A good number of electronic ignition water heaters come with spark electrodes that trigger the authentic ignition. It incredibly operates by intermittent high-voltage sparks or sending signals. The pilot will only be lighted when the signal is attained.
How does electronic ignition work on a furnace?
Electronic ignition only utilizes energy when the furnace, boiler, or water heater calls for heat. Most modern electronic ignition systems use direct ignition to the main burner. However, there are indirect electronic ignition systems that will automatically light a pilot.
Why is my electronic ignition water heater not working?
If your electronic ignition water heater, will not light, then it could be a loose wire, the ignition may not be getting the correct voltage, or you may just need to try lighting it more than once. If none of these is the issue, it could be something more advanced, like a bad thermocouple.
How do you light an ignition water heater?
How Do You Light an Electronic Ignition Water Heater? 1 Locate the igniter button. 2 Press and hold down the button. 3 Listen for the click and ignition. Your igniter should light the gas directly if it is a hot surface ignition. You will... More ...
Is there a reset button on a water heater igniter?
If you are having a problem with your igniter lighting your water heater, then chances are it is not a problem that resetting it will fix. If your hot water heater does have a high-temperature reset button, it should be used when the temperature is above 180 degrees.
How does a electric igniter work on a gas water heater?
Standing pilots and piezo igniters The pilot light generates the small burning flame that is used to light the main gas burner. It works together with the thermocouple, which must be in contact with the flame all the time. The thermocouple senses the heat, which creates a small electrical current.
Can you manually light a water heater with electric ignition?
* Caution: Most modern water heaters no longer use standing pilots. They use electronic ignition to ignite the gas. Do not attempt to manually light an electronic ignition system.
Does electronic ignition water heater have a thermocouple?
An electronic water heater only uses energy when the heater or a boiler calls for heat, making it so helpful in saving energy. Their gas systems do not use thermocouples or thermopiles to prove the flame.Aug 1, 2021
Can you manually light a gas water heater with electronic pilot?
* Caution: Most modern water heaters no longer use standing pilots. They use electronic ignition to ignite the gas. Do not attempt to manually light an electronic ignition system.Apr 22, 2020
How do I light the pilot light on my electronic ignition?
How to Relight a Pilot Light: 5 StepsFind the pilot light assembly and its reset switch. The furnace's pilot light is usually positioned at the bottom of the unit by a knob. ... Set the reset switch to off. Turn the knob to the “Off” setting. ... Wait a moment. ... Relight the pilot light. ... Observe the furnace.
How do you bypass the igniter on a water heater?
Lighting with No IgniterTake a long lighter to reach the pilot. ... Remove the plate attached below the dial box. ... Switch Pilot to OFF.Wait for a while, – 5-10 minutes until there won't be any gas.Change the temperature to LOW, and switch to Pilot.Push ON/OFF dial down, and simultaneously use the lighter.More items...•Dec 3, 2020
Do electronic ignition stoves have pilot lights?
Stoves with electric pilot lights or electronic ignition do not have pilot lights that burn continually. These stoves are designed to light when the burners are turned on and the electronic ignition is activated. Typically, this produces a small spark that ignites the gas as it is released to the burner.Sep 26, 2017
What is electronic ignition system?
Electronic ignition system is the type of ignition system that uses electronic circuit, usually by transistors controlled by sensors to generate electronic pulses which in turn generate. Better spark that can even burn the lean mixture and provide better economy & lower emission.
Why does my water heater not stay lit?
Thermocouple Issues If it senses that your water heater pilot light keeps going out, the thermocouple will shift off the gas supply to the heater. Over time, thermocouples can malfunction, accumulate dust buildup, or the device can get bent away from the pilot light's flame.May 13, 2021
How do you start a electric hot water heater?
Electric water heaters don't have a pilot, so the process is simple. First, make sure the breaker that controls the water heater is switched off. Check for any open valves or faucets and close them. Then, turn on the cold water to let the hot water tank fill.May 14, 2021
Is there a pilot light on an electric water heater?
There's no gas or pilot light involved in electric water heaters. If the power to your electric water heater is off, you may have an electrical issue requiring professional assistance. You will not need to reignite the water heater if you have a newer model equipped with an automatic pilot light.Jan 28, 2020
How do you light a gas heater with electronic pilot?
If you have a gas furnace, here are the steps on how to light a pilot light.First, locate the pilot valve on the furnace. ... Find the gas valve and turn it to the "off" position. ... Turn the valve to the “pilot” position.Press and hold the reset button.If the reset button fails, ignite the lighter.More items...
How to light a gas igniter?
Lighting a hot surface ignition: Locate the igniter button. Press and hold down the button. Listen for the click and ignition.
Why does my igniter throw codes?
The control board will throw a code if there is a problem with the voltage. The board uses blinking lights, to identify which code is being thrown. You will need to check your user’s manual, to find out which of the blinking lights, and codes, are causing the problem with your igniter.
What happens if the main control valve is bad?
If the main control valve is bad, your water heater igniter will not be able to light the pilot, no matter how many times you try. The only way for you to troubleshoot your main control valve is to rule out all of the other issues on our list of common problems.
What happens if you have too much voltage in a water heater?
