Patio Heater Pilot Light Won't Stay Lit - DIY Thermocouple Cleaning
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- In this video, we demonstrate a cheap and easy fix for a patio heater with a pilot light that will not stay lit. It's possible that you need a new thermocouple, but before you replace the thermocouple, just try cleaning it with this DIY walk through. The only tools required are phillips head screwdriver, a 12mm wrench, and some steel wool.
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A thank you all the way from South Africa👍
I followed the instructions and my patio heater works again! I'm SO thrilled! Had no idea what I was going to do! I'm a single 65 yes old woman and figured I would have to trash the whole heater! Thank you SO much!!
Nice work, Cathy! Glad to help!
You, David, are a steely-eyed missile man! I can't believe this worked in like 30 seconds of effort. Amazing. What a beautiful world where I can just jump on youtube and find helpful and exact information like this, and revive my dead patio heater! Thank you so much. If I could buy you a beer, I'd buy you three!
This, Rodney, may be the kindest comment I’ve received on a video! Thanks, man, I could really use a beer right, now!
MISSILE, not MISSLE. Sloppy spelling is not compelling.
This fixed my patio heater in less than 10 minutes. Thank you!
Glad to help! Good job!
Outstanding explanation of the problem and course of action to correct the problem!
Thanks for your kind words!
I fixed my patio heater in about 15 minutes following your directions. My screws came through the bottom to completely remove but, the thermocoupling was exposed so, I rubbed it with the steel wool, put the top back on and it worked. Thank you!
Thanks for the advice. I cleaned the thermocouple as suggested and’presto chango’ I’ve got a perfectly functioning heater.
That’s great! Glad it worked for you!
This video saved me so much frustration. 10 minutes later, and it’s fixed. Subscribed! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words and your subscription!
Thanks, I'll give this a try in the morning.
Thank you for no music, what a joy! This was very useful. I used a Dremel with a wire wheel and took off all rust, soot, corrosion off my entire disassembled table top heater.
The other issue why it won't stay lit is due to a defective tilt switch - the black box inside the guts of the heater. Either replace it periodically, or disconnect one of the two plug in wires on it to disable the tilt function.
I took mine apart - the tilt switch. Its a Made in China piece so does die off prematurely.
I also used the Dremel and an angle grinder with a wire wheel to completely clean off any rust or debris from entire heater, and used my dog blower compressor to flush out any soot from pipes. Hoping this heater will be like new after this. Quite a job!
You’re exactly right. I didn’t mention the tilt switch. You’re cleaning job sounds like something i need to do myself. Very nice! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Excellent Dave. Worked like a champ on mine. Thanks
Thanks, man! Enjoy the heat! I’m curious as to your location, as heat is not currently on my list of needs in central Arkansas?
Fixed my heater per your instructions, great video!
Thanks, glad to hear it! I’m sitting under mine right now. After several years, My thermocouple needed to be replaced. I just did that this afternoon. Easy fix. Maybe I’ll make another video on that.
Great tutorial. Thanks for the idea of cleaning the thermocouple. I might even use that in at work. Cheers!
Thanks!
Spot on! Easy fix, thanks man!
This worked right away. Thanks!
Thank you, worked perfectly 😊
Thanks man. You saved me a lot of money.
Thank you for your video, easy fix for our patio heater!
That’s great! If you ever have to change the thermocouple out for a new one, it’s not that bad.
Thank you! Fixed my heater in less than 5 minutes!
Glad to help! Good job!
Got mine working thanks to your video!
Awesome work!
I've got a Mr heater sunflower heater that just started going off then hardstarting, then nothing. Took ground wire and thermocoupler off and sanded with 320 grit sandpaper. Runs perfectly now. Good video
Thanks! Glad it helped!
Alright I'm going to give this a try after work today and if it works I'm sold. I'm subscribing to your channel! Thanks mate!
Awesome! Thanks for watching and good luck! Let us know if that didn’t work.
Great video, patio heater fires right up now. Thanks
Thank you for helping me figure out my heater!
Glad to help!
This look fairly easy. Gonna have to give this a try on my heater.
It’s not bad at all. Good luck!
Super helpful, completely fixed my problem thanks!
Sure thing, Rob! Glad it helped.
Worked great, thanks!!
Thank you so much!!!
Thank you sir.
cool! I picked up one of these on the side of the road left for garbage and determined it has a thermocouple problem. I cleaned it up a little and no luck. I'll give it a steel wool treatment and if it doesn't work a thermocouple on Amazon is 10 bucks. Thanks for the detailed video!!!
Great find! Good luck! Hope it’s an easy fix!
Thanks for this tip David, 10 minutes and some sandpaper and the heater was running like new.
Fantastic!
thanks for the video!! saved me a lot of money.
Glad to help!
Thank you
Big thanks! That worked
Thank you, I had no idea an electrical safety component was responsible, let alone a feature of the heater. It was driving me nuts wondering why it only worked rarely.
