My Pilot Light Will Not Stay Lit (5 Minute Fix) 

Dude, you are a ROCKSTAR! My hot water heater did not work an hour ago. My pilot light would not stay lit. I watched your video, grabbed my wallet, got int he car, drove to home depot, found a dude, picked the ONLY one they had on the shelf, got in line, paid $17, drove home, VERY minimal work to take out and load the new part....it works. ALL in less than an hour. Here's the thing, I'm a RU-vidr too. I'm an atty and I teach people (that cant afford an atty) how to fill out the forms they need to get divorced. We're kindred spirits brother. Keep it up. You're truly helping people! Douglas Pinkham.

Today (5 Mar 18), I completed the same procedure on my parents water heater as well. The Home Depot in town sold the part for just over 12 bucks. It took me more than five minutes, because I am very meticulous with items. This is the very first time that I've attempted anything like this dealing with gas. It is amazing that I just completed my HVAC/R course on 16 Feb 18, just last month and this is my first job I've completed. I wanted to see if I could do this. The funny part is that this morning I called a few HVAC/R companies to come out to the house to repair the water heater. For some particular reason these companies gave some lame excuses that they couldn't come or they never returned my calls. Now I just need to locate employment so I can implement my skills that I've acquired these past ten months. Thank you Mr. Brandon Baril (Owner / Operator) for these simple step by step procedures. I will keep your site near me to utilize your skills once again when I need you to help me out.

It took me way longer than 5 minutes but these were still great directions and I could not have done it without this video! Thank you so very much!

Great tip! The pilot light went out on my water heater and would not stay lit. Called someone and it would be a week before they could come out. Found your video and, for $13 and 5 minutes of time, it's working again. Thank you!

Excellent video!! I couldn’t get the pilot to stay on, never thought the thermocouple could be the cause. I replaced mine in about 10 minutes for $12.00, thank you!!!

Thanks a lot Brandon. I have a just under 9 year old GE gas hot water heater that just ran cold on the water in the house in the middle of a snowstorm in Upstate NY. Went to Lowe's the next morning and purchased a 24" thermocouple that was in stock $11.48. Made for a happy household of 4. Well laid out video and instruction! Can't believe how easy it was.

This video just saved me from a bad situation. I just repaired my hot water heater with the help of this video. Thank you for posting!

Thank you! 9 dollars later, my tank is working again. You saved my family quite a bit of money.

Perfect, replaced the thermocouple and it fixed the issue, I bought the part at Menards for $7.00 dollars. Thank you for making this video, you just saved me a few hundred dollars.

Great video Saved me. I bought a generic thermo couple at Lowe's for about 10$. I think the tube I bought was 6 inches longer than what I took out, no problem. When I pulled the burner out I vacuumed inside where the burner went (20 year old water heater). I did a soap bubble test on the pilot and burner supply connections at the control valve to make sure no gas was leaking at the joints. I made sure the main burner was burning while doing the soap bubble test to ensure the pilot and burner pipes had gas flow.

Major thank you!!! my thermocouple went out I called and I got the part number found one at Home Depot replaced it and it work. Thank you so much.

Thank you soooooo much for this video. You saved me a lot of money from having to call a repair guy. All it cost me was $8 for a thermal coupler at Lowe's and about 15 to 20 minutes of installation time.

Thank you! Totally fixed my water heater for $12! FYI - I did not have to remove the whole fixture...I simply unscrewed the thermocouple wire and pulled it out. I used a wire brush to try to clean it but it still would not keep the pilot lit so I went to Home Depot, bought a new one (which was in fact a few inches too long but still fit) and just fed it into the hole and screwed it back into the heater assembly...and boom - pilot light back in action. Of all the vids out there - this was the best - THANKS AGAIN.

Thank you so much for this video!!! You saved us $$ by doing it ourselves. Only spent $8.00 at Lowes for our thermocouple. 👍

Brandon! Thanks - this saved me time and money. Picked up the kit at HD the same day the issue arose - $20 for the thermocouple, gasket, new screws, and torx screwdriver in the kit. 45 minutes later - voila! Thanks again!!

Thanks for such a clear and straightforward description... and I learned that the thermo-couple itself creates the millivolts on a system not using an external power source. Nice!

Thank you. I just fixed my water heater in 30min while I have guest visiting. All for $14 worth of a Home Depot part. Thanks again.

The close up photo of the control box connectors was very helpful. This video helped me diagnose the problem and fix my water heater. I'm really happy to have hot water again! Thanks for the great video!

Company sent me a whole new pilot assembly...but I got it replaced because I had this video!! The sound of it lighting was so great (but the hot shower was even better!!). Thank you so much!

Thanks Brandon! This video saved me from having to call a plumber on a Sunday. I went to Lowes with the bad part, bought a new replacement, and had hot water in 90 minutes.

