I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your videos and this one in particular. Short story: My mom's water heater went out. I did some research and thought I understood what was likely the problem but I suggested she call a plumber. Plumber came out the next morning and diagnosed with just what I suspected but told my mom she needed a new water heater claiming part she needed was obsolete and it would take them 1 to 2 weeks to source if they could even find one. Further stated we could never source it because we are not licensed plumbers. They quoted her $2600 for a new 50 gallon hot water heater with a 10 year warranty. Fortunately, I was there and told him no way! I had the very part sourced with one phone call. Had it in my hands within an hour and had the HW heater working that afternoon for $200. I watched this video in it's entirety then tackled the job watching and pausing step by step. My mom thinks I a a genius! :-)
Thank you so much. Replaced the control valve this morning. $210 from the local supply shop and $10 for pipe dope and gas leak detector at Home Depot. Control valve is under warranty - so I'll even get my money back. The plumber I called was too busy to get to it until next week, but told me labor would be between $200-300. Took me about 2 hours from start to finish. FYI, if others try this and have a hard time getting the gas supply tube to line up with the controller, you might need to thread the control valve a little farther into the tank. I didn't want to overtighten it at first, and the supply tube to the burner wouldn't align properly. Two more rotations on the control valve and I was good to go.
Great presentation -- clear, thorough, and concise. I especially appreciated your speeding up the boring parts. I watched because I need to replace a Honeywell valve on my GE heater. Although the procedure is bound to be somewhat different, your video will help me anticipate and deal with the crucial steps.
Just replaced my heating control valve on a gas water heater. This video was extremely helpful. The step by step instructions were easy-to-follow. Everything came out great.
Apparently Rheem has a known glitch in their gas control valves, but their first step is to replace the burner assembly, then the gas control valve if the burner assembly wasn't the problem. This video was hugely helpful in learning how to replace both. You just saved me $150 and about 3 weeks (plumbers in Texas are slammed since the winter storm). Thank you, Roger!
Thank you Roger Wakefield and the video you made on How to Replace a Gas Control Valve on a Water Heater.....you covered all the bases and after watching the video at least 4 times and making notes, and armed with both an ignition system and a new gas control valve (both from Rheem for free!!!!) I tackled the project and after about an hour and a half ( I took my time because I did not want to screw up anything) I completed the project, tested for leaks, fired up the system and VIOLA......EVERYTHING IS WORKING, and I continue to get the blinking blue light telling me I am experiencing normal operation. I left you a voice mail at your business. Thank you for helping a 67 yr. old do-it-yourselfer. Appreciate all your videos. Thanks again......Larry Monte from Phoenix Arizona.
Hello Mr. Wakefield After having tough time find HVAC place to sell me the gas control valve unless I am a licensed plumber I finally found a place. Installed the gas control valve following your instructions and it was pretty straight forward. The hardest part was getting the gas union fitting to seal after showing leaks when doing gas leak test that you recommended. With no gas leak or water leak. I installed the rest of the parts related to pilot and burner and opened faucets to take any air left in the system as you recommended. Happy to say that water heater is working as good as new one thanks to your excellent video. In the process I saved myself $450 as all placed wanted $600 to 650. It took me about an hour to do the work but a good plumber like yourself can probably do it in 20 minutes. Thank you again for all your help and look forward to watching more videos from your channel AJ
Thank you Mr. Wakefield for producing a professional grade instructional video to replace the Honeywell Gas Control Valve. These valves are on the majority of tank water heaters currently in production by a multitude of manufacturers. Which makes your video so helpful for so many people. This video is clear and concise in layman’s terms most anyone can easily understand. My water heater stopped working with the status light showing 07 error. (Gas valve electronic fault detected) I have performed the reset using a 9V battery. The pilot contact produced a clicking sound signaling the pilot valve was opening no fault. However, the burner contact produced no clicking sound at all. At this point I ordered a new Gas Control Valve. It is due to arrive tomorrow. In preparation I searched and found your video. After watching it I feel confident I can successfully complete this job. Next, I double checked my gas supply line shutoff was closed. I then closed both water supply and exit lines to the water heater. Opened the drain and relief valve, draining the unit. In prep, I have also purchased the nipple pipe along with a fresh tube of pipe dope. I will proceed to disconnect gas supply line, all wire connections, thermopile and burner supply line then remove the burner assembly. I will return after the install is complete to report.
UPDATE: I successfully completed the install. Everything is operating correctly with no faults. As you requested, I’m responding with some issues I came across while doing my install I think you may find to be valuable. 1) When lighting the pilot, if you successfully light it and your status light is blinking and for any reason (air in gas line, etc) the pilot goes out before you have turned the knob from the pilot setting. If you simply relight the pilot the status light will not come back on no matter how long you depress the red knob. To reset you must put the red knob in the OFF position for at least 5 minutes. Then, using the same steps, relight the pilot. Once the status light is blinking and you hear the click, immediately Tuen the red knob up to a heat setting. The burner will alleviate the air in your line and not go out as it can with just the pilot burning. 2) When replacing the burner assembly, it is virtually impossible to seat the end of the burner into the slotted support bracket without first removing the two panels. (One has sight glass) Especially if your unit is in a dark basement on the floor. I removed the two screws holding the panels around the pilot and burner supply lines, inserted the burner assembly into the slot. Then neatly gathered my wires together to fit into the space around the lines and secured the panels back together with the two screws. Finally I secured the panels to the water heater with the four remaining screws. 3) I did check all of my connections with the soapy mixture with no bubbles. Luckily, my water heater is in our basement unconcealed. Later that evening as I walked past it I noticed bubbles coming from under the gas valve assembly. I had check those connections with the burner ignited. So gas was flowing through at the time. I simply tightened the connection once more and the leak stopped and has not returned. For safety reasons, go back and check your connections a second time for any possible leaks.
