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waterheaterrescue.com > Forums > The Tank > New GE Gas Water Heater - Pilot won't stay lit until tank te |
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waterheaterrescue.com > Forums > The Tank > New GE Gas Water Heater - Pilot won't stay lit until tank te |
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| New GE Gas Water Heater - Pilot won't stay lit until tank te | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16th, 2008 12:56 am |
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21st Post |
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Sailor Member 
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I just installed a GG40506AVJ00 and - although the pilot lights - it will not stay lit. When the red pilot lighting button is released, the flame immediately dies. I'm intimidated by the sealed compartment and the extra safety devices in the gas valve. I decided to immediately buy another and swap the units tomorrow after I got poor service responses from GE. Today, on Tuesday, the earliest a plumbing service could look at it was next Monday! (and then probably order parts!). The wait for tank emptying will be used to disconnect the gas, the vent, and undo the water supply unions (yes, it is nice to have them!) and remove the risers from the tank. I'll return the bad tank to Home Depot and let the chips fall where they may. I'll post tomorrow what the result is.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 3rd, 2008 02:56 pm |
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22nd Post |
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authoritym Member
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EASY FIX FOR COMBUSTION SAFETY DEVICE. Do not attempt this fix unless you are familiar with the way these new heaters work. They must have proper ventalation. At the top "funnel" vent and around the bottom where you will see many small holes. This is where the heater pulls in combustion air. Keep these holes clean as over time dust can clog them causing your heater to shut-off. If the safety device ''trips'' the heater will not work again. You cannot buy the little glass viles that hold a spring loaded door open just below the combustion chamber. You can however by-pass this device by removing the burner assembly and using a pair of nedle nose pliers reach in and bend the metal bracket that held the glass vile. Bend it so that it now holds open the spring loaded combustion air door open. Your heater should now stay lit. Please take not that not all heaters have the type of safety device that this will work on. MAKE SURE YOUR HEATER HAS PROPER VENTALATION!!!!
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| Posted: Wed Dec 3rd, 2008 11:50 pm |
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23rd Post |
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Ej Member
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authoritym wrote: You can however by-pass this device by removing the burner assembly and using a pair of nedle nose pliers reach in and bend the metal bracket that held the glass vile. Bend it so that it now holds open the spring loaded combustion air door open. You have now just voided any warranty and worse assumed all responsibilities past and future for any harm that might come to you or your family from a malfunction water heater. My family is worth more than $500.00 No thanks!
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| Posted: Fri Dec 5th, 2008 03:30 pm |
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24th Post |
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authoritym Member
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Do not attempt this fix unless you are familiar with the way these new heaters work. They must have proper ventalation. At the top "funnel" vent and around the bottom where you will see many small holes. This is where the heater pulls in combustion air. Keep these holes clean as over time dust can clog them causing your heater to shut-off. There are millions of heaters still in service built prior to 2002. For the past 60+ years these type water heaters set on small legs and combustion air is drawn up through the bottom. These new heaters set flat on the floor. Actually the new heaters are suppose to be 18'' above the floor. Combustion air is drawn in through small holes in the lower side. The problem with the older heaters was that some people would ignorantly store combustables too close to the heater. Heavier than air fumes from these could be drawn across the floor and cause a fire. Some manufacturers came up with this glass vile device as a cheap "fix". If flames come in contact with the glass vile heat will cause it to shatter. Unfortunantely these things will break even if the heater in installed properly. If you move the heater and bump or drop it even a few inches you can break the glass vile rendering the heater useless. Most people dont find this out until they have spent hours installing it and then find out the unit will not light. Then you have a choice. Call for warranty service and hope a tech will show up within a week only to tell you that the entire unit will have to be replaced. If they discover the broken glass vile they will then assume that the unit was installed without proper ventaltion, or you dropped it. You cannot replace the glass vile once it's broken. Or you can Uninstall the heater drain the tank and take it back to Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, or wherever you bought it and tell them it doesn't work, and start over. Or if you are financially prosperous you can pay a good licensed plumber do the installation and never have to worry about visiting sites like this ever again. As far as voiding the warranty you wont. You can simply call with the model and serial# and the manufacturer will send you whatever part you need free of charge (except of course the tiny 2 cent glass vile.) I wouldn't mention the broken glass vile to the person at the warranty department. They will tell you the water heater must be replaced and start asking questions about who installed it? A licensed plumber?? Was it dropped? Was it 18" above the floor? And on and on. You can't even see the vile unless you completly remove the entire burner assembly which by the way is a lot harder that it use to be. So a person who is unfamiliar with these type heaters will probably never realize this little vile exists.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 6th, 2008 06:04 pm |
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25th Post |
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eleent Member
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Hello: This is more of a ramble than a response. The little glass vial is one component in one way of building a safer heater. Other manufacturers have developed approaches that do not seem quite so delicate. Poor venting, that never caused trouble before, now allows the combustion chamber to get hot enough to break that vial or trip a switch or melt a fusible link. Dust or lint, clogs up air passages which were not always designed to be accessible for cleaning. This slows air flow, just like a short vent pipe and causes that overheating. Plumbers, homeowners and handymen are out there trying to deal with this new reality of delicate and finicky heaters. Some of the "fixes" they come up with are safe and some aren't. It's easy to bypass safety devices, but that's unsafe, short term thinking. If someone wants you to do the quick and dirty fix, try and educate them about the safe fix and if they won't hear you, it's time to walk away. In the 1920s, "Plumbers protect the health of the nation." was a common slogan. It's still true. Plumbers do more to prevent disease than all of the doctors, by providing clean water and removing waste efficiently. It's important to remember that safety, in all of it's many forms is still our job. Thankyou for listening  Yours, Larry
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| Posted: Tue Dec 9th, 2008 12:26 am |
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26th Post |
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vocalone23 Member
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I have the same exact problem i believe, the pilot will not stay lit. GE TANK #PG50T09AVH00 My home has 3 GIRLS no hot water and i haven't figured this thing out yet  . The (glass vial) thing i 've read about under the burner is still intact and the tank gets plenty of venting. I would hold down the pilot and light but as soon as the button is released the flame will die. Before i would light it and it would hold for the burner to light but as soon as it cycles no more flame and out it goes again. I wonder if it is the Valve/Thermostat that needs replacing. Help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Family needing hot water....
