position and this disturbs the sediment breaking it up into pieces so the sediment can be flushed out of the tank via the drain. If you just drained your tank then sediment would NOT get disturbed and cleared.

After you flush the tank I'm betting it won't have to work so hard to heat the water through the sediment and your water will get hotter.

In terms of the pilot light and the new thermocouple I'm thinking that you may have a COMBUSTION mnakeup air issue here, but will need to know if you have a closed or open combustion chamber (open has doors that get removed by hand, closed has doors that get removed using tools).

Back to you...

Mark

Hi Ees

What I suspect here is that you DRAINED the water heater when you should have FLUSHED the water heater. What's the difference, you ask? The difference here is that when you flush the water heater you leave the cold water feed in the open position and this disturbs the sediment breaking it up into pieces so the sediment can be flushed out of the tank via the drain. If you just drained your tank then sediment would NOT get disturbed and cleared.

After you flush the tank I'm betting it won't have to work so hard to heat the water through the sediment and your water will get hotter.

In terms of the pilot light and the new thermocouple I'm thinking that you may have a COMBUSTION mnakeup air issue here, but will need to know if you have a closed or open combustion chamber (open has doors that get removed by hand, closed has doors that get removed using tools).

Back to you...

Mark

I have 2 little doors that I open to access pilot light--one slides open and the other is on hinges. Hope this is what you were asking

I'm guessing that the pilot is staying lit, right?

If the pilot is staying lit then the next thing to do is to FLUSH the water heater as I presented at my first post.

Let us know if you get sediment this time (place hose on driveway for a few and see).

I'm guessing that the pilot is staying lit, right?

If the pilot is staying lit then the next thing to do is to FLUSH the water heater as I presented at my first post.

Let us know if you get sediment this time (place hose on driveway for a few and see).

No the pilot is not staying lit--everytime I need hot water I have to light it ans wait 10 minutes for water to get hot(warm). Will try to flush tank this weekend and post results