Bob F, YOU ARE MY HERO!!!! IT WORKED!!

For the others reading this I am going to explain Bob's method a little different if that helps for the less skilled. Snap a picture of the burner assembly before pulling the old thermocouple out to ensure proper installation..


The fitting is left threaded and you will not find this in any of the big box stores or even specialty warehouses. There are two options to dealing with this.

Since being without hot water for a week is not going to fly we need fast results. Go to Zoro parts and order the part and have it take its sweet time arriving while we do Bob's option. It is always nice to have a back up and for 10 bucks its worth it.


Option 1:

Take the thermocouple and secure it in a vice. I don't have one so I used a pair of vice grips and clamped it to a piece of wood. You can always put it on a curb or deck and have someone stand on it if you lack a clamp.

The threaded nut has to be laying flat, not upward. With your dremel tool and metal cut-off disk,begin to cut a channel along the nut until you reach the copper wire. The goal is to create a channel large enough to allow the copper wire to pop in a out easily.

Eventually you will create a "jacket" version so that you can pop it on the side of the new thermocouple. You don't want to go too crazy and carve off half of it. Just enough to have it pop in and out from the side.

Take the modified nut and practice popping it on the side of the old copper wire to ensure it works. ALSO, practice screwing it in the box. You don't want to put it all together and find its messed up.

Purchase a universal thermocouple from Lowes. I bought a "Rheem Gasket Replacement Kit with Thermocouple" because the tip of it looked more like the shape of the dead one. A few bucks more and extra gasket is nice. Total cost is around $18.

Take the new thermocouple and slide its current nut down and pop the modified one on top. Gently screw it in while holding the wire center. It is going to be a little wobbly so it might take a few tries to seat it completely in. Once you see it seated correctly its time to put it all together.

Take it back out and put the new thermocouple in the mount. Be sure to place the tip at the same depth as the previous one or as close as you can. Refer to your snap shot. Not sure if a little bit off is going to mess this up.

After all is assembled perform the normal pilot starting procedures.


Option 2:

If you don't have a dremel, you could use a hacksaw and a lot of patience or buy a cut off disk skinny enough to create that channel if you have a power drill. Take the dead thermocouple with you just to be sure the cut width matches.


All thanks and credit goes to Bob F. We have hot water again and a modified nut that works with those universal thermocouples.