Didn't even look dirty. Cleaned it anyway. Hot damn it works. Thank you!
Awesome! Great job!
Awesome thank you mate 👌🏽
Thank you, man. Fix my Hampton Bay tabletop heater within 15 minutes.
That’s awesome! Great job!
Great info! Thanks
Glad to help!
That was helpful! Thanks 👍🏼
No problem. Glad to help!
You helped me to take off the top of the heater which was not obvious to me. Other videos, would say take off the top but they didn't show me how to do it. You did. I watched many videos before yours. thanks!
Nice rug man.
Ha!
Thanks for the video this fixed the problem was ready to throw away and buy a new one
Glad to help!
I'm trying this fix tmrw. Stay tuned!
Good luck!
This is magic, I was about to beat mine up 🤣🤣🤣
This is very helpful. I'm in just the second season of using my patio heater and it stopped lighting. Very frustrating! I hope this fixes it.
Let us know if this doesn’t work. Mine has stopped responding to this fix and I fear that I may need to splurge the $8 and buy a new thermocouple.
Mine isn't working after trying this. Don't know what the issue is. It'll light all day but as soon as I take my hand off the button it goes out
There’s also a tilt switch in these units that could be defective or temporarily flipped. Kinda jiggle the tube around vigorously. I ended up having to change the thermocouple in mine.
Good stuff my man.....🔥 Houston, we have fire
Allright, Allright, Allright!
Thankyou sir.
You’re welcome. Hope it helped!
sweet just fixed mine cheers
Good job!
I’m subscribing just cause of those pillow. Hooked me.
Haha! Best $20 I ever spent!
Thanks for the video great job. Wish you would have mention if the cleaning of the thermo couple didn't work... what should you check next or would have to replace it.
I’m in the same boat, Kevin. My cleanings have stopped working. I think i need a new thermocouple. When I install the new one, I’ll make another video.
Thank you for the excellent video. Unfortunately this did not work for my heater. Wondering what to try next, replace the thermocouple? Any advice is appreciated.
There is a tip sensor that will also turn the gas off if the unit tips over. It’s the black box that the thermocouple attaches to. If you pull both wires from the tip sensor and connect them, it bypasses that safety feature. You could do that for testing purposes or if the heater is permanantly mounted.
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 Thank you I will try that
How can I test to ensure that this thermocouples is in working condition?
Yeah i thought it was the probe, (or thermal couple in real terms) for mine, but after cleaning it still won’t work. I am guessing it needs a replacement.
Same issue here. If I could find a direct replacement, I could make a video on the process, but I just can’t find it. Please let me know if you have any luck! Thanks!
Dave, what causes flame to go out just walking past heater? Vibration of some sort sensor?
There’s anti-tip sensor in some of them that may be acting up. Obviously, if the unit falls over, you want it to cut the gas, but just like the thermocouple, it can fail.
Wonderful video. I cleaned as suggested. Perhaps that wasn’t my problem. Heater will not “stay” lit. After the pilot is on (and knob held down for almost a minute), I lit the heater, released the knob, and the fire goes out. Any suggestions?
Some units also have a tilt switch that can go bad. Think of it just like the thermo-couple. As long as the tilt switch thinks the unit is upright, it allows gas to flow, but if the switch senses a tilt (or dirt/corrosion), it cuts the gas. You can buy a kit on ebay or amazon that replaces both the thermo-couple and the tilt switch for about $12. That might be what i would replace next.
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 That was the culprit! As my unit is secure, I bypassed tilt switch. Works like a charm! No $$ spent!
That’s great!
I have tried it with no luck anything eles i can try
I cleaned my thermal couple but my patio heater still cuts out after 4 or 5 minutes, we have the same unit. Do you think I should replace the thermal couple ? And I’m struggling to find model number replacement parts. Do you know of a good website ?
Hi Aaron, I too, am struggling again with mine. It has been requiring almost constant cleaning. One thing that I did, yesterday, that seems to be working is this: Remove the thermocouple again, cleaning the rust off of the metal plate that it mounts to. Since the thermocouple only has one terminal, it is using that mounting plate to conduct the voltage, as well.
I, too, have searched in vain for a direct replacement for the thermocouple. It would appear that there are quite a few of us in the same boat with this heater. If you find something, please share with the group. I, too, will share my progress on trying to make this thing reliable again.
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 appreciate the quick response!! I will try cleaning the plate, and will definitely share websites that have our parts
I have a brand new patio heater and it has this issue. What should I check for?
make sure the thermocouple in the path of the flame. If the thermocouple can’t “feel” the heat, it won’t work.
Mine is brand new so probably doesn't need cleaning as it has never been used. I've heard it could also be a faulty tilt shutoff.
The tilt is a possibility, but you might want to make sure that the thermocouple is in the path of the flame. A clean thermocouple doesn’t work if the flame can’t touch it.