Just finished up putting the exact control valve on the exact tank. This video was extremely helpful. I watched bits and pieces of the video and like I say it was really helpful. I had some problems getting the pilot to light. I came back in and watched more of the video and learned I forgot to turn the hot water tank water valve back on. I turned the main water valve to the house back on, but not the one to let water into the tank. I was surprised to learn I did almost all as you shown on my own, but did learn a few great tips and tricks. An excellent and outstanding video, and many thanks a bunch!!!
I just finished replacing a gas valve on our Bradford White Defender and your video was very helpful. It convinced me that this a home repair everybody can do, with a cool mind, the right plumbing tools, and teflon tape / dope. Besides my compliments to you, let me mention some points that viewers might find helpful: * In our location we have to use rigid pipes to connect the heater; we cannot use flex pipes or connectors. To successfully attach a nipple pipe to the control valve, look into either a pipe union _or_ a right-left nipple and right-left coupling that will allow to screw the gas line back in successfully. Likely, these parts are already used in your current installation, but just as a hint. Not every installation follows local code, and doing this replacement might be the moment to also upgrade some of the gas piping after the shut-off valve. * It is amazing how companies try to confuse the consumer (and plumbers?) with a myriad of part numbers for control valves. Honeywell updated the WV8400 series with the newer WT8400 series. I read a lot online how many control valves fail prematurely, in our case with the 5-red-flashes error that indicated a failed thermo sensor (after only 13 months of use, ugh). When ordering a replacement valve, try to avoid the ones that have the sensor covered with plastic inside the water well; probably the metal-covered ones are better (but the verdict is still out). Several models might fit your heater. * When ordering the replacement, check these parameters: Insulation thickness of your heater (1in, 1.5in, 2in), natural gas or LP/propane, WC value for the valve output (such as 4.0 WC or 5.0 WC). These parameters will determine which valve to order, and of course in addition to how the connectors are compatible with the burner assembly of your heater. * A different story is how Bradford White or your plumber will honor warranty on a broken control valve. Doing this repair yourself might save heartache, time, money, and potential legal action. Anyway... * Oh, and one thing I was not sure about: How hard should one screw in the control valve into the water heater? I felt I had a good seal, and did not want to overtighten. But that was the hard part for me, to figure out if I should give it another 360-degree turn. My suspicion also is that over-tightening can contribute to micro-fractures in the spud so that water could seep in slowly, thus messing up the thermo-sensor. But that is just my amateur theory.
Wow! Excellent instruction. The camera work in the cut-out water tank was a great idea. Your clear, concise instruction gave me full confidence that I could easily and safely perform this replacement. Thank you!
Be careful about the "full confidence" you get from watching something that looks easy before you have a chance to do it yourself --- because you just might end up being exposed as having foolishly boasted while putting on your battle armor like one who takes it off. You don't have to live long with Asperger's syndrome to be taught THAT kind of life lesson in one hundred plus one ways. Two examples: 1: Having succeeded, at the age of 7, in learning to ride a regular bicycle made me think, at the age of 10, that I could ride a ten-speed. But the first time I tried it, the entire front assembly wobbled crazily, the bike seemed to have a mind of its own, I couldn't control it, I sideswiped an object, and I handed back the bicycle in embarrassed silence. 2: At the age of 11 I so badly wanted to learn to swim like the other children only to find that I couldn't tolerate the 70-degree cold water the impatient 19-year-old swimming instructor expected me to learn to swim in, but fortunately my father stepped in and cancelled the lessons on his own when he saw how the swimming instructor was treating me in response to my struggles in the water. So no matter how simple something looks, don't assume you'll be able to do it because there's always something you don't anticipate. Experiences like those where I had the knowledge but struggled with the physical parts of whatever I was attempting to do at any given time made me afraid, all through my childhood, that I might not be able to develop the precision and the professional work skills of a career, and that was exactly what ultimately happened.
I haven't done it yet, but will soon and sure it will go smoothly! Ssoooooo glad I found you! I watch a lot of how-to videos (automotive, electrical...and plumbing), and this is THE BEST I've watched!
I've installed a few hundred of the Bradford white heaters. And replaced a ton of the control valves. Good water heater for the price and easy to work on
Great video, a plumbing company tried to tell me I needed a new water heater on a 6 year old home starting at 3k. They were really trying to upsell to a tankless unit for 7k. Glad I did some research and came across this video. A $100 gas control module, new in the box, got my 50 gallon AO Smith water heater running perfect! 🙂👍
Just replaced my 20 year old water heater with a new Rheem with this type of gas valve. The water heater drains a lot faster if you open a hot water faucet. Someone in the comments mentioned loosening the water supply line to drain it. That’s not necessary if you just open any hot water faucet. Also, if you remove your burner, take the time to clean the air filter below the burner while you have it out. These get clogged and then the burner is starving for air and won’t stay lit. Since you have the burner out, clean the air filter. This is a great and helpful video and when the time comes it’ll guide me through the control value replacement process.
Thanks for the excellent instructions. I'm a CA homeowner getting ready to install a replacement gas control valve and burner assembly on a 4 year old Rheem water heater.
Thanks Roger, very informative, well done, and detailed. Use the soap spray, check for leaks, I thought I had the connections tight enough, well the soap spay said I didn’t. Thanks again!
Great video. After a lightning storm we had a bunch of electronics get cooked and for some reason it also appears to have taken out my control board on one of my water heaters. So, I ordered the part and looking forward to getting it installed tomorrow ! I got a lot of great tips on how to troubleshoot and bench test the Thermopile, the valve coils, etc. And all testing points to a bad valve / control board. Thanks for the great videos !
This is great! Thank you. My ancient water heater on the house that I rent seems to have a control valve/thermostat problem. I’m going to talk to the landlord, but I generally handle home repair on my own dime because the rent is so low ($175 for a big two bedroom in a popular tourist town in Mexico).
