water heater pilot light
 

Hello everybody, Okay, here is my problem.. I live in a 1981 mobile home, and I am at my wits end with the water heater. I have trouble with high winds blowing the pilot light out... I have visted a local mobile home place and they have these "high wind" caps that they sell... Okay... did that... and... still having the problem. Is there any "ingenious" ways of solving this problem?... a, oh how do you say it... more "industrial"way of solving this? I'm looking for something that will stand up to 100mph winds.. ha.. okay well maybe not that much.. but pretty darn windy. So any ideas or experiences from you guys would be helpful. Thanks alot!

Are you sure it is getting blown out and not just going out? Sounds to me that you may need to replace the thermocouple.

I not too savvy on mobile homes, but if your pilot light is being subjected to ANY WINDS I would think you need to do some insulating.

-bear

Good point...you also need to make sure the little doors to the burner area are installed correctly, if not they allow a draft to "blow through" you might also need to turn up the pilot. (some gas valves have a small cap either on top or near the pilot supply that once opened you can adjust the flame height.

I suspect it's the hot water heater vent pipe being affected by high wind, and thus causing a "severe" suction into the area where the pilot is burning which blows it out.

You could swap out that old, "dangerous", and "should be obsolete IMO" pilot with a new electronic flame-less ignitor pilot and you won't have this problem

Or you could see if there is such a thing as a code authorized, specifically designed vent cap to install on the very top of the vent pipe to reduce the suction effect ...but you have to be very careful not to compromise the draft up the pipe or the exhaust fumes and carbon monoxide will back up into the home and will be very life-threatening.

I would suspect the thermocouple as well. If the pilot light goes out when the burner cuts off it would indicate a weak thermocouple. (the flame shuts off and sucks the pilot light out) However if the pilot light only goes out in high wind it would have to be the vent.

Thanks guys for the response... and yes the pilot light only goes out due to high winds.... no wind.. everything is fine and dandy... So I doubt it is the thermocouple. BadNick... where can i get more information about these electronic flame-less ignitor pilot ?? is this an add-on, or would i need a whole new water heater unit? Well i'm off to once again relight that sucker....Thanks again!

Just stop by your local plumbing supplier with your model and the problem. They should be able to help.

what thingstodo said sounds like a good plan. I'm just not familiar with retrofit details.