my mother has a new heating system, her pilot light will not stay on long enough to switch to the on postion, as soon as you let the button up it shuts off and I am trying to save her some money. Can anyone help me with this????

Interesting, I didn't think there were still new heating systems that didn't have electronic ignitions.

http://www.toad.net/~jsmeenen/gassystem.html
http://www.notanks.com/lowenergysystems/paloma_techsup.html
http://www.southsoundpillar2post.com/InfoSeries/info14.pdf
http://www.toad.net/~jsmeenen/gasvalve.html
http://www.scacdtechsupport.com/StandingPilot.html

1. Turn knob on heater to off and wait 5-10 minutes and turn the temperature down to low.
2. Open Inspection cover (there should be 2) at the bottom of the unit.
3. Get a long match or a dripless candle works good
4. Turn the knob on the heater to Pilot and push down
5. While pushing down, light the pilot inside the inspection cover. Follow the small tube from the Knob area down into the inspection cover area at the end is where you light the pilot.
6. Once the pilot is lit, continue to hold the knob down for approx 1 minute.
7. Release the knob and turn to on and set the temperature setting back.
8. Replace the inspection covers.

http://www.surplussales.com/Meters/MtrDCVoltsmain.html
http://www.mobile-mart.com/thrmcpltstr.htm
http://www.web-tronics.com/fluk16dmmwit.html

Thermocouples 30-60 millivolts static 15-45 millivolts working most valves will hold down to 6-8 Millivolts
Thermopile 300-600 millivolts static 200-450 working less that 150 and most valves will not hold
Pile coming from piles of thermocouples (about ten in one head)

As most argumentative DIY's say; it isn't rocket science; but then is anything but ... rocket science?

One important point with a thermocouple is to thread the round button end of the thermocouple into the gas valve with the fingers. If it isn't going into the hole the old one went into easily, then you are trying to fight the threads at an odd angle. Once you get the end to seat with the fingers and gently snug the end with a wrench, tighten it further 1/8th to 1/4 turn. You are just trying to make an electrical connection there; not tighten a pipe. More, and the end can distort and posssibly break the gas valve. The stuff before that is pretty much replacing the thermocouple just as you see the old one that is on it now.

well it may or may not be the thermocouple below is just some of what it could be.
1)Pilot flame
first you need to check that the pilot is on(lit)has it a correct size and flame pattern and is playing the thermocouple in the right place there is a hot and a cold spot on a thermocouple and it will not work if the cold spot is heated or the hot spot cold
2)Thermocouple may not be given right voltage
3)magnetic valve faulty
4)contacts could be dirty stoping voltage
5)interlock like The E.C.O. may have failed or operated
6)pilot flame may blow out from the main burner lighting or turning off (pilot in wrong place)
... and so on and on
a. low gas pressure
b. moisture dripping on pilot
c. dirty pilot orifice
d. dirt in pilot tube
e. low pilot adjustment
f. high pilot flame burning thermocouple out
g. heat exchanger hole so blower blows flame out
h. bad contact of thermocouple to gas valve.
i. overtightening of thermocouple end to gas valve so connection poor by crushing connector.

There are two tests to be made. The thermocouple must be tested to assure that when the pilot flame is applied, the thermocouple creates the required millivolts to hold the pilot gas open. This requires a millivolt tester while the flame is applied. There are tools available to do this test from Honeywell at the local supplier.

Once the thermocouple is tested and found to be OK. then the thermocouple is applied to the gas valve. The connection at the gas valve can be tested for continuity to see if it is broken or not using an ohmmeter. If there is continuity, the gas valve should hold open from the thermocouple current.

I would be surprised if thermocouples and gas valves would have problems from the factory. Most suppliers will not accept electrical control parts back, as it is the contractor's responsibility to test that they are receiving good parts. A supplier can not run a business with the expectation that electrical parts will be used as test devices by inexperienced novices until they are successful at performing the most basic of technical repairs.