Thank you, great video with easy to understand instructions. I have to switch one out because I couldn't light the pilot and got 4 flashes from the sensor. AO Smithe is sending a newer unit but the older one (3 years) does this 4 flash overheat thing a lot I hear. I drained the tank for sediments but only see salt. There is a reset button also I hear. Thanks for the great instruction.
Thanks Roger, always a pleasure! Also, I don't know if you'd even remember at this point but I messaged you a while back about a residence getting cold water before and after the kitchen, but not in the kitchen. Turns out some "handyman" had done a repair in there, installed a sharkbite ball valve in the wall to stop the leak, ran new pipe, and NEVER OPENED THE DAMN BALL VALVE BACK UP!!! 😡😤
Great demonstration. I just got the Gas control valve installed. I tested the emergency cut off switch, and the thermopile. Both tested good. So bought the gas control valve. Waiting 5 minutes for gas to fill the line before I try to light. Thanks for the help. **EDIT**Just got the pilot light. It's running, and heating water. Thanks again.
My water heater recently started leaking gas when heating the water, when the burner is on. I've bought the very expensive gas control valve replacement and I'm going to swap it out myself. This is a very informative video. You have a way of explaining things that makes it easy to understand. This video gives me the confidence to do it myself. Thank you!
THANK YOU a billion times. My pilot is constantly on after replacing the thermopile, but the burner won't stay on and I have to ignite it all the time. I believe replacing the control valve is the key.
Man you made this so easy .I've been so stressed thinking I was gonna blow the house up but after this video I feel much better about doing this.Thank you so much for your instruction , it's very much appreciated.
Thank you Roger. I will be replacing my burner assembly (thermopyle) on Monday when the part comes in and your clear instructions on removal of the burner assembly are really helpful. The pilot light won't stay on. I can see it light when I look through the small window, but when I release the temperature control knob on my control value it goes out. I did not check the control valve, I am just hoping that it is only the thermopyle, if not then I will decide if it is a control valve problem. I have a Bradford White, so this was a really helpful video.
Mr. Wakefield, Thank you soo much for sharing your know how with us. Covid has us in a chokehold and I'm not sure we could afford a professional this close to Christmas. This video really saved my butt man.
thanks for the video great job I didn't know that I have to remove the burner out also this video really help me out thanks again. 38 years doing plumbing you know the tricks
Thank you, I replaced the thermocouple on my JonhWood three times in the last 5 years and it is a left handed hard to find part. So thank to your video I have a retrofit Honeywell burner and controller now. The tank is from 2006 so I think if I can get 3 more years from it then I will replace with a new one. 14 years is getting up there and replaces last year the overflow safety valve that started leaking.
If your T&P valve is discharging water, your house’s water pressure might be too high, because you might have a pressure reducing valve that failed. The PRV is typically located close to the water meter. You can measure your water pressure with an inexpensive gauge from the big box stores (about $10 or so); the pressure gauge screws on at any place where you can screw a hose onto - you could even use the drain valve on the water heater (if you don’t have a hot water recirculating system installed). Check your pressure. And I suggest you also get an expansion tank if you have a PRV.
9:12: Roger, watching you hook up this water heater is enviable for me because the certifications you have in plumbing is all the certifications and professional proficiency I wanted in plumbing but it just never happened; I failed in everything I tried to do not just in plumbing but also in other job situations.
currently frazzled at 11 at night, getting my replacement in tomorrow ( hopefully!) thanks for being clear, calm and concise. has definitely given me a bit of confidence for tomorrow, and ill update ya and let ya know how it went.
I return victorious! this went extremely well, smooth as butter, and had a nice hot shower after. only 2 extra trips to the hardware store for little adapters and things. very happy. thank you for the help. consider me a subscriber for the long haul :)
Ok found the problem. When having trouble draining the tank, I spilled water into my aluminum pan in which I keep my water heater. ( pan drains to a sump so I have a safety system in case water heater leaks.). The full pan of water prevented the burner from drawing air into the bottom of the flame to help the exhaust process. After mopping up the water, the burner runs just fine. Terrific video was a HUGE help, but still a little bump or two to get over before achieving success with the controller/ “gas valve” and igniter replacement. Probably would not have tried this without the instruction of the video. Thanks so much!
He failed to show how to disconnect hard gas lines. Not everyone has flex tube. He failed to explain hwy you have to drain the entire tank. You can change the valve without draining the whole tank.
Very thorough and easy-to-follow instructions, thank you for that. I'm not sure I understand the need to remove the burner assembly prior to replacing the gas control valve, especially since no parts of the burner assembly are being replaced.
I’ve watched a lot of different repair videos for various things but wow…you really did an excellent job explaining that! Loved the video! Thank you! 👍
@@RogerWakefield Can you please recommend the type of pipe dope to use on LP gas for those of us less experienced. The Rectorseal 5 (slow set, soft set) that the local mom & pop hardware store recommended says it's for natural gas, but doesn't say it's for LP. Any difference? It would be great if you added a link to this video with your choice of "pipe dope". Otherwise AMAZINGLY clear and helpful video. BTW, I'm doing this repair right now, so likely by the time I see your reply I will have tried what I have (the yellow tube 5 Pipe Thread Sealant) and done a soapy water test until there are no leaks. However, I'm willing to go back and redo the work, if the type I've used is inappropriate. I'm just desperate for a hot shower after weeks waiting for the part to ship here. I've hooked up LP stoves and space heaters my entire life of 57 years with just teflon tape, so I'm not as familiar with the term "pipe dope". Blessings, Valerie
Hey, awesome video. I just replaced a gas valve and pilot assembly and followed your instructions. There's a lot of talk regarding tape and dope or just tape but I followed your suggestions and used both. Belts and suspenders I guess. Thanks for all your insightful knowledge and well-done videos.