If you are getting too much voltage, (over 125 VAC) it can cause your igniter to fail. Use your multimeter, to test how much voltage is going to the igniter. Most new electric igniter water heaters will have a control board. The control board will throw a code if there is a problem with the voltage.
What is an induced draft water heater?
Induced draft water heater. An induced draft water heater is a type of water heater that uses a small fan, to draw the combustion gas from the combustion chamber. Induced draft water heaters use an intermittent pilot or hot surface ignition instead of a standing pilot light. Condensing water heater.
What to do if water heater is not working?
When you have a problem with your water heater, you will need to do some troubleshooting and some testing. Sometimes it may be an easy fix, such as a loose wire, other times, it may be something more advanced, such as a bad thermocouple.
What happens when a secondary exchanger turns into water?
The secondary exchanger, then cools the gas vapor, until it turns into water. You will need to know whether your hot water heater uses an intermittent pilot, or a hot surface ignition so that you can properly address the issues with the igniter.
What is the difference between direct and indirect ignition?
However, there are indirect electronic ignition systems that will automatically light a pilot. Once that pilot flame proves, the electronic ignition system turns the gas onto the main burners. The pilot light can then light the main burners.
What is a standing pilot ignition system?
A standing pilot ignition system has a pilot light assembly and a thermocouple or thermopile. The two, thermocouple and thermopile are different but produce the same result. That is always proving the flame. The flame keeps the thermocouple or thermopile hot.
What is a millivolt ignition system?
A millivolt ignition system is a method of igniting gas furnaces, gas logs, and gas-fired water heaters. They utilize either a thermocouple or thermopile. These devices, when heated, provide the millivolts to a pilot solenoid valve in a gas valve. Thus the pilot light burning to heat the thermocouple or thermopile.
How does a pilot light work?
When the main burner extinguishes, the pilot light continues burning. It works using a thermocouple device. The thermocouple device, when heated, provides a small amount of voltage to a pilot solenoid valve. If the flame goes out, the voltage stops, and the pilot valve closes.
What is a problem with a pilot gas ignition system?
Most often, if there is a problem with the standing pilot gas ignition system, it is with the thermocouple or thermopile. These flame-proofing components need to replacing when that happens. However, there are situations where the pilot gas line gets fouled or clogged with debris or trash. In that case, the blockage will not permit the proper amount of gas to the pilot tip. A thorough cleaning of the pilot assembly is in order in this situation.
What is a standing pilot gas valve?
They are reliable and effective to safely light the main burners of a gas furnace, boilers, or water heaters. While the standing pilot gas ignition systems are prone to problems with proper maintenance, the standing pilot gas ignition systems are reliable for many years. Especially if proper and routine maintenance happens on these systems.
What happens when the power goes out on a gas valve?
The thermocouple or thermopile provides the power to the gas valve. When the power goes out, you can still have hot water. Possibly heat, but only if you have a steam boiler with a gravity-fed condensate piping return for the boiler. If you have a standing pilot hot water boiler or furnace, you are out of luck.
Why is there no spark in my water heater?
When the igniter is pressed down, it releases a spark which ignites the gas. If there is no spark, it could be because of an issue with the entire igniter. Loose wire connections.
How to ignite a pilot on a gas heater?
When you hold down the pilot switch on a gas heater and click the igniter button repeatedly, a small spark should ignite the pilot. However, if the pilot flame will not light after you click the igniter, you need to verify that a spark is happening inside the pilot. When the piezo igniter is pressed down and released, ...
What happens when a piezo igniter is pressed down?
When the piezo igniter is pressed down and released, an electric spark is produced to light the primary gas burner in the water heater. The electrode should release a spark simply by pressing the piezo igniter. If the spark electrode won’t produce a spark, the electrode itself is likely defective and needs replacing.
What is a pilot light on a water heater?
The pilot light in your water heater is a small device that is designed to provide the flame to light the gas released out of the gas valve and main burner. Whether your water heater is running or not, in some water heaters, the pilot light is always burning while using a minute amount of gas. Once heating is required, the gas control valve will ...
What happens if the igniter switch is broken?
A broken electrode. When the igniter switch is pressed down, the electrode is what releases the spark. If the electrode is faulty or broken, there won’t be a spark. In this case, you’ll need to replace the electrode entirely. Carbon deposits and/or grime on the pilot light.
Why does my water heater pilot light go out?
Low gas pressure or a defective gas control valve may result in the pilot light going out frequently. If you suspect that this is the case, you will need to contact a water heater repair person or your gas company to correct it. Air in the gas line.
Why won't my water heater pilot light?
This issue is most likely caused by one of the following: The gas valve on the gas supply pipe may be shut off. Verify that this valve is open.
What is a hot surface igniter?
Hot Surface Ignition. A hot surface igniter has the ability to get incredibly hot quickly via electricity. It works a bit like a light bulb filament, but the goal is to produce heat rather than light. The heat exchanger is made of silicon carbide, which can glow red hot when.
How does a pilot light work?
So how does this system work? Simple! A small pilot light remains lit at all times, burning fuel to maintain a flame. When the thermostat calls for heat, the main gas valve activates so that pilot can light the main burners to generate heat. Thanks to safety devices within the unit, the.
