What does it mean if the pilot light keeps going out?
thermocouple
If the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple senses the drop in temperature and signals for the gas valve to close. If you have a faulty thermocouple is the most common reason that your pilot light is malfunctioning. Over time your water heater will collect dirt, dust and other kinds of debris.
When to replace a gas thermocouple pilot light?
A faulty thermocouple should be replaced. Older gas appliances may have pilot lights that provide instant ignition when the gas is turned on. The pilot light is a small open flame that is fed by a steady flow of gas. Problems occur when the gas flow is obstructed or misdirected, or when the pilot is blown out.
What happens when a gas thermocouple goes out?
©2006 Publications International, Ltd. The thermocouple is a safety device; it shuts the gas off if the pilot light goes out. A faulty thermocouple should be replaced. Older gas appliances may have pilot lights that provide instant ignition when the gas is turned on. The pilot light is a small open flame that is fed by a steady flow of gas.
What happens when the pilot light goes out on a gas stove?
The thermocouple, which operates as a safety device, turns the gas supply off when the pilot light goes out. It consists of a heat sensor connected to a solenoid; when the sensor is not heated by the pilot flame, the solenoid closes the gas supply line.
Why is the pilot light on my furnace not working?
The thermocouple is below the pilot light, but the flame is definitely touching it. The furnace is definitely over 30 years old and was likely installed in the 60’s. If their is a good flame on the thermocouple then it is a bad gas valve.
How do you replace a thermocouple?
Procedure for Replacing a Thermocouple. The only tool you need to replace a thermocouple is a wrench. Use it to unscrew the connector that holds the thermocouple to the gas valve, then unhook the probe from its clip and pull out the entire thermocouple assembly.
What is a bad thermocouple?
A bad thermocouple itself can prevent a gas furnace or boiler from working – if you can light the flame at the pilot manually but then the flame goes out when you release the manual gas feed valve, the thermocouple is probably bad.
How do you clean thermocouple on gas fireplace?
Use a piece of steel wool or the abrasive side of a sponge to gently remove the soot without damaging thermocouple. Avoid using cleaning products, especially those containing flammable chemicals. Use a pencil eraser to clean between the threads of the screw that attaches the thermocouple.
How do pilot lights work?
Pilot lights serve a fairly straightforward purpose in gas furnaces; they ignite the gas that’s flowing through the furnace in order to create heat. When the furnace is turned on, gas flows from a valve into the burner, where it is lit. A small amount of gas is also fed from a valve into the pilot light, which is how it keeps burning all the time.