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| Posted: Tue Dec 9th, 2008 02:46 am |
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27th Post |
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Ej Member
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If your pilot would stay lite for short periods and now it will not light at all then I would go with a new thermostat valve. You have a 9 year warranty on parts so be aware.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 9th, 2008 01:39 pm |
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28th Post |
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Sailor Member
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Sailor wrote: I just installed a GG40506AVJ00 and - although the pilot lights - it will not stay lit. When the red pilot lighting button is released, the flame immediately dies. Well - it is 8 months later - but here is the result. Home Depot exchanged the tank with no problem. They did not seem surprised at the problem nor the poor GE service response! The new heater went in easily and operated/operates just fine. If I had to guess I would think that the faulty gas valve caused by a manufacturing defect or over-doping during installation - or a broken glass vial caused by mis-handling during the storage/shipment process were the problem cause - but we will never know. Purchasing tanks that are in original boxes that are in perfect condition might be a way of avoiding the broken glass vial problem? Sailor
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| Posted: Tue Dec 9th, 2008 04:12 pm |
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29th Post |
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elenano GCF-GL
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But how would you know it hadn't been dropped by SOMEone, SOMEplace in transit? That probably wouldn't result in noticeable external damage. No, this is just a problem that will be out there and that people have to deal with periodically. Randy Schuyler
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10th, 2008 08:41 am |
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30th Post |
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vocalone23 Member
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I was told it should have warranty but when i called GE they were saying it was the venting. The side should be clear of everything and also check the vent hood. Yeah right!! thats just fine i knew and i also knew i was being jerked around by customer service rep that was reading some old procedure manual on desktop(OLD needs Updating) These tanks after reading have issues even more than i figured before researching my issue. I will call back tommorrow about this and let you guys know what they say in response....ThermoC is broken i bet Attachment: UGly Face lol].jpg (Downloaded 65 times)
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11th, 2008 02:53 am |
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31st Post |
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Ej Member
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For such a handsome guy you need to call back and be a little more assertive. Tell them your venting has been the same for your previous water heater that worked just fine for the last 15 years!
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| Posted: Sun Jan 18th, 2009 06:22 pm |
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32nd Post |
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SJHomeHandyMan Member
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I had the same problem and called GE 800 number. First they ask me to remove the main burner and look for the glass vial. I called them back after finding the glass vial missing. After querying me about the situation the young girl on the other end concluded that my old flute had too many bends in it and it needs to be straight up. But she offered me a one time replacement without labor. Of course I complaint that would put a pipe thru the dinning room about a foot from the wall. I called Home Depot and they confirmed that had the 40 gal 12 year warranty water heater in stock and gave me a contract plumber number to call. They offered to come out the next day and install the replacement tank. The labor to do this was $359, $121 for the local city permit, $53 for one flight of stairs, $199 for an expansion tank required by new city code. So it was relatively painless.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 1st, 2009 02:51 am |
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33rd Post |
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ulbhpy Member 
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I also got a GE 50 gallon gas water heater (smart sense with 12 year warranty). It replaced a working 16 year old water heater just after Christmas 08 as a preventive step. Big mistake. I wish I had done better research. It is May and the pilot keeps turning off every 2-4 days. I called GE support (I guess it is Rheem). They said to check flume over the water heater and gas pressure to water heater. It is summer and the only thing running on gas is this water heater. When I questioned the rep, she said is it hot weather, which it is. She said she cannot do anything as they think it not getting enough air/exhaust. She questioned if I installed it myself or a plumber. It was installed by a plumber. I think it is baloney. From this thread I believe it could be pipe dope on thermostat or gas valve. I think GE customer support simply does not stand by their product. Is the thermostat pipe dope some thing I can clean up myself. Do I need to empty the tank (of course I will turn off gas at valve and gas line). Thank you folks.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 1st, 2009 01:19 pm |
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34th Post |
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Ej Member
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I would set up a small table fan a few feet away from the heater on low and run it for a few days to see if the fan can supply better combustion air. Also checking the screen in the bottom of the heater for any blockage might help bring more air. Pipe dope will not make your pilot go out. You either have a problem with the thermocouple, thermostat, or combustion air. What happens with combustion air is the intake screens get dirty and the amount of air that is need is reduced that passes through the screen. When the burner comes on it robs the air from the pilot taking the heat away from the thermocouple. Sometime the burner heat is enough to keep the thermocouple satisfied until the thermostat reaches temp and shuts down the burner. Now with no pilot it will not restart.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 1st, 2009 07:28 pm |
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35th Post |
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ulbhpy Member
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Thank you Ej. I did not have any issues for about 4 months (cooler weather). There is nothing within 2-3 feet of these air intake holes. I will also try putting a fan towards the air intake. I have wiped the exterior holes with a damp paper towel. Is there a better way to clean the air intake holes or filter in these GE water heaters?
