There are two types of water heaters that any house or business can have: an electric or a gas water heater. With an AO Smith gas water heater, the pilot must be lit in order to heat the water properly, so what can be done if you are having problems with your unit?
If your AO Smith water heater is having pilot problems, confirm that the thermocouple is in the correct position and without rust, give the pilot light enough airflow to allow for combustible air but not too much that it will continually blow out, and check for voltage at the ignitor.
The pilot light may be small, but this little mechanism works in a very big way when it comes to the overall function of your AO Smith water heater. The pilot light is the flame which ignites the gas burner that is much more powerful, thus, heating your water as you like. If you own an AO Smith water heater and are experiencing problems with the pilot, read below to find the exact issue you are experiencing as well as the solution to remedy.
AO Smith Water Heater Pilot Problems
When complications arise for your AO Smith water heater, concern comes quickly to the front of your mind, as without hot water, many tasks become exceedingly difficult. Knowing the function of the pilot light is to ignite a more powerful burner, complications in this area can become even more pressing. If you have an AO Smith water heater and are having pilot light problems, continue reading below to see what can be done.
If your AO Smith water heater is having pilot problems, confirm that the thermocouple is in the correct position and without rust, give the pilot light enough airflow to allow for combustible air but not too much that it will continually blow out, and check for voltage at the ignitor.
AO Smith Water Heater Pilot Lights but Not Burner
As previously noted, the pilot light is essential in that it is used to light a larger burner which heats the water. Without the pilot light, the large burner will not light and thus, your water will not heat. If you go to light your pilot light and see that it is successful, but notice that the burner is not lighting, there is a disconnect somewhere that needs to be fixed. If you have an AO Smith water heater and the pilot will light, but the burner is not, read on.
If your AO Smith water heater pilot lights but the burner is not, it could be that the thermocouple is not positioned close enough to the pilot light. If not in the proper position, the gas control valve will not open which leads to the exposure of the burner.
AO Smith Water Heater Pilot Not Staying Lit
Whether you are at home or in the office actively using the hot water that your AO Smith water heater provides or you have set the water heater to vacation mode, the pilot light will always stay on so that the burner can be easily heated and thus, hot water can be distributed when needed. If the pilot light on your AO smith water heater is not staying lit and you are wondering what the cause of the problem could be, continue reading below.
If your AO Smith water heater pilot light is not staying lit, be sure there is enough ventilation around the pilot light, but not so much that the airflow is powerful enough to put it out. If this is not the issue, check that the thermocouple doesn’t have rust build up or is mispositioned.
AO Smith Water Heater Not Lighting
If for some reason, your AO Smith water heater does go out, you will be faced with the task of relighting the pilot light. This may seem like an intimidating process for some, but in all reality, lighting a pilot light is a very simplistic process that should only take a few seconds. However, if you go to light the pilot light and are not able to have success, what can be done to get this device to light so that you can have hot water once again?
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 7, 2022.
If your AO Smith water heater is not lighting, it could be a defective ignitor. When looking at the ignitor as it is receiving voltage, if the device does not glow, this is an indication that the ignitor is not functioning properly and should thus, be replaced.
AO Smith Water Heater Not Igniting/Won’t Spark
Very similar to the previous issue mentioned of an AO Smith water heater not lighting is the issue of this unit not igniting or sparking when one goes to light the pilot. An ignitor is used to light the pilot light, and as previously mentioned, if the ignitor does not glow when voltage is coming to the device, this indicates a defect with the ignitor and it should be replaced. What, then, are other possible causes for such a problem?
If your AO Smith water heater is not igniting or won’t spark, the pressure switch could be defective. This device works to signal the control board to keep the ignition process going. If the ignition is delayed, it could be that the pressure switch is defective and needs to be repaired or replaced.
AO Smith Water Heater No Blinking Light
As with many other appliances and other devices, there are indicator lights which help to tell users what is going on within and an AO Smith water heater is no exception. An AO Smith water heater will blink when the pilot light is on, however, if you notice that the pilot light is on and there is no blinking light on the water heater, what might be the cause of the lack of function?
If your AO Smith water heater has no blinking light, this could be an indication that an electrical issue exists within your heater. To see if this is the case, reset the water heater by pressing the reset button. Once the reset has taken place, see if the light blinks as it should.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on April 7, 2022.
If your AO Smith water heater is having pilot problems, check to make sure that the ignitor is glowing when receiving voltage, be sure the pressure switch is operating properly, look for any rust build up on the thermocouple, and reset the water heater.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 7, 2022.