Thank you Roger for your video. I had hard time initially to remove the LP gas controller. I found this video about sticking a 4" nipple pipe into the gas supply hole to help to unscrew the controller. It really helped me on this. I also had hard time to unscrew the gas pipe connect to the burner. I found it out the hard way that the LP GAS controller has a reversed thread there compared to the natural gas controller. Otherwise everything you showed over here works for me. I would like to borrow your brain on the issue that I have on my 50 Gallon AO Smith LP gas water heater. I decided to replace the LP gas controller is because my hot water is burning hot even on the "LOW" setting. It's been for two days after the controller replacement and the hot water is still burning hot on the "LOW" setting with this spanking new gas controller. I also replaced the T&P relief valve after that. None of these helped. I took out the burner to have a look and found nothing wrong with it. This LP gas water heater is just 4 year old. Thanks!
Hi @@carlosm6235, the LP gas controller is from the AO Smith dealer. I took off the old one and exchanged for a new one there, the same model. (Note: L.P. Gas controllers use reverse threads on the manifold tube). I took the burner out while the controller was out and found nothing wrong with it. So I didn't replace the burner.
I had to do that once. Gas water heater. Also replaced the burner. Not that difficult of a fix. Cheaper than buying a new one. Learned a lot of stuff. Still using it today.
I just found out that our gas valve has a leak that's why the Pilot keeps shutting off, now it needs replace. I wanna do it myself so bad, your video is very detailed and it looks easy to do. Thank you!
Great video. Im a master plumber in Maryland and we are not allowed to use an appliance connector on gas water heater and teflon on gas fittings. Every state is different. I liked the nipple idea on removing the gas valve.
Great video. Very thorough and easy to understand. As a tip, when you tighten the adapter going into the gas control valve from the gas supply line BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO OVERTIGHTEN. I overtightened mine to just change out the gas supply line and ended up cracking the pot metal housing to the gas control valve unit which is why I had to end up replacing my whole gas control valve in the first place. A $32 fix turned out to cost me almost $200 and ended up also being a lot more work I wouldn't have otherwise had to have done. So PLEASE be very careful about over tightening the Adapter onto the gas control valve. That piece is very delicate.
Thanks saved lots of money first quote for a new water heater was $5000 second quote was $2400 got the gas valve and burner package deal for $340 just had to take a couple vacation days off work! No more leaking water from the gas control valve.
Funny experience: I was at the point of installing the new gas valve and wondered if I had turned it tight enough. So, I re-watched that part of the video and when Roger Wakefield turned his gas valve to the final position, I noticed he gave out a little grunt. I thought to myself, I didn’t grunt. So, I turned it one more turn and sure enough, I gave out a little un-forced grunt. I just chuckled because I knew the valve was right where it was supposed to be! Thanks for the grunt Roger Wakefield! 😄
"Remember, you already drained the hot water heater." Lol! I fast forwarded to this part and was following along and got a little water everywhere. Thanks for the help though seriously. :)
I've changed a lot of things but never a gas valve on a water heater. It's nice to see how the valve is removed and reinstalled on the tank as far as how tight is is in the tank and how to deal with a place to grab onto the valve to turn it. My friend has a water heater with a Robertshaw valve 110-206, no power vent or anything like that and the pilot will light but no matter where we set the temperature control, the gas to the burner does not come on. I've ordered a new valve.
I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your videos and this one in particular. Short story: My mom's water heater went out. I did some research and thought I understood what was likely the problem but I suggested she call a plumber. Plumber came out the next morning and diagnosed with just what I suspected but told my mom she needed a new water heater claiming part she needed was obsolete and it would take them 1 to 2 weeks to source if they could even find one. Further stated we could never source it because we are not licensed plumbers. They quoted her $2600 for a new 50 gallon hot water heater with a 10 year warranty. Fortunately, I was there and told him no way! I had the very part sourced with one phone call. Had it in my hands within an hour and had the HW heater working that afternoon for $200. I watched this video in it's entirety then tackled the job watching and pausing step by step. My mom thinks I a a genius! :-)
Big win
No unnecessary jokes or long side stories. Just gave me exactly what I needed to know to do the job. Great work.
Thank you so much. Replaced the control valve this morning. $210 from the local supply shop and $10 for pipe dope and gas leak detector at Home Depot. Control valve is under warranty - so I'll even get my money back. The plumber I called was too busy to get to it until next week, but told me labor would be between $200-300. Took me about 2 hours from start to finish. FYI, if others try this and have a hard time getting the gas supply tube to line up with the controller, you might need to thread the control valve a little farther into the tank. I didn't want to overtighten it at first, and the supply tube to the burner wouldn't align properly. Two more rotations on the control valve and I was good to go.
plumber today told me 900 for the replacement. lmfao. He can stuff it.
Great presentation -- clear, thorough, and concise. I especially appreciated your speeding up the boring parts. I watched because I need to replace a Honeywell valve on my GE heater. Although the procedure is bound to be somewhat different, your video will help me anticipate and deal with the crucial steps.
Just replaced my heating control valve on a gas water heater. This video was extremely helpful. The step by step instructions were easy-to-follow. Everything came out great.
Apparently Rheem has a known glitch in their gas control valves, but their first step is to replace the burner assembly, then the gas control valve if the burner assembly wasn't the problem. This video was hugely helpful in learning how to replace both. You just saved me $150 and about 3 weeks (plumbers in Texas are slammed since the winter storm). Thank you, Roger!
Thank you Roger Wakefield and the video you made on How to Replace a Gas Control Valve on a Water Heater.....you covered all the bases and after watching the video at least 4 times and making notes, and armed with both an ignition system and a new gas control valve (both from Rheem for free!!!!) I tackled the project and after about an hour and a half ( I took my time because I did not want to screw up anything) I completed the project, tested for leaks, fired up the system and VIOLA......EVERYTHING IS WORKING, and I continue to get the blinking blue light telling me I am experiencing normal operation. I left you a voice mail at your business. Thank you for helping a 67 yr. old do-it-yourselfer. Appreciate all your videos. Thanks again......Larry Monte from Phoenix Arizona.
Hello Mr. Wakefield
After having tough time find HVAC place to sell me the gas control valve unless I am a licensed plumber I finally found a place.
Installed the gas control valve following your instructions and it was pretty straight forward. The hardest part was getting the gas union fitting to seal after showing leaks when doing gas leak test that you recommended.
With no gas leak or water leak. I installed the rest of the parts related to pilot and burner and opened faucets to take any air left in the system as you recommended.
Happy to say that water heater is working as good as new one thanks to your excellent video. In the process I saved myself $450 as all placed wanted $600 to 650. It took me about an hour to do the work but a good plumber like yourself can probably do it in 20 minutes.
Thank you again for all your help and look forward to watching more videos from your channel
AJ
Great video. Helped me a bunch. Instructions from equipment package were vague at best, but your tutorial walked me through it. Thanks.
Thank you Mr. Wakefield for producing a professional grade instructional video to replace the Honeywell Gas Control Valve. These valves are on the majority of tank water heaters currently in production by a multitude of manufacturers. Which makes your video so helpful for so many people. This video is clear and concise in layman’s terms most anyone can easily understand.
My water heater stopped working with the status light showing 07 error. (Gas valve electronic fault detected) I have performed the reset using a 9V battery. The pilot contact produced a clicking sound signaling the pilot valve was opening no fault. However, the burner contact produced no clicking sound at all. At this point I ordered a new Gas Control Valve. It is due to arrive tomorrow. In preparation I searched and found your video. After watching it I feel confident I can successfully complete this job. Next, I double checked my gas supply line shutoff was closed. I then closed both water supply and exit lines to the water heater. Opened the drain and relief valve, draining the unit. In prep, I have also purchased the nipple pipe along with a fresh tube of pipe dope. I will proceed to disconnect gas supply line, all wire connections, thermopile and burner supply line then remove the burner assembly. I will return after the install is complete to report.
UPDATE: I successfully completed the install. Everything is operating correctly with no faults.
As you requested, I’m responding with some issues I came across while doing my install I think you may find to be valuable.
1) When lighting the pilot, if you successfully light it and your status light is blinking and for any reason (air in gas line, etc) the pilot goes out before you have turned the knob from the pilot setting. If you simply relight the pilot the status light will not come back on no matter how long you depress the red knob.
To reset you must put the red knob in the OFF position for at least 5 minutes. Then, using the same steps, relight the pilot. Once the status light is blinking and you hear the click, immediately Tuen the red knob up to a heat setting.
The burner will alleviate the air in your line and not go out as it can with just the pilot burning.
2) When replacing the burner assembly, it is virtually impossible to seat the end of the burner into the slotted support bracket without first removing the two panels. (One has sight glass) Especially if your unit is in a dark basement on the floor. I removed the two screws holding the panels around the pilot and burner supply lines, inserted the burner assembly into the slot. Then neatly gathered my wires together to fit into the space around the lines and secured the panels back together with the two screws. Finally I secured the panels to the water heater with the four remaining screws.
3) I did check all of my connections with the soapy mixture with no bubbles. Luckily, my water heater is in our basement unconcealed. Later that evening as I walked past it I noticed bubbles coming from under the gas valve assembly. I had check those connections with the burner ignited. So gas was flowing through at the time. I simply tightened the connection once more and the leak stopped and has not returned.
For safety reasons, go back and check your connections a second time for any possible leaks.
Great info, and easily understood. Thanks for making this video! Now I can go out, purchase, and install a new gas control valve on my water heater!
Just finished up putting the exact control valve on the exact tank. This video was extremely helpful. I watched bits and pieces of the video and like I say it was really helpful. I had some problems getting the pilot to light. I came back in and watched more of the video and learned I forgot to turn the hot water tank water valve back on. I turned the main water valve to the house back on, but not the one to let water into the tank. I was surprised to learn I did almost all as you shown on my own, but did learn a few great tips and tricks. An excellent and outstanding video, and many thanks a bunch!!!
This is clear and concise, no extra B.S. Great job Roger.
I just finished replacing a gas valve on our Bradford White Defender and your video was very helpful. It convinced me that this a home repair everybody can do, with a cool mind, the right plumbing tools, and teflon tape / dope. Besides my compliments to you, let me mention some points that viewers might find helpful:
* In our location we have to use rigid pipes to connect the heater; we cannot use flex pipes or connectors. To successfully attach a nipple pipe to the control valve, look into either a pipe union _or_ a right-left nipple and right-left coupling that will allow to screw the gas line back in successfully. Likely, these parts are already used in your current installation, but just as a hint. Not every installation follows local code, and doing this replacement might be the moment to also upgrade some of the gas piping after the shut-off valve.
* It is amazing how companies try to confuse the consumer (and plumbers?) with a myriad of part numbers for control valves. Honeywell updated the WV8400 series with the newer WT8400 series. I read a lot online how many control valves fail prematurely, in our case with the 5-red-flashes error that indicated a failed thermo sensor (after only 13 months of use, ugh). When ordering a replacement valve, try to avoid the ones that have the sensor covered with plastic inside the water well; probably the metal-covered ones are better (but the verdict is still out). Several models might fit your heater.
* When ordering the replacement, check these parameters: Insulation thickness of your heater (1in, 1.5in, 2in), natural gas or LP/propane, WC value for the valve output (such as 4.0 WC or 5.0 WC). These parameters will determine which valve to order, and of course in addition to how the connectors are compatible with the burner assembly of your heater.
* A different story is how Bradford White or your plumber will honor warranty on a broken control valve. Doing this repair yourself might save heartache, time, money, and potential legal action. Anyway...
* Oh, and one thing I was not sure about: How hard should one screw in the control valve into the water heater? I felt I had a good seal, and did not want to overtighten. But that was the hard part for me, to figure out if I should give it another 360-degree turn. My suspicion also is that over-tightening can contribute to micro-fractures in the spud so that water could seep in slowly, thus messing up the thermo-sensor. But that is just my amateur theory.
One of the best videos on installation of gas valves I have seen👍
Wow! Excellent instruction. The camera work in the cut-out water tank was a great idea. Your clear, concise instruction gave me full confidence that I could easily and safely perform this replacement. Thank you!
Be careful about the "full confidence" you get from watching something that looks easy before you have a chance to do it yourself --- because you just might end up being exposed as having foolishly boasted while putting on your battle armor like one who takes it off. You don't have to live long with Asperger's syndrome to be taught THAT kind of life lesson in one hundred plus one ways. Two examples: 1: Having succeeded, at the age of 7, in learning to ride a regular bicycle made me think, at the age of 10, that I could ride a ten-speed. But the first time I tried it, the entire front assembly wobbled crazily, the bike seemed to have a mind of its own, I couldn't control it, I sideswiped an object, and I handed back the bicycle in embarrassed silence. 2: At the age of 11 I so badly wanted to learn to swim like the other children only to find that I couldn't tolerate the 70-degree cold water the impatient 19-year-old swimming instructor expected me to learn to swim in, but fortunately my father stepped in and cancelled the lessons on his own when he saw how the swimming instructor was treating me in response to my struggles in the water. So no matter how simple something looks, don't assume you'll be able to do it because there's always something you don't anticipate. Experiences like those where I had the knowledge but struggled with the physical parts of whatever I was attempting to do at any given time made me afraid, all through my childhood, that I might not be able to develop the precision and the professional work skills of a career, and that was exactly what ultimately happened.
Charles G. That is a very clear and understanding video. Thank you for your expertise Mr. Wakefield.....
I haven't done it yet, but will soon and sure it will go smoothly! Ssoooooo glad I found you! I watch a lot of how-to videos (automotive, electrical...and plumbing), and this is THE BEST I've watched!
I've installed a few hundred of the Bradford white heaters. And replaced a ton of the control valves. Good water heater for the price and easy to work on
Great video, a plumbing company tried to tell me I needed a new water heater on a 6 year old home starting at 3k. They were really trying to upsell to a tankless unit for 7k. Glad I did some research and came across this video. A $100 gas control module, new in the box, got my 50 gallon AO Smith water heater running perfect! 🙂👍
Just replaced my 20 year old water heater with a new Rheem with this type of gas valve. The water heater drains a lot faster if you open a hot water faucet. Someone in the comments mentioned loosening the water supply line to drain it. That’s not necessary if you just open any hot water faucet. Also, if you remove your burner, take the time to clean the air filter below the burner while you have it out. These get clogged and then the burner is starving for air and won’t stay lit. Since you have the burner out, clean the air filter. This is a great and helpful video and when the time comes it’ll guide me through the control value replacement process.
I replaced my gas control valve with your help 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 you explain every step we’ll and clear. Thanks to your video I have hot water running again.
Thanks for the excellent instructions. I'm a CA homeowner getting ready to install a replacement gas control valve and burner assembly on a 4 year old Rheem water heater.
Thank you so much!!! Worked perfect!! Thanks for the clear step-by-step way to install this.
Thanks Roger, very informative, well done, and detailed.
Use the soap spray, check for leaks, I thought I had the connections tight enough, well the soap spay said I didn’t.
Thanks again!
Great video. After a lightning storm we had a bunch of electronics get cooked and for some reason it also appears to have taken out my control board on one of my water heaters. So, I ordered the part and looking forward to getting it installed tomorrow ! I got a lot of great tips on how to troubleshoot and bench test the Thermopile, the valve coils, etc. And all testing points to a bad valve / control board. Thanks for the great videos !
This is great! Thank you. My ancient water heater on the house that I rent seems to have a control valve/thermostat problem. I’m going to talk to the landlord, but I generally handle home repair on my own dime because the rent is so low ($175 for a big two bedroom in a popular tourist town in Mexico).
Thank you, great video with easy to understand instructions. I have to switch one out because I couldn't light the pilot and got 4 flashes from the sensor. AO Smithe is sending a newer unit but the older one (3 years) does this 4 flash overheat thing a lot I hear. I drained the tank for sediments but only see salt. There is a reset button also I hear. Thanks for the great instruction.
Thanks Roger, always a pleasure! Also, I don't know if you'd even remember at this point but I messaged you a while back about a residence getting cold water before and after the kitchen, but not in the kitchen. Turns out some "handyman" had done a repair in there, installed a sharkbite ball valve in the wall to stop the leak, ran new pipe, and NEVER OPENED THE DAMN BALL VALVE BACK UP!!! 😡😤
Watched the video - walked me right through the steps. Hot water is back and everyone in the house is happy. Thanks Roger.
Glad I can help!!!
VIdeo was very helpful in changing out the thermostat on my Bradford White water heater. Thank you!
Great demonstration. I just got the Gas control valve installed. I tested the emergency cut off switch, and the thermopile. Both tested good. So bought the gas control valve. Waiting 5 minutes for gas to fill the line before I try to light. Thanks for the help.
**EDIT**Just got the pilot light. It's running, and heating water. Thanks again.
Great video! I am replacing my control valve tomorrow as soon as it gets delivered by FedEx... Thanks for the useful information!
Leo did you do it? How easy was it to do?
My water heater recently started leaking gas when heating the water, when the burner is on. I've bought the very expensive gas control valve replacement and I'm going to swap it out myself.
This is a very informative video. You have a way of explaining things that makes it easy to understand. This video gives me the confidence to do it myself. Thank you!
how did it go?