Thank you for the video! Dirty, filthy little thermocouple end needed cleaning. That was it. All works well now. Your video showed how easy the work was.

Thank you making this video. You saved me money and taught me something new. It worked right away after replacing the thermalcouple. Thanks

Brandon thank you for sharing your expertise on this matter! 100 percent successful! Hot water is flowing!!!

The repair service said it would be 4 days before they could even get to me on their schedule to look at my hot water heater. Saw your video, easy enough to do myself. Pulled the thermocouple, went to Home Depot, got the part and did it all myself for $10.00. Great video.

Thank you sir - followed your direction and resolved my issue - saved me big time!

I love the internet, so much free helpful information, someone like me who didn't know anything about hot water heaters followed this videos instructions and had it going again in no time at all for it being a quick 8 dollar part fix, Thank you

I want to thank you for making this video Brandon, it helped me get out of a bad situation this morning, it took me a lot longer than your video BUT it got done by me! Your step by step inspired me to take it on and actually surprised that a water heater was so basic in the operations, I always thought they were a ton more complicated! Now I can get a quote to replace it (16 years old) and not have to make an emergency weekend service request! Gratitude man!

Thank you sooo much. It was an easy fix and least expensive for a huge problem..

I did this too ,thanks for saving me money and making my wife happy we have hot water again. I hope I can pay it forward.thx again

Thanks for this video, Brandon. Super helpful today, as my heater went off as a New year's Day present! As stated, the part was readily available at home Depot...the main option being the length of the thermocouple. I'd add to Brandon's excellent advice by stating: "Bring the bad one with you" to make sure you get one that is of the proper length. I'd also add that if the unit was off in cold weather, it's normal to hear condensation dripping and turning to steam on the heating plate for the first 15-60 minutes of operation.

Fixed. Thanks!!! Saved a handyman trip and had hot water back within the hour.

the explanation helped. watched another where the guy talked about everything but what he was doing. thanks.

Thank you!!! Your video showed me how easy it is to fix my "broken" hot water heater. After a short trip to the hardware store and a few minutes of effort and my water heater is working again. :-)

Thanks for this great video. That was a good idea to contact the manufacturer. With your background music, I keep thinking Stormy Danials was going to walk through the door.

Thank you SO MUCH!!! Fixed it in about 20 minutes (that's with a run to the hardware store for the replacement thermocoupler)!

Brandon, thanks for the short and concise video. I hate people who go on and on for a simple fix. I have a question. Can you tell me why a thermocouple whould need to be replaced almost exactly every 12 months? I'm looking at the 3rd replacement on a 4 year old Rheem water heater. Your video at least confirms I can do it myself.

Great video. Perfect solution. Fixed in 5 as suggested. THANKS!!!

I just replaced mine after watching your video. It was pretty close to the exact same as mine. Thank you so much. $8 fix.

Watched a few videos including yours. Went to Lowes and got the part for $8. Fixed and water hot again, thanks.

Great video Brandon ! ! Left one step out though for those who are doing this for the first time........ what about replacing the cover/access plates ? Sure, it may be obvious to most, but for the sake and safety of being thorough, this should've been included. As I said though, a great video ! ! The added bonus info as well as the wealth of info available on your website is simply fantastic.

Exact problem I had. Service tech wanted $300+parts and couldn’t come out until Monday. I have a house full of holiday guests. Quick trip to Home Depot and $11 and a few minutes later we have hot water again. Thank you!

Well, it took me longer than 5 minutes. :) But your video saved me a lot of money. $18.00 for the thermocouple and probably 1/2 hour replacing it, Thanks!

$12 fix versus a $200/hour after-hours charge...thank you very much! Super easy!

amazing 15 minute $20 dollar fix. Get the 24" thermocouple replacement not 18". Thank you Mr. Baril!

Worked like a champ. Thank you!

Thank you for the explanation of the thermocouple's purpose. It helped me diagnose the issue accurately.

This video really helped save the day today! Thank you!

Good information here thanks, but it could also be dust all over that is just preventing the proper amount of oxygen in the cavity and preventing the pilot flame from staying on... that was my problem and once I took it all out and did a thorough cleanup, everything went back normal. Would be nice to have a quick test for the thermocoupler... hmmm... probably can just use the voltmeter and measure the output of the thermocoupler....

Thank you! Fixed. Used your video as a guide. $12.00 at Ace Hardware

very helpful video, you save me a lots of money. Thanks you!!!

You nailed it and saved me a ton of money! Thank you!

Great video! Helped a lot. I do wish you would hve provided closeups of the thermocoupler when you said to make sure the two parts touch(?). The original one that was installed initially did not seem to be touching.

