So, over the 4th of July, I attempted to light the pilot light on the water heater for the camper we got last fall. No dice. The propane flows to the stove top as we can manually light the top burners. Also, the heat works on propane no issues either. I worked in plumbing and boilers, so lighting a pilot light is not foreign to me. I can't even get a flame to light from the pilot. I can't smell any gas from the pilot either. I was told that if I ran the heat for a few minutes, that the propane would clear any air bubbles in the line. I tried that, and got nothing. It's a 96 forest river 30' Wildwood. I'll be headed up to the camper this weekend to try to get hot water going. rottiman TurboDiesel , or anyone else? Thanks in advance! Tom
There are the "obvious" things to check so I wont mention those, but my parents former place has a gas heater for a 4 season patio. EVERY YEAR, we had to take the plate that holds the pilot off and evict the spiders family. Also had to do the main burner orifice as well. Got to the point we didnt even try lighting it without going thru the eviction process.
I'm guessing some kind of bug nest also. (After my BIL froze up his camper he had to replace the cracked water heater. He had the gas line apart over night and something got into it and had it plugged tight when he put it back together. I had the copper tube off from the tee under the camper to the heater and had to blow it out with compressed air. Nest was at the tee end of the tubing (about 5' from water heater). What ever was in there flew across the yard but I couldn't tell what it was. )
When you hold a flame over the pilot orifice....does it flicker the flame (I.E. have air/gas movement)?
No, there's nothing. Which has me thinking it's wasps, spiders, or something like that. The element for electrical heating of the water is burnt out, so I'll need to break out the compressor. My parents have a small pancake one up north. That should do it.
Iirc the valve that opens for the gas needs a certain voltage in order to open. Low battery means it won't open. Fan will run, but it'll never open the flow of gas. Test on ac power if possible, and test voltage to the valve. Mine quit years ago. I just use a buddy heater. But all yall saying critters in the tube are on it also....happened to me every year too.
