Water heater issue

[FullySprinklered]

Had to take some time off to work on my autobiography. It's called: Twenty Thousand Leaks Under the Sink.
How do you like them jewels, Vern.
So, here's the deal. Got a call from a regular customer. He just got home from a two week vacation and had no hot water and there was a big puddle on the floor around his W/H. I installed this appliance last year, so I'm shaking in my Florsheims. The shut-off for the water heater is a gate valve, no pack nut, and it was dribbling at the stem. I replaced the o-ring under the bonnet and that took care of the leak. The customer is a nice guy, but not real technical, and associated the leak with the lack of hot water. Natural mistake.
Next, I lit the pilot and when it did it's thing I turned the dial up and nothing happened. Did it several more times and the burner would not light. Pilot stayed on.
I picked up my channel-locks and rapped the control box and whoof, the burner lit up. I repeatedly rotated the dial, maybe a dozen times, to make sure the burner was consistently coming on.
I told the customer that his water heater was feeling neglected and just needed some attention, had a laugh, billed him and went on.
Now, I haven't run into this issue before and I'm wondering if I'm going to be seeing this gentleman again any time soon.
Would like to hear from anyone who's dealt with this particular problem. Thanks.

 

[Tom098]

Just guessing:

A faulty gas control valve?
Thermocouple not tight to the pilot bracket and flame?
Thermocouple tip needs cleaning?
Connections to the gas valve need nipping up?

Why did you rap the gas valve?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

quote; Thermocouple not tight to the pilot bracket and flame?
Thermocouple tip needs cleaning?
Connections to the gas valve need nipping up?

A new water heater does NOT have any way to "tighten" the thermocouple and if either of those two items were the cause the pilot would NOT have stayed lit. IF the connections are so loose that rapping the valve "tightened" them he should probably leave the house before it explodes. He"rapped" it because he didn't want to hurt his foot by kicking it.

 

[DonL]

Some of the new heaters have a water pressure sensor, Does that one have one ? Was the tank full of water ?

What is the Model Number ?

You should have left him your channel-locks, so he can fix it again.

My guess is that you will be back.

 

[FullySprinklered]

Some of the new heaters have a water pressure sensor, Does that one have one ? Was the tank full of water ?

What is the Model Number ?

You should have left him your channel-locks, so he can fix it again.

My guess is that you will be back.

No answers on the pressure sensor query or model #. Tank was full, the button was on "pilot", as opposed to "on".
I thought about leaving the channel-locks, but somehow they seem so much more valuable to me now.

 

[DonL]

No answers on the pressure sensor query or model #. Tank was full, the button was on "pilot", as opposed to "on".
I thought about leaving the channel-locks, but somehow they seem so much more valuable to me now.

I never would have thought of getting the Burner to come on, when the Valve is in the pilot position, using a pair of channel-locks.

Darn You are Good.

I hope your customer has a good sense of smell, and can Run Fast.