Our pilot light keeps going out on our gas hot water heater. I am able to relight it and the burner fires up but hours later we notice no hot water and the pilot light is out again. Help? What shall I try?

Is your pilot yellow and lazy if it is your pilots dirty if not your thermocouple could be bad as well as your eco on your firing valve might be bad if that's the case you might want to replace the water heater depending on the age you could have a bad safety in line with the thermocouple

How old is your water heater?

Most of the time te thermocouple goes bad and it is very easy to replace it.

How do you replace the thermocoupler? How do take off the part off at the bottem of the hot water heater that holds it?

Hi Melvie

If you have a closed combustion chamber you'll need to shut off the gas supply to the water heater and then disconnect all tubes (gas supply tube, pilot tube and thermocouple) at the gas valve. Note the tightness of each connection. Disconnect the door by loosening the 4 screws and door gasket and pull the entire burner assembly out through the opening (door will stay attached to all).

Change out the thermocouple and then place the burner assembly back in place. Install a NEW DOOR GASKET as required by law (available at a local plumbing supply store) and reconnect the door and tighten the screws. Attch the thermocouple, the pilot tube and the gas supply tube to the gas valve and turn on the gas to test your work.

Do a quick soap test (20% dishwasher soap solution) over the connections at the valve and then light the pilot and you should be all set here!

Mark

Hello Melvie,

Mark gave you excellent advices I will also add the link below it might help you, Good luck.

John


How to Replace a Water Heater Thermocouple | The Family Handyman