Oh, man. I'm going to be visiting your channel so much. Thanks. You just saved me hundreds of dollars!
Thank you very much Roger for a great tip of how to replace the Gas Control Valve on Gas Water Heater!
Your video saved me almost $700!! Thank you so much for this!
THANK YOU a billion times. My pilot is constantly on after replacing the thermopile, but the burner won't stay on and I have to ignite it all the time. I believe replacing the control valve is the key.
Bounrith Ly this video should help you then. Be sure to check for gas leaks!
We did exactly as you said, will be calling our local repair man to find out why it did this but your video helped us fire back up. Thank you!
Man you made this so easy .I've been so stressed thinking I was gonna blow the house up but after this video I feel much better about doing this.Thank you so much for your instruction , it's very much appreciated.
I’m glad I could help.
Hello Doug. I did this project 06-06-2020 and felt the same way you did. It turned out perfect thanks to Rogers video.
Thank you Roger. I will be replacing my burner assembly (thermopyle) on Monday when the part comes in and your clear instructions on removal of the burner assembly are really helpful. The pilot light won't stay on. I can see it light when I look through the small window, but when I release the temperature control knob on my control value it goes out. I did not check the control valve, I am just hoping that it is only the thermopyle, if not then I will decide if it is a control valve problem. I have a Bradford White, so this was a really helpful video.
I have the same issue, what happened with yours?
I have the same problem. What finally happened?
Got it going, and it lasted for another 8 months and then the water heater wouldn’t heat anymore. So I replaced it with an electric one instead
Thanks for this very informative video.
I had to replace this and I went smoothly thanks to your video.
Thanks to cinematography and the guy under the table blowing on the end of the gas line, we can simulate a little gas leak. 😁👍
Mr. Wakefield, Thank you soo much for sharing your know how with us. Covid has us in a chokehold and I'm not sure we could afford a professional this close to Christmas. This video really saved my butt man.
thanks for the video great job I didn't know that I have to remove the burner out also this video really help me out thanks again. 38 years doing plumbing you know the tricks
Thank you for the knowledge!
@Blake Bitner some days I don't feel very knowledgeable. Just sharing some important information. I hope it helps someone!
Thank you, I replaced the thermocouple on my JonhWood three times in the last 5 years and it is a left handed hard to find part. So thank to your video I have a retrofit Honeywell burner and controller now. The tank is from 2006 so I think if I can get 3 more years from it then I will replace with a new one. 14 years is getting up there and replaces last year the overflow safety valve that started leaking.
If your T&P valve is discharging water, your house’s water pressure might be too high, because you might have a pressure reducing valve that failed. The PRV is typically located close to the water meter. You can measure your water pressure with an inexpensive gauge from the big box stores (about $10 or so); the pressure gauge screws on at any place where you can screw a hose onto - you could even use the drain valve on the water heater (if you don’t have a hot water recirculating system installed).
Check your pressure. And I suggest you also get an expansion tank if you have a PRV.
9:12: Roger, watching you hook up this water heater is enviable for me because the certifications you have in plumbing is all the certifications and professional proficiency I wanted in plumbing but it just never happened; I failed in everything I tried to do not just in plumbing but also in other job situations.
currently frazzled at 11 at night, getting my replacement in tomorrow ( hopefully!) thanks for being clear, calm and concise. has definitely given me a bit of confidence for tomorrow, and ill update ya and let ya know how it went.
I return victorious! this went extremely well, smooth as butter, and had a nice hot shower after. only 2 extra trips to the hardware store for little adapters and things. very happy. thank you for the help. consider me a subscriber for the long haul :)
so there was no hot water in the entire house, then you replaced the gas control valve and there was?
Great video, thank you! My boyfriend is going to be changing out the gas control valve and I'm going to make sure he watches this video :)
Ok found the problem. When having trouble draining the tank, I spilled water into my aluminum pan in which I keep my water heater. ( pan drains to a sump so I have a safety system in case water heater leaks.). The full pan of water prevented the burner from drawing air into the bottom of the flame to help the exhaust process. After mopping up the water, the burner runs just fine. Terrific video was a HUGE help, but still a little bump or two to get over before achieving success with the controller/ “gas valve” and igniter replacement. Probably would not have tried this without the instruction of the video. Thanks so much!
Thank you, Roger! You simply explained everything, with hands on teaching. I made a video, with credit due to you. Thank you!
Glad it helped
Thank you! Very thorough! I can’t believe you had 11 people who gave a thumbs down!
He failed to show how to disconnect hard gas lines. Not everyone has flex tube. He failed to explain hwy you have to drain the entire tank. You can change the valve without draining the whole tank.
Very good presentation! Very concise and helpful.
About to take on this task soon. Great video and information
I love this guy. Amazing
Thank You! Glad I found your video. Saved me time and headaches.
A great video, easy to follow instructions.....thank you...!!!
Very thorough and easy-to-follow instructions, thank you for that. I'm not sure I understand the need to remove the burner assembly prior to replacing the gas control valve, especially since no parts of the burner assembly are being replaced.
As you back the control valve out of the W.H. it will hit up against the burner assembly's fuel supply line
I’ve watched a lot of different repair videos for various things but wow…you really did an excellent job explaining that! Loved the video! Thank you! 👍
Glad you liked it!
@@RogerWakefield Can you please recommend the type of pipe dope to use on LP gas for those of us less experienced. The Rectorseal 5 (slow set, soft set) that the local mom & pop hardware store recommended says it's for natural gas, but doesn't say it's for LP. Any difference? It would be great if you added a link to this video with your choice of "pipe dope". Otherwise AMAZINGLY clear and helpful video. BTW, I'm doing this repair right now, so likely by the time I see your reply I will have tried what I have (the yellow tube 5 Pipe Thread Sealant) and done a soapy water test until there are no leaks. However, I'm willing to go back and redo the work, if the type I've used is inappropriate. I'm just desperate for a hot shower after weeks waiting for the part to ship here. I've hooked up LP stoves and space heaters my entire life of 57 years with just teflon tape, so I'm not as familiar with the term "pipe dope". Blessings, Valerie
Great information video - I'm planning on replacing my controller, piezo unit, and maybe even my burner assembly.
