On Wednesday, November 27, 2013 4:21:05 PM UTC-8, wrote:
Hi Bob,



Thanks for being a lifesaver. I used your advice but the only difference I did was I cut the 'left hand thread piece' on the thermocouple in half. I also used my Dremel as you did. I first only cut half of the 'left hand thread piece' like you did, but I I couldn't get it out of the copper tubing with only half of a cut. So I decided to cut the whole 'left hand thread piece' in half. I then put the two 1/2 pieces of the 'left hand thread' around the new thermocouple and screwed in to the water heater. I did NOT use any glue or adhesive. As long as the new copper tubing from the thermocouple is in the middle, it will keep the size of the 'left hand thread piece' the correct size so you can screw it in the water heater.



Thanks again Bob for your post.





On Sunday, October 28, 2012 9:56:53 AM UTC-7, Bob F wrote:

The thermocouple on my 7yo Whirlpool water heater went out Sat. The stores open



on the weekend had only right hand thread thermocouples, and as far as I could



find out, the manufacturer would sell me a conversion kit for $31 which would



take 10 days to receive. (out of warrantee)







My solution: I carefully clamped the threaded fitting on my old thermocouple



end-to-end in my vice so one face was up, then used a 1" cutting disc in my



dremel tool to cut a slot into the fitting so I could slide it off of the tube.



I slid the threaded fitting on my new thermocouple down out of the way, then



slipped the slotted one over the tube and carefully screwed it into the valve



fitting. It works perfectly.







If you have a several years old Whirlpool or American Products water heater, you



might want to check to see if it has the left hand thread on the thermocouple.



If it does, and it is still in warrantee, contact the manufacturer now so you



can get the conversion kit for free ahead of the time you really need it.