GET A SECOND LICENCED GASMAN TO CHECK IT OUT

If he doesn't have his volt meter and his gas pressure meter in hand
as part of his kit hes not the one you want
"Buyer beware" and "You get what you pay for" apply here

www.heatpro.us energy businessmen's knowledge

Yes, you really have to find out the MAKE and MODEL to get good answers. There IS more than one machine made.

the pilot has a igntion switch but that's not the issue I've done all of that,when you go to turn the knob to the on postion that is when the pilot goes out. I have repeated the steps atleast 10 times with no luck. Do you have any idea what the problem can be??

If it goes out, it is a bad thermocouple, bad installation of the thermocouple, a bad thermocouple circuit, a bad thermocouple solenoid, an improper flame location, an improper flame size ... just as given in the sentences.

www.heatpro.us energy businessmen's knowledge

Yes, you really have to find out the MAKE and MODEL to get good answers. There IS more than one machine made.

"my mother has a new heating system, her pilot light will not stay on long enough to switch to the on postion, as soon as you let the button up it shuts off and I am trying to save her some money."

If it is new then it should be underwarantee.

So, every morning I relight the pilot light on our water heater. But after the water is hot the pilot light goes out.

It lights real ease, I don't even have to wait the full 60 seconds for it to stay lit (usually stays lit within 3 or 4 seconds.) Everyone takes their morning showers and has hot water.

Later when I go to wash dishes or wash clothes, no hot water the pilot light is out again. Only now I can't get it to stay lit, even after holding the gas control knob down for 5 minutes or more.

I thought maybe that the pilot light was being blown out when the burners went out so after lighting it I tried turning the thermostat on and off. But the pilot light stayed lit.

It seems to only be a problem after the water in the tank has gotten warm.

Any idea what's wrong?

There could be a clog in the gas line, among several other problems that won't be found over the internet. A gas tech will have the gas pressure instruments and experience on site to examine the cause.

"below is just some of what it could be.
1)Pilot flame
first you need to check that the pilot is on(lit)has it a correct size and flame pattern and is playing the thermocouple in the right place there is a hot and a cold spot on a thermocouple and it will not work if the cold spot is heated or the hot spot cold
2)Thermocouple may not be given right voltage
3)magnetic valve faulty
4)contacts could be dirty stoping voltage
5)interlock like The E.C.O. may have failed or operated
6)pilot flame may blow out from the main burner lighting or turning off (pilot in wrong place)
... and so on and on
a. low gas pressure
b. moisture dripping on pilot
c. dirty pilot orifice
d. dirt in pilot tube
e. low pilot adjustment
f. high pilot flame burning thermocouple out
g. heat exchanger hole so blower blows flame out
h. bad contact of thermocouple to gas valve.
i. overtightening of thermocouple end to gas valve so connection poor by crushing connector.

There are two tests to be made. The thermocouple must be tested to assure that when the pilot flame is applied, the thermocouple creates the required millivolts to hold the pilot gas open. This requires a millivolt tester while the flame is applied. There are tools available to do this test from Honeywell at the local supplier.

Once the thermocouple is tested and found to be OK. then the thermocouple is applied to the gas valve. The connection at the gas valve can be tested for continuity to see if it is broken or not using an ohmmeter. If there is continuity, the gas valve should hold open from the thermocouple current.

I would be surprised if thermocouples and gas valves would have problems from the factory. Most suppliers will not accept electrical control parts back, as it is the contractor's responsibility to test that they are receiving good parts. A supplier can not run a business with the expectation that electrical parts will be used as test devices by inexperienced novices until they are successful at performing the most basic of technical repairs.

GET A SECOND LICENCED GASMAN TO CHECK IT OUT

If he doesn't have his volt meter and his gas pressure meter in hand
as part of his kit hes not the one you want
"Buyer beware" and "You get what you pay for" apply here"

www.heatpro.us energy businessmen's knowledge

Yes, you really have to find out the MAKE and MODEL to get good answers. There IS more than one machine made.