You can also eliminate obstructions in the pilot tube as a possible cause by turning off the gas, unscrewing the pilot tube from the gas valve and blowing compressed air from a can through the tube. It will secure your own safety. The thermocouple on your appliance is with the pilot light. To gain access to the pilot burner, pull the door out of the furnace housing. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Install The New Thermocouple 06. Step 3: If the pilot flame won't stay lit after several tries, it should be adjusted by a professional. Unscrew the thermocouple from the gas valve and have a helper hold the gas control knob to keep the pilot burning. Then attach the black clamp to the gas valve. Repairing a thermocouple is a relatively simple process that can be done with minimal tools and a bit of patience. 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. For a basic test, attempt to turn on the pilot light again. Your email address will not be published. Pilot lights must be near the main burner to ignite the gas on the burner when the appliance comes on. The idea is to make that sensor portion really hot. Several things can cause the thermocouple to fail to operate properly. Then, when the pilot is burning brightly, release the reset button. Always double check to make certain that the thermocouple that you have in question is of the same match, style and calibration type for the application / equipment that you are using. Open the plug and see if one of the wires has been twisted off. I disconnected the wires from the plug pins, cleaned more fuzz out of the way, and untwisted the wires. Step 5: Screw the nut tightly into place, but do not overtighten it. Remove your thermocouple from the heater using an 8mm wrench. Multiple connections should be avoided in order to improve accuracy. A few quick steps can have your gas appliance back in operation. So, I have prepared a broad discussion to find out the actual reason. 30 July 2020. Use a can of compressed air to gently blow away any dust and dirt from the thermocouple. Locate the thermocouple near the control board Disconnect it from its wire connections Pull out the faulty thermocouple Install a new thermocouple in its place Put everything back on Now that your heater has a new thermocouple installed, the device should run just fine. You can test this yourself using a multimeter, but you may need a helper to keep the pilot flame burning while you do it. Make sure that the wiring is protected with insulation and is not damaged or broken anywhere in the circuit. If youre still unsure or dont have a working pilot light, test the thermocouple with a multimeter. You will need a wrench, multi-meter, and a flame source, like a candle or a lighter, to perform the test. Compatible Thermocouple Calibration Type? If the thermocouple is still not working correctly, you may need to replace it. If there is no current from the thermocouple, the appliance will not let the gas valve open. You should hear a clicking sound as the igniter fires, and then the burner should light. You can test this yourself using a multimeter, but you may need a helper to keep the pilot flame burning while you do it. Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. 2. Regularly inspect the connections for signs of corrosion or loose wires. Step 2: Locate your thermocouple. Does Citronella Actually Help Keep Bugs Away? Remove the valve using your pliers. Gevorg Grigorian. Sometimes youll notice tour appliances arent lighting or lighting sporadically. Sometimes the problem is simply that the thermocouple probe is too far from the flame. customerservice@temprel.com. Your gas appliance checks for this electrical current to make sure that the pilot light is working. Take off the valve housing aside through a 133mm socket wrench. This end appears needle-shaped and is designed to take on heat, so put the tip into the flame. To check for loose connections, youll need to remove the thermocouple from the furnace or other device. The plug end was indeed shorted. The job of the thermocouple is to keep the pilot lit. Ive been using the K-type thermocouple with my multimeter to measure the temperatures. Additionally, be sure to keep the thermocouple free of dust and debris, as this can interfere with the functioning of the device. drawings. Remove the thermopile wiring connector from the gas control. I recently bought a new soldering iron, and have been familiarizing myself with it and learning what temperature it takes to do what. If a thermocouple tests at 25 millivolts or lower, it doesnt have the power to keep a pilot lit and it should be replaced. Normal business hours only. Stocking the largest selection of appliance parts, heating, plumbing, lighting, and janitorial supplies, AMRE ships almost anywhere in Canada within 24 - 48 hours. This is what a cheap K-type thermocouple looks like: Note that the wires to the thermocouple (the little metal ball at the end of the cable there in the upper left corner of the picture) are bare - they can easily be shorted by bending or twisting the wires. Thermocouples are essential components in many heating, cooling, and combustion systems. To bypass the thermocouple: Move the tilts switch wire aside. [8] The tube connects to the gas valve below the pilot light. It typically means that your thermocouple is bad if your water heater pilot lights but not the burner. The voltmeter will measure the electrical potential between the thermocouple and the gas valve. To test the thermocouple, it must be hot. Next, take your meter and set it to ohms. This article has been viewed 100,018 times. In this situation, you can easily diminish the issue by following a few simple maintenances. Now that is working again, it shows about 15 ohms. Using your flame source such as a lighter, and place the tip of the thermocouple into a flame. Use any type of steel wool or emery cloth to wipe off any dirt. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Fortunately, repairing a thermocouple is a relatively simple process that requires minimal tools and a bit of patience. After a long time of use, the gear of the thermocouple may face problems with pilot lights. How To Get Rid Of The Made In China Smell 7 Methods to Try! You should be done in under 20 minutes. Take the two leads from the meter and touch themthe meter should read zero. Turn off the fireplace gas valve and remove the front panel from the fireplace. The pilot can go out for a number of other reasons, however, so if you're having trouble getting the pilot to stay lit, the thermocouple may not be at fault. Since no flame is required to burn all the time, auto-igniters are less expensive to operate. Water Heater Maintenance: Extend Water Heater Life Step 2 Burner assembly Remove the burner assembly and detach the thermocouple. Call for details. Lastly, observe the reading of the voltage meter. Sometimes the sporadic movement of the thermocouple can also shake its position. If the thermocouple wiring is bare, missing insulation and is touch together anywhere between the sensing - probe end, and the connection points, the thermocouple will read at the area where the bare wiring is touching together. If the resistance measurement shows an open circuit, look closely at the thermocouple itself. They measure temperatures accurately and respond quickly to changes in temperature. Contact an appliance repair service to check the igniters. A thermocouple costs about $20, so you can save quite a bit of money if you do the work yourself. Use a lighter or torch to hold a flame under this end. It is often colored silver or red. If the thermocouple wiring is bare, missing insulation and is touch together anywhere between the sensing - probe end, and the connection points, the thermocouple will read at the area where the bare wiring is touching together. *** For Informational Purposes Only. "Very clear and simple drawings make it easy to learn the basics in a short time. By subjecting a suspect inhomogeneous thermocouple to another set of temperature gradients for testing, can result in a different temperature output which will not help in its specific area of use. If so, strip back some of the insulation, cut both bare wires to the same length, and reattach the wires. Performing a few simple inspections and maintenance may solve your thermocouple problem without the need to install a new thermocouple. How To Replace Thermocouple On Ge Water Heater, Your email address will not be published. Reading the voltage level is the last step to find out the real cause. Contact us for complete details. The first step in repairing a thermocouple is to identify the problem. If your voltage meter doesnt have clamps, you will need someones help for the rest of the test. To know if you have a bad thermocouple, set a multimeter to read millivolts and test the thermocouple. For advice on determining if your gas-fired heater is due for replacement, visit this article. Next, use a multimeter to check for continuity of the heater zones. Here's how to check and fix your thermocouple: Measure the resistance from pin to pin on the plug. Mine showed pretty much zero ohms from pin to pin, so at least it wasnt an open circuit. Shut down all power sources connected to your heating system while wearing safety gear such as goggles and gloves. The desired voltage should be around 30 to 40 millivolts. Most of the gears set the thermocouple with a spring lamp. It should be low, but definitely not a dead short. Such as the gas heater, auto ignitor, and pilot light. By using this Site, you accept and agree that following any information or recommendations provided therein and all channels of digital content is at your own risk. If the igniter has a pilot hole, move a sewing needle carefully around inside the hole to loosen any trapped material. Lastly, observe the reading of the voltage meter. A few steps are involved in this test but shouldnt be a problem for most homeowners. Before jumping to the conclusion that the thermocouple is at fault, look at the pilot flame. It can be a pressing problem in your gas-fired heater. Make sure that the wiring is protected with insulation and is not damaged or broken anywhere in the circuit. Mostly, they are connected through a thin copper tube. While buying the voltmeter, try to get one with the clamps. 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