What’s the other rod that is held by that ceramic above the thermocouple and flame?
I believe that’s that igniter. It creates the spark that ignites the gas when you turn that knob past the “ignite” position.
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 ah that makes sense yea - thanks man!
No problem! Thanks for watching my video!
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 I used this information to clean the thermocouple inside my propane stove heater. It's one of those metal things with the glass and metal grill in the front. Blue flame heater they call them. Anyhow, same issue, wouldnt stay lit. Pilot kept going out. I took off the front and immediately found the thermocouples. There was actually two but one was real cruddy. After cleaning it the pilot light got way tighter and blue, instead of all yellow and candle like big. I bet it stays lit now! :)
That’s awesome, man! Way to go!
I think it's a gas in there once heated builds pressure to allow the gas valve to stay open when its super dirty it won't get enough heat to work
Are you talking about how the thermocouple works?
This work with any brand right?
Absolutely!
Nevermind I hot wired it and it works fine now . I guess the censor switch thing wired them together
Good to know. Be careful with that! How has your experience been since your fix?
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 it fired right up and worked fine. It's hot now so it just sits there. Just don't tip it over haha I assuming what I bypassed Is the tilt safety that turns it off if it fell over
Anyone: I removed the lid and inspected the thermocouple and did not appear clogged. I tested the heater without the lid removed and the heater started just fine. So I reattached the lid and now the problem persists. Help!
Sorry for just seeing this. What did you end up doing?
My pilot will light as it should and when I rotate the knob into the secondary or main on position the heater comes on as it should. My problem is that the pilot won't go out once the main flame is lit. Shouldn't the pilot go out once you rotate past pilot?
No. The thermocouple needs to “feel” the flame of the pilot on it to keep the gas running to heater. Your heater is functioning as designed.
@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 ok, that makes sense except that my pilot light is a large orange flame that completely engulfs the upper heat dome part. I can see the burner light up nice and blue flame as it should but this pilot light is a bit extreme. Any thoughts?
Ok, I understand. That does sound a bit extreme. I haven’t looked at it, but i would assume that it has a screw adjustment on the valve somewhere for the flame height. Clockwise would reduce the flame.
Is the cupple easy to replace? I see from the top you can't just screw another one on hhhmmm
I bought one, but haven’t installed it yet. I think the hardest part will be reaching in there and connecting the electrical wire.
I did mine and it still won't stay lit, it will stay on if I'm still holding the knob in but once I let go it still shuts off
Perhaps it’s the tilt sensor. Try bypassing the tilt switch temporarily to test.
Dang it I just tried it and it didn't work. What I do? It looks clean . Buy I new one?
Will the pilot light stay lit as long as you hold the button? If so, check the connections. Make sure the thermocouple’s electrical connection is still attached. If that looks good, consider changing the thermocouple for a new one.
The connection looked good but I just hot wired it thanks for the video . I was upset it worked for some haha
So, you bypassed the thermocouple? It does perform a useful function (i.e. shutting off the gas when there is no flame), so it’s not wise to run the heater without it functioning properly. It sounds like you’re making good progress, though, with understanding the thing. Nice work!👍🏻
I dont think in a sense I bypassed it I followed the thermocouple and there 2 wires there so I did more research . I guess I bypassed that switch or whatever the black thing is . The cupple is wired up .
Gotcha. You may have bypassed the tilt switch, which turns the unit off if it falls over. You can find replacements for those online, too, if you choose.
I cleaned my thermocoupler according to your instructions and the pilot still won’t stay lit
It might be that the thermocouple is bad and needs to be replaced. Also, there’s a tilt switch on these units that shuts them off if it falls over. Might want to jshake the whole unit around to make sure that it’s not stuck.
Tools you’ll need:
Blah blah blah blah blah and WINE!!!
I hate working on stuff around my house, too bad I'm a broke fella
I find that working on stuff atound the house can sometimes make you less broke. It’s an activity. It keeps you busy, keeps you entertained, and at the end of the day, you have saved money over hiring a professional. Not to mention the pride in knowing that you did it yourself.
I replaced my thermocoupler, and it still wont stay lit..
There’s also a tilt switch that turns off the gas if it falls over. That’s where i would look next.
Good video maybe pick up the narrative quicker.
Thanks for your feedback.
Can't please everyone, eh? Seems someone will complain if the person goes too fast with not a lot of attention to detail and then the ones who will complain about those exact things. 🤷🏼♀️
Exactly! My all time favorite negative feedback was from someone who told me that the next time i make a video, i need to get my “duck in a roll”, instead of what they probably meant, “ducks in a row”.
@Budget Projects by David
🤣 That's great!! They more than likely thought they were right in saying it like that and felt some sense of superiority or something along those lines, when in all actuality they proved to anyone in the WORLD that might read their comment that they are no one to be telling anyone else what they should do.(whew! That got a little long-winded) Lol 😁 Some people's kids!!