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Causes of the auto-ignition malfunction of gas water heaters and ways to fix them

 Why does my tankless water heater not work? How do you fix a water heater Ignitor? Can you manually light a gas water heater with electronic ignition? Why does my gas hot water heater keep turning off?

Causes of the auto-ignition malfunction of gas water heaters and ways to fix them
Causes of the auto-ignition malfunction of gas water heaters and ways to fix them


The heater is an important household device for providing hot water necessary for various household activities such as bathing and cleaning. The heaters differ in their types; Some of them depend on gas, and some of them are electric, and the first type depends in its work on continuous self-ignition that works all the time even when the heater is closed using a permanent flame (pilot light) that requires a small amount of gas, and the importance of the permanent flame lies in Being responsible for heating the thermocouple to form a small electric current in it that is sufficient to open the electromagnetic valve located in the gas control valve; So that a larger amount of gas flows and the process of heating the water in the heater begins, so the malfunction of these parts causes problems in heating the water and reduces the effectiveness of other parts of the heater and causes it to stop working.


Causes of auto ignition malfunction and ways to fix it


The permanent flame must remain lit in order for the heater to perform its function, and the following is a presentation of the reasons that lead to its extinguishing:


1. Blockage of the permanent flame tube


The tube provides the permanent burner with the gas it needs to start burning, and to continue burning throughout the day, so the accumulation of dirt and grease in it prevents the flow of an appropriate amount of gas to the combustion torch, and the tube can be cleaned by inserting a needle into the body of the permanent flame and removing the accumulated dirt so that the individual can Ignite it with a blue flame.


2. Warp of the gas supply tube


This tube is characterized by its flexibility thanks to its zigzags, and 
the tube gets complicated around itself due to the ease of movement, which will impede the flow of gas to the heater, and this problem can be fixed by loosening the knots in the tube.



3. Dirt collects on the thermocouple



The thermocouple is an electrical piece used to measure temperatures. It captures the electric current resulting from the heat of the permanent flame to ensure that it remains lit. The accumulation of dirt causes problems in capturing the electric current, which will cut off the gas flow from the permanent flame as a precautionary measure to protect against gas leakage. Solve this problem by following these steps:

- Leave the thermocouple until it becomes cold to the touch.

- Use sandpaper to remove the accumulated dirt from the duplexes.

- Change the double in case it does not work after cleaning it.



4. Thermocouple is damaged


The failure of the internal or external parts of the thermocouple causes its inability to measure the temperature as it should, and the problem may be the movement of the external parts from their correct place; As the sensor is shifted away from the permanent flame location, the problems of double damage can be solved by the following things:

- Note the location of the sensor, as it must be in contact with the permanent flame, and its location must be changed manually if it is far from the desired location.

- Use a digital multimeter (Multimeter) to read the voltage, as it should not be less than 20 millivolts, and a low reading indicates that the double is damaged and needs to be changed.



5. Main control valve problem



The absence of the heater from the previous problems indicates a malfunction in the main control valve responsible for the problem of self-ignition, and this problem can be solved by changing it with the help of specialists.


How to solve the problems of self-ignition and restart the heater


The problem of self-ignition can be fixed in the absence of damage to its parts by following the following steps, in order for the heater to start working and raise the temperature of the water as required:


1 - Ensure that the heater is connected to the electricity, and ensure the integrity of the heater plug, and change it if it is damaged, and close the electrical breaker responsible for the heater and restart it from the main electrical panel.

2 - Ensure that the gas valve is opened to the maximum position by opening it counterclockwise, usually next to or behind the heater.

3 - Open the front door of the thermocouple heater, tighten the loosened connections, and use the nut wrench to turn the thermocouple a quarter of a turn.

4 - Turn off the heater completely if the smell of gas appears around it, and seek the help of specialists to solve this problem.

5 - Choose the position (permanent burner) or the lowest temperature in the thermostat in case the gas does not smell.

6 - Close the gas control knob completely, then the external combustion chamber door under the gas control parts should be opened and left open for 5 minutes.

7 - Ensure that the atmosphere is free from the smell of gas, then the gas control knob must be rotated to the (Pilot) or (Light) position.

8 - Press the red piezo ignitor button several times in a row.

9 - Observe the permanent flame and make sure it starts igniting, and open the gas knob to the maximum position.

10 - Press the ignition button several times again.

11 - Close the combustion chamber door when the permanent burner is burning continuously.
Rotate the gas control knob to the ON position, and select the desired temperature using the thermostat.

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