I was gifted a used heater, it's the one that takes a 20lb tank. It's in very good shape, not abused, and hardly used, but I don't know the exact age. I could not get the pilot light to stay on, it would go out when I released the knob. I blew out the pilot light with compressed air and still it wouldn't work. I took it out completely, the whole assembly with the ignitor and thermocouple, blew it out some more and it worked. Took the tank back off so I could put the back shield back on and of course it went back to not working again.
How much does the thermocouple need to be into the flame? Or does it? Everything works if the stars are aligned just right, I just can't figure out what the alignment is.
Thanks for your help guys.
I don't know what type thermopile or thermocouple your heater has but there are images online that show how it should be adjusted.
I assume you have a thermopile (similar to a thermocouple but produces more electricity). If the pilot still goes out after adjusting the flame you should check the thermopile's output voltage. They die of old age and slowly produce less and less voltage with time until there isn't enough juice to hold the gas valve open.
Set your multimeter to DC volts and the lowest range scale if your select manually since you will be measuring a really tiny voltage. The thermopile should generate more than 350 millivolts but the exact voltage needed to make it work can vary. A new one will produce around 700 millivolts.
If you were given an old heater also check the electrical connections from the thermopile. The millivolt current generates by a thermopile is very weak and must have perfect electrical connections. The slightest bit of dirt or corrosion can cause it to not work.
That's strictly a standing pilot heater. No powered gas valve. The thermocouple must be in the flame.
If it doesn't get hot enough the pilot won't stay on.
That heater also uses an ODS (oxygen depletion) system that will shut the pilot down on lack of oxygen.
Purchased a used gas wall heater for my garage, the person I bought it from left all the connections and gas hose on it. The connection on the end of the hose doesn't look right to me, it's more like an air hose connection. I have no idea why the guy ran this heater in his home with a quick connect connector and it didn't leak. Am I right by saying this connection shouldn't be on this gas hose? Has anyone seen anything like this before?
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Hello group, I have recently acquired and installed a P50A and it worked good for a week or so.
Now it is clicking on startup and shutdown and the pilot has gone out a time or two.
I think the noise is coming from the gas valve but cannot quite tell for sure.
Any ideas would be great thanks.