I have a natural gas water heater that lights and gets water up to temperature but then it goes out.?

by Water Heaters on April 27, 2010

Yes I have a Kenmore Economizer 6 Natural Gas Water Heater and it will light and it gets the water up to temperature but then it goes out and I would like to know how to fix it myself please and thank you
The thermocouple and burner assembly with the gray box included has been replaced recently but its still continuing to do the same behavior as before.


Other Articles and Posts

Read Related Posts

    No related posts found

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Corky R April 27, 2010 at 7:22 pm

If the unit’s pilot burns long enough for the burner to ignite and heat the water, then the thermocouple is ok. You’ll need a new gas thermostat/valve assembly, the gray box on the side of the heater that has the on/off knob and the pilot button on top. Why it happens I don’t know and I’ve talked to several service managers of the companies who manufacture these things and they can’t tell me either, but, the small magnet inside, that is activated by the thermocouple and holds the gas valve open so the gas can flow into the burner, gets weak and releases it instead of holding on. When it does then the fire goes out on the pilot and it won’t relight when more hot water is called for. You’ll need to replace the whole valve assembly which simply screws into the side of the tank. The burner and themocouple and pilot feed lines all connect on the underside. Make sure you have the proper replacement for natural gas. Disconnect all the tubes from the under side of the valve, drain the water from the tank, unscrew the old valve and install the new valve in that hole. Reconnect all the tubes below and it should be fixed.

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: