I have a 4 year old maytag water heater, has been fine since it was new.
Starting yesterday the pilot light has gone out 4 times. The only other
thing is that I turned on my central air conditioning yesterday. The water
heater and the furnace are in the basement. What is going on? I guess I
call the plumber?

Thanks,

Jeff

"Jeff" wrote in message
. ..
I have a 4 year old maytag water heater, has been fine since it was new.
Starting yesterday the pilot light has gone out 4 times. The only other
thing is that I turned on my central air conditioning yesterday. The
water
heater and the furnace are in the basement. What is going on? I guess I
call the plumber?

Thanks,

Jeff

Turn the a/c off and see if the problem goes away... If it does then you
have a draft issue and you need to call a plumber quick.

The a/c may be pulling the fumes into the duct work.

Jeff wrote:

I have a 4 year old maytag water heater, has been fine since it was new.
Starting yesterday the pilot light has gone out 4 times. The only other
thing is that I turned on my central air conditioning yesterday. The water
heater and the furnace are in the basement. What is going on? I guess I
call the plumber?

Thanks,

Jeff


Sit in front of the heater (leave the inner baffle plate
in place) and watch the pilot.
Have someone else switch the blower fan for the A/C on.
See if that deflects the flame.

(The A/C blower shouldn't affect the house pressurization,
but the coincidence is too strijing to ignore.)

Jim

I watched the pilot with the furnace fan off and on and did not see much
difference. I lit a match and definitely see a slight draft up into the
water heater, so that must be good. The pilot is burning with a low blue
flame and every once in a while spits out a little yellow. Maybe the gas
line has a problem?

Jeff wrote:
I watched the pilot with the furnace fan off and on and did not see much
difference. I lit a match and definitely see a slight draft up into the
water heater, so that must be good. The pilot is burning with a low blue
flame and every once in a while spits out a little yellow. Maybe the gas
line has a problem?


is that natural gas or propane?

Natural gas

"joe" wrote in message
. ..
Jeff wrote:
I watched the pilot with the furnace fan off and on and did not see much
difference. I lit a match and definitely see a slight draft up into the
water heater, so that must be good. The pilot is burning with a low blue
flame and every once in a while spits out a little yellow. Maybe the gas
line has a problem?
is that natural gas or propane?

Jeff wrote:

Natural gas

"joe" wrote in message
. ..

Jeff wrote:

I watched the pilot with the furnace fan off and on and did not see much
difference. I lit a match and definitely see a slight draft up into the
water heater, so that must be good. The pilot is burning with a low blue
flame and every once in a while spits out a little yellow. Maybe the gas
line has a problem?

is that natural gas or propane?



never mind

mine did that. i changed the thermalcouple and it didnt help. i had
to take the burner and pilot feed tube off and blow em out. that fixed
it. tader

Jeff wrote:
I watched the pilot with the furnace fan off and on and did not see much
difference. I lit a match and definitely see a slight draft up into the
water heater, so that must be good. The pilot is burning with a low blue
flame and every once in a while spits out a little yellow. Maybe the gas
line has a problem?



Well pay close attention to other things in the house when you turn a/c
on. Make sure windows are closed and chimney damper is closed.
Sometimes it takes a strange situation to get the downdraft started.

--
Respectfully,


CL Gilbert