This fixed mine just like you said. You saved me a lot of money. Thank you so much!

This video helped me and my family so much! Thank you!

I noticed the copper thermocouple on mine wasn't very tight into the thermostat. I tightened that and Praise God it worked! Hope this helps someone.

great vid and very direct and thorough

Man that worked out great, I bought my thermocouple from home depot, it was 12 bucks. I was worried because the probe end was much shorter than the oem one but it fired right up. Thanks!!

Thank you so much. I fixed my water Heater tonight. Did not know till my wife had to take a cold shower.

Thank u for video yes it 5 min to fixed the thermocouple real easy job and help community people just simple to replace parts 😜👍

2:51 the problem with contacting the manufacturer to mail you out a replacement is that most people can't go without their hot water heater for however long it takes to get the company on the phone during business hours and then mail it to you.

I had that problem to. I replaced the thermocouple for $6.99 at the local hardware store and it works so much better. If you ever do that u should also clean the pilot tube and the main burner

Many thanks sir. You saved me some money and am properly grateful.

Very helpful. I had to unscrew an additional plating and break a rubber seal that had my thermocouple, pilot line, and built in lighter running through it but I figure its a worthless rubber piece anyways. Hot water and saving over $100 bucks!

Thanks for this great video! My pilot light had issues staying on and everything I read or watched said to replace the thermocouple (rheem prog40-38n rh62). After replacing the thermocouple and going through the process of igniting the pilot light 3x, it still won’t stay. Any advice?

Perfect video. Just replaced mine. Thank you!

Thank you for this video. This fixed my water heater issue.

Thanks! Thought I was toast but $12 later I have a new thermocouple and a working water heater!

OMG it was really that easy !!!!! A $8.00 PART and presto HOT WATER Again..... thank you so much for the excellent video and instructions XOXOXOXO

Super informative.

Thank you for your tip! I will try it now.

Wow !!# so simple Me ahorraste $120 gracias amigo muy informativo tu video may GBY!

I fixed mine myself . Thank you for the help.

Excellent video. Now I know how gas water heaters work!

15 bucks and less than an hour. Your video is great

Thank you for the video I wish it solved my problem 😢. Sometime the pilot will let me turn on and set my setting. It then goes out again. Try to start it pilot lights however as soon as I let go of the pilot button it goes out.

I replace the thermal couple - bought that from homedepot or hardware store- $14. replace the part, and then we have hot water... thanks you very much

Thank you so much you just save me thousands of dollars!!

Excellent video. Liked and subbed.

Super helpful. Thank you.

Thanks for the video, I just cleaned mine, hopefully it stays lit long enough to order the correct part!

Replaced whole thermocouple assembly and honeywell control board. Pilot light still does not want to stay lit to ignite burner.

Thanks!!!! You saved me a plumber expense.

Thank you so much for sharing. Truly appreciate it. Salud 🍻🍻🍻

My 2020 Rheem pilot won't stay lit & I figured it was a thermocouple but Rheem is sending me a new control valve & said there's a problem w/that valve. Hoping your explanation of the magnet in the control valve will let me work around & get the burner lit once before the new controller gets here so the wife/kids can shower

Liked at 2:14 "and boom, your whole place blows up"

Thank you! My exact problem. Quick trip to the store and I have hot water again.

Thank you keep up the good work .!!!!!!

That did the trick and many Thanks!!! Got the Honeywell generic kit. Thermostat switch end of thermocouple connector nut and tube fitting looked a little different than mine and it had a nut on the pilot light end of the thermocouple that mine didn't use as it's just a push in type but amazingly, it all works. The damn sealer (or whatever it was on the thermostat end nut) made it difficult to get that nut started-I can't figure out why they put it on there? Getting those fittings threads started straight is a real PITA to begin with. They didn't have to make it harder by putting that crud on the threads unless it serves a purpose (and I suppose it does). It's not a gas seal as this is only a thermocouple and not a pilot light line. Any insight? Whatever, thanks again! You saved my bacon!

Dude, looks easy enough.. going to try it myself... thank you so much for your awesome vid....

Your video helped me fix my water heater. Thanks.

Thanks, worked like a charm !

Nicely done bro!

Thank you for the video I sanded mine and so far so good...

Great video!! Thanks! $8.50 fix!!

Nice video but you need to show a close-up of the pieces you installed so everybody knows what to look for which would make it easier on them just saying

Great video thanks for taking the time to share.

is thermocouple the same thing as thermopile?

Thank you for the info, but i do have a question: I installed a whole new burner set, new thermopile, thermocouple.... Now when i press pilot and click on igniter, the flame starts however when let go, the flame goes off!! Could it be the gas valve controller? Thanks

Thank you for the video it fixed my problem

Thanks man, worked out great