The pilot light of my Vulcan Compact 60 Airconditioning unit can be lit but will not stay alight.

The system I am familiar with uses a vapour pressure type thermocouple and if the pilot remains lit the thermocouple is working as it controls the gas for the pilot and the burner at the same time from the same source - if the gas control is ok and the flow isn't prevented by the thermostat then if the pilot remains alight, there should be a flow of gas and the burner should light - unless the gas jet is blocked or something else, some other type of blockage is preventing the flow of gas to the burner...

I suggest you check the gas jet and the flow of gas to it...

Under the gas valve is a removable panel. On models of that era there should also be a second panel behind the first. remove both.

the pilot light should be clearly visible.

If no pilot, turn the gas valve to OFF. wait 60 seconds. locate the tubes from the gas valve to the pilot location. turn the valve to pilot, and with a long match or grill lighter lit, place flame at the pilot location and press down on the pilot button beside the main valve.

pilot should light. If not shut off the gas and call a technician. If yes, hold the pilot button for 60 seconds, then slowly release. Pilot should stay lit. If not, shut off gas and replace thermocouple, start relight sequence over. If pilot stays lit, replace inner cover and adjust temp to 120 deg. If heater fires up, replace outer cover. Done.

If heater does not light, replace gas valve or entire unit. Water heaters have a limited life expectancy, and if my recollection is correct your unit is 10yrs past warranty.

hi chris, did you work out how to light the pilot light! the instructions are great until it says light the pilot.... yeah, but where is the pilot light?? it is easy to find when it is on... but not obvious when off... i\'m pressing the button in for 15 seconds and then waving around a naked flame... it just doesn\'t feel safe after 30 seconds of gas wissing and no joy... plus i\'m in a crawl space under my apartment covered in spider webs - i\'d love another clue so i can get out of the crawl space quicker ;-) thanks ren

SEt to pilot, Push knob, push pezio ignighter until pilot lights, hold for 30 seconds. if it stays lit turn to on, if it doesn't stay lit, you have a bad thermocouple

clean out the pilot with can of air or blowdown it with a tube do this when it it not alight pilot should be bigger

check the thermal couple

You probably have grease that has gotten into the pilot. Turn off the gas to the pilot and detach the pilot tubing and pilot tip. It sometimes helps to take a propane torch and heat up the pilot tip and tubing, paying special attention to the first bend from the pilot tip. Get it red hot and tap out any ash from the inside. You may have to **** out the tubing with a piece of bare wire or blow it out with WD-40. With the oven pilot, check the pilot flame. If low, adjust. If OK, replace the thermocouple. If neither of these corrects the problem, replace the pilot satety. I always recommend a new thermocouple with a new pilot safety.

change the thermcouple

there is a small adjustment screw on the gas valve,turn it clockwise to increase pilot,if that does not work the vent cap on the gas regulator on the back of the unit could be stopped up,remove that cap ,clean out or replace unit can operate without it just fine.If you increase the pilot and it still wont stay lit replace the thermocouple