Hey, awesome video. I just replaced a gas valve and pilot assembly and followed your instructions. There's a lot of talk regarding tape and dope or just tape but I followed your suggestions and used both. Belts and suspenders I guess. Thanks for all your insightful knowledge and well-done videos.
Thank you Roger for your video. I had hard time initially to remove the LP gas controller. I found this video about sticking a 4" nipple pipe into the gas supply hole to help to unscrew the controller. It really helped me on this. I also had hard time to unscrew the gas pipe connect to the burner. I found it out the hard way that the LP GAS controller has a reversed thread there compared to the natural gas controller. Otherwise everything you showed over here works for me.
I would like to borrow your brain on the issue that I have on my 50 Gallon AO Smith LP gas water heater. I decided to replace the LP gas controller is because my hot water is burning hot even on the "LOW" setting. It's been for two days after the controller replacement and the hot water is still burning hot on the "LOW" setting with this spanking new gas controller. I also replaced the T&P relief valve after that. None of these helped. I took out the burner to have a look and found nothing wrong with it. This LP gas water heater is just 4 year old. Thanks!
Did you replaced it with the proper gas valve? LP gas rather than natural gas? Did you replaced the burner assembly?
Hi @@carlosm6235, the LP gas controller is from the AO Smith dealer. I took off the old one and exchanged for a new one there, the same model. (Note: L.P. Gas controllers use reverse threads on the manifold tube). I took the burner out while the controller was out and found nothing wrong with it. So I didn't replace the burner.
Clear and concise. Thank you bud. 👍🏻
used your method today...fixed and working properly... Thank you for the informative tutorial;
I had to do that once. Gas water heater. Also replaced the burner. Not that difficult of a fix. Cheaper than buying a new one. Learned a lot of stuff. Still using it today.
Outstanding! Thank You!
I just found out that our gas valve has a leak that's why the Pilot keeps shutting off, now it needs replace. I wanna do it myself so bad, your video is very detailed and it looks easy to do. Thank you!
Great video. Im a master plumber in Maryland and we are not allowed to use an appliance connector on gas water heater and teflon on gas fittings. Every state is different. I liked the nipple idea on removing the gas valve.
That’s the best video I’ve seen on gas valve r and r .
Roger is the bomb and should be teaching on MasterClass. Thank you and keep making these informative videos!
Great video. Very thorough and easy to understand. As a tip, when you tighten the adapter going into the gas control valve from the gas supply line BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO OVERTIGHTEN. I overtightened mine to just change out the gas supply line and ended up cracking the pot metal housing to the gas control valve unit which is why I had to end up replacing my whole gas control valve in the first place. A $32 fix turned out to cost me almost $200 and ended up also being a lot more work I wouldn't have otherwise had to have done. So PLEASE be very careful about over tightening the Adapter onto the gas control valve. That piece is very delicate.
This is excellent! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for making this very clear, to the point, video.
Excellent presentation. Thank you.
This was very helpful! Great video, thanks!
Great video I have the water heater with the same problem & I got it done less than hour without any plumbing experience. Thanks
You are amazing! Thank you so much. I changed out this exact valve today and I was able to order things ahead of time to prepare for it.
Glad it helped!
Thank you for the video and the advice. I was able to replace the Combination Gas Control by following the instructions you shared. ✌️
Very helpful. I could actually understand your verbiage during the whole video. Have a great day. 😎👍
Thank You!! Best Video I've Seen Yet..Super Precise Instructions..
Very good video. Nice camera and quality of recording. Very informative. Thank you.
Great presentation Sir ! Thank you
Truly a GREAT teacher ... great job .... great video ; )
Thank you kindly! I do love this trade!
Thank you, very much. This is excellent instruction.. I would have tried to service this without draining the water probably!
Thanks Roger for another very helpful and instructional video.
Great information, the explanation was very helpful and detailed. Thanks
Very well explained. Thanks
Great teacher! Thank you 🙏
Thanks saved lots of money first quote for a new water heater was $5000 second quote was $2400 got the gas valve and burner package deal for $340 just had to take a couple vacation days off work! No more leaking water from the gas control valve.
Hopefully those vacation days will get reimbursed! lol
One of the best tutorials hands down. Well done!
Glad you think so!
Funny experience: I was at the point of installing the new gas valve and wondered if I had turned it tight enough. So, I re-watched that part of the video and when Roger Wakefield turned his gas valve to the final position, I noticed he gave out a little grunt. I thought to myself, I didn’t grunt. So, I turned it one more turn and sure enough, I gave out a little un-forced grunt. I just chuckled because I knew the valve was right where it was supposed to be! Thanks for the grunt Roger Wakefield! 😄
You just saved me, thank you
Roger, thx for the vid. Very concise and detailed. Any need to mention natural gas vs. regular rated teflon tape and their specific areas of use?
This really helped a lot and saved me money thanks
Thanks so Much for this info.
"Remember, you already drained the hot water heater." Lol! I fast forwarded to this part and was following along and got a little water everywhere. Thanks for the help though seriously. :)
I've changed a lot of things but never a gas valve on a water heater. It's nice to see how the valve is removed and reinstalled on the tank as far as how tight is is in the tank and how to deal with a place to grab onto the valve to turn it. My friend has a water heater with a Robertshaw valve 110-206, no power vent or anything like that and the pilot will light but no matter where we set the temperature control, the gas to the burner does not come on. I've ordered a new valve.
Just finished replacing one. Great video!
Awesome! Thank you!
Thank you! This video was spot on, and made the work quick and confident for a rookie.
Glad it helped!