Can't relight pilot light


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Old 08-22-16, 10:34 AM
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Can't relight pilot light

manufacturer: A.O. Smith
model: Conservationist
model number: XGV 40 100

Can't relight pilot light

The pilot light went out in my hot water heater. I followed the directions printed on it to relight it, properly aspirating the fuel and then pressing the ignitor button 4 or 5 times, but the pilot light just won't come on. What should I do?
 
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Old 09-18-16, 08:56 AM
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its ok to click that button a ton of times. continuously click it over and over for 30 seconds. if theres no spark use a long lighter to manually light it. if the pilot lights and doesnt stay light replace your thermocouple
 
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Old 09-19-16, 09:41 AM
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Are you sure you held down the pilot button long enough (usually at least 60 seconds) first and holding it down for another 60 seconds if/when the pilot light came on?

If the combustion chamber is sealed with the hatch cover screwed on then wait an hour and try again.

Do not keep clicking the igniter button over and over; you will wear out the igniter.

Waiting an hour lets a sealed combustion chamber air out.

If the pilot light lasts for only a few minutes or the burner comes on for only a second then a safety damper may have slammed shut to keep flammable vapors such as from spilled cleaning fluit from seeping in from the outside. Fixing this requires opening a sealed hatch and replacing a few parts. While waiting for parts, the heater might actually work correctly (except for not blocking noxious vapors from outside it) with the hatch left ajar with the gasket removed (that needs replacement too) to leave a wider gap.

(Inspecting the burner or lighting using a match or stick or replacing the thermocouple or igniter also requires opening the hatch and replacing the gasket if there is one.)
 

Last edited by AllanJ; 09-19-16 at 10:01 AM.
 

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