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| Posted: Mon Jun 1st, 2009 11:57 pm |
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36th Post |
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Ej Member
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The exterior holes that you wiped down are the easy ones to get to. Take a soft bristle brush and run it across the holes. The inside the burner chamber flame arrestor or screen is where the holes are very small. So any fine dust that enters the outer screen will catch on the inner and slow down the combustion air. Place a fan as described and this will tell us what is going on.
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| Posted: Wed Jun 3rd, 2009 08:06 pm |
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37th Post |
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averageJoe Member
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I have been in the commercial equipment repair service for many years, and have installed many water heaters. Recently my brother in laws G.E. 30 gallon water heater went out, and my wife volunteered my services. I figured that his pilot light problem was simply operator error and that I would have his heater up and running in a matter of minutes....After testing the componets, and swaping out the t-stat, I realized that I was in the middle of a nightmare...Lucky for me, I noticed tiny shards of glass in the combustion chamber, and after a couple minutes online I came across this forum..Until now, I have never even of heard of such a safety device..(The glass vial that holds the combustable air intake damper open) I can easily see how many a plumber, service tech, etc..have been left scratching their heads....From reading everyones input, (which I found very helpful) I wonder why the people on the other end of the 800 #, dont seem to mention this glass device as often as they maybe should.....anyhow, I took the time to register, just to let everyone know that AS LONG AS YOUR GE WATER HEATER IS UNDER WARRANTY. THE HOME DEPOT WILL ISSUE YOU A GIFT CARD IN LIEU OF A NEW WATER HEATER. My brother in law brought his back to the home depot, without a reciept. Told them that he had already purchased a replacement heater elseware, being that he was very unhappy with his GE, that is exclusivly available at the Home Depot, and they handed him a $550.00 gift card. Come to find out most H.D. managers are not even aware of this policy..Just tell them to call corporate, if you get any flack....Hope this helps some of you!!!!
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| Posted: Wed Jun 3rd, 2009 08:53 pm |
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38th Post |
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ulbhpy Member
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Ej, The fan seems to have helped. So far pilot is still on. Does this mean that some screen or flame arrester inside is getting clogged in about 5 months? I saw your recommendation for Kenmore heater that also included ensuring radiant shield is not touching the bottom. Is there a procedure to open the burner in GE water heaters and brush/clean/vacuum something? Since it is not a safety issue CPSC will not help force GE/Rheem to fix anything. Attic has insulation, dust, etc that will eventually clog this stupid design. It is not easy for average home owner to spend another $500 to rip and replace this thing (and who knows what the other brands have in store). I am reading problems with Rheem, GE, Whirlpool, Kenmore/AO Smith. Is there a water heater in market that is reliable like my previous one that lasted 16 years with little or no maintenance. If so I may consider returning GE to HD for store credit like suggested. Thanks.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 4th, 2009 01:49 am |
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39th Post |
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Ej Member
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If your in a low nox county then you are out of luck. We can make your current heater work a little better once it gets cleaned up. You need to get this done soon before the TRD breaks and your heater is no longer good. Your heater is different than the Kenmore. You will need to remove the burner assy. To do this you will need to get a gasket kit first from Rheem. They use a fiberglass gasket that falls apart completely when the burner is removed. Let me know when you get it.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 8th, 2009 05:05 am |
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40th Post |
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ulbhpy Member
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I am picking up a Rheem door gasket locally tomorrow. Ej, Any instructions you can give me will help me clean flame arrester, and adjust radiant shield of this GE-Rheem unit are appreciated. Thanks. PS: What I have is GE-Rheem SG50T12AVG (23" diameter) and plumber had to cut open the attic entrance to get it up there. The builder put a 21" wide path after installing the original water heater. Is GE-Rheem SG50T12AVG same as Rheem Guardian RHG PRO50-40F?
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