Replacing Thermocouple In Gas Water Heater

Then unfasten the three nuts that hold the thermocouple and the two gas tubes to the valve.

Replacing thermocouple in gas water heater.

The burner typically sits loosely or under clips in the burning chamber and just slides out. If yours is getting old this article is also for you. A flame shield or manifold door that you removed from the heater or water heater. The pilot light heats the thermocouple which generates electric current that tells the gas control valve thermostat to continue to feed gas to the burner assembly.

The thermocouple is a special sensing tube on gas water heaters that senses when the pilot light has flame and shuts off the gas to the unit when the pilot has been extinguished. Water heaters tend to last seven to 15 years. Even if you don t need a new water heater right now chances are you will within the next few years. A bad thermocouple is the most likely culprit when your whirlpool water heater fails to heat the water in the tank.

When your water heater begins to leak you have to replace it fast. How to replace a thermopile on a water heater. By james carey morris carey. Since almost all major brands of atmospherically vented water heaters have switched from a thermocouple to a t.

The thermocouple and pilot light tubes both extend from the gas control valve to the burning compartment. In simple terms it s a short piece of tubing that runs from the gas controller to the pilot. The thermocouple is a thermoelectric device that shuts off the gas if the pilot light goes out. Diy hot water heater repair.

We ll show you how to install your own gas water heater in less than a day. Reconnect the end of the thermocouple to the gas control valve where the old thermocouple end was un screwed. It is a simple device that converts the heat from a burning flame into a small electrical current allowing it to work like a switch to control the flow of gas from the gas supply valve. However if you have a leak if your water heater is older than 8 12 years or you just wish to upgrade and cut your energy expense it is time for a new heater.

You should find that you turn the screw counter clockwise to tighten a right hand threaded connector. If you have a gas water heater with a pilot light that won t stay lit it s probably due to a failed thermocouple.