Suburban water heater SW6P

[Husky511]

My water heater started acting up. On initial startup, the pilot light will light and the burning will come on and heat the water. The issue is that the burner will not relight as the water temp goes down. I have to relight the pilot light to get the burner to come on. Any suggestions on what to check would be appreciated.

[dougrainer]

RJsfishin wrote:
Yes, that would be the only valve there is. The thermocoupler connects to it, and the thermostat connects to it, and the press/hold button is on it.
Maybe for a little more money you could change it over to "direct ignition", which would eliminate the pilot lite ? Seems like I have seen a kit available ?

No kit, but they make a Pilot light lighting kit, but you still have to be at the water heater, so just use a butane lighter. Doug

[RJsfishin]

Yes, that would be the only valve there is. The thermocoupler connects to it, and the thermostat connects to it, and the press/hold button is on it.
Maybe for a little more money you could change it over to "direct ignition", which would eliminate the pilot lite ? Seems like I have seen a kit available ?

[Husky511]

Is the gas valve assembly also known as the thermostat valve?. I did not see a gas valve assembly in the parts list , only the thermostat valve.

[Husky511]

dougrainer wrote:
If the pilot light lights the first time and stays ON and then when you turn to Heat, and the main burner comes ON and then cycles OFF after heating, then the PILOT does NOT stay lit----REPLACE the Gas valve assbly, it is defective. Doug

That is exactly what happens. Thanks, I will get the valve.

[dougrainer]

If the pilot light lights the first time and stays ON and then when you turn to Heat, and the main burner comes ON and then cycles OFF after heating, then the PILOT does NOT stay lit----REPLACE the Gas valve assbly, it is defective. Doug

[j-d]

If you go to BryantRV.com you should be able to find a manual with troubleshooting. That said:

1. "Standing Pilot" model?

2. If so, is the Thermocouple well placed in the Pilot Flame?

3. We had one, happened to be an Atwood, but the wind could blow the pilot out, and also when the main burner cycled out, it did so with a POP! and that often blew the pilot out.

4. Make sure everything is clean including the big "Burner Tube". That there are no nests and debris in it.

5. There's a device called "Re-Ignitor" that's supposed to address this. I think the way it works is that if it senses (and I'm not sure how it does that) but the Thermocouple hasn't cooled off and turned the pilot gas supply off, it Sparks and should get the pilot lit again. That would cure the problem of Pilot being Blown Out by Main Burner Shut Down.