water heater pilot light help?

[PolisherGuy]

I habe a 69 Inernational Land Yacht, It has a bowen water heater.
When a light the pilot ( the flame may be a little on the small side)
and turn the main burner to "on"... it lights up nicely for 40 seconds
and then everything goes out. What to do? I'm thinking maybe that the
main burner is blowing out the pilot and that I should adjust the pilot flame
a bit larger but I don't have a clue as how to do this.

Or do I need a new thermo couple ? I f so wwhere and wahay does iy look like?

Please help me folks.

[overlander63]

Hi, and welcome to the forums.
From what you describe, the flame either may not be large enough, or it is not in the sensor for the thermocouple, which cools off after you light the pilot. The thermocouple thinks the pilot has gone out, and shuts off the gas so your water heater (and you) don't become the first RVers on the Moon.
If your pilot light is not all the way under the sensor, it is a simple thing to move it so it is.

[Darol Ingalls]

Clean the thermocouple with a brass brush and adjust it so it is directly in the flame of the pilot light. There is an air adjustment on the main burner tube that can be adjusted to allow more/less combustion air to the main burner. If your water heater is original to the trailer, chances are that this air adjustment is rusted enough that you cannot adjust it. If the flame continues to blow out after you have cleaned the thermocouple, try taping off one of the slotted openings of the air adjustment. Use an aluminum foil tape. The tube does not get hot, but the foil tape sticks better. This should prevent the main burner from "blowing out" as it lights. If the flame is yellow instead of bright blue, remove the tape because yellow flame indicates inadequate air for combustion. You may also have corrosion or spider webs in the pilot light fuel tube. The pilot light orifice is so small that just about anything will plug it up. Take if off, clean it out with a very small wire (one strand of a fine steel brush usually fits in the hole), blow it out with an air hose and reinstall. Your pilot light flame may be larger and more "durable" after this cleaning. Expect this whole operation to take at least most of the day! Darol

[brunoffrance]

if it's always the genuine one, i advice you to replace it by a new one... No need buy a new tank, only the burning system. Mine original system burned from a gas leak in a scew so , with gaz, I'll not take risk.
For the anecdot, the new one ( ATWOOD) has the same symptoms as yours and it was factory default...

bruno.

[Silverhobby]

Originally Posted by Darol Ingalls

The pilot light orifice is so small that just about anything will plug it up. Take if off, clean it out with a very small wire (one strand of a fine steel brush usually fits in the hole), blow it out with an air hose and reinstall. Your pilot light flame may be larger and more "durable" after this cleaning. Expect this whole operation to take at least most of the day! Darol

Remove the orifice and soak it in regular rubbing alcohol to remove deposits. Then allow it to air dry. Poking a wire in it can damage the precision diameter of the orifice.

[Darol Ingalls]

Well, EXCUSE ME! Darol