My mum has the old Vulcan oil heater.The red light goes on,we wait for it to light, but the power cuts out for the whole house just before ignition.Usually it smokes the house out with oil fumes till it burns off but they insist on paying to get it fixed because there is still half a tank of heating oil left to burn.I have a gas fire ready to be plugged in but they insist on getting it fixed.What could the prob.be?

SOURCE: The pilot light has gone out on an old Vulcan gas

You probably need to replace the thermocouple before you will be able to get it lit.

SOURCE: we have a Vulcan Ultra high efficiency gas ducted heating

Gas ducted central heater won't switch on all of a sudden

SOURCE: I have purchased a house

you have air in the gas line , the pilot being so small it would take ages to come through , you need to purge the line to get the air out , se if you can undo the pilot line to pruge it

SOURCE: I have moved into a

Hello,

Here are the solution below to solve the problem on your on the mater of do it your self one after the other (step by step).

The first sign of trouble with your water heater's pilot light is usually a cold shower. Your heater's pilot light allows the burner to cycle on and off while maintaining the water in the tank at a constant temperature. When the pilot light goes out for any reason, the thermocouple closes the burner's gas supply valve to prevent gas escaping and filling your house.

When your pilot will not light or does not remain lit, you might be able to save the price of a service call by taking a few minutes to troubleshoot the problem.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy


INSTRUCTION

1. 1 Remove the pilot light access cover. It is located near the bottom of the tank. If you smell gas, do not attempt to light the heater. If the smell does not dissipate, replace the heater's control valve before proceeding. The control valve is the box located by the access cover. It consists of the on/off/pilot dial as well as the thermostat dial. Consult manufacturer's documentation for replacement instructions on your model.
   
2. 2 Turn the thermostat on the water heater to the lowest setting.
   
3. 3 Turn the gas control valve to the "Pilot" position.
   
4. 4 Inspect the burner area with a flashlight. Clean out any dust or debris before attempting to light the pilot.
   
5. 5 Press the gas control valve down in the "Pilot" position, and hold the flame from your match or lighter underneath the pilot light.
   
6. 6 If the pilot fails to ignite, check the gas supply to the heater. Make sure all supply valves are open.
   
7. 7 If the gas supply is good, the pilot light's orifice or gas jet might be plugged. The orifice is the small tip attached to the pilot light's gas supply tube. Use a small wrench to remove it. Inspect the tip and remove any obstruction by tapping gently against a hard surface or blowing through it. Once you are satisfied that the orifice is clear, try lighting the pilot again and proceed to the next step. If it still does not light, replace the gas control valve.
   
8. 8 Remove the flame from the pilot light as soon as it ignites. Continue to hold the gas control valve down for at least two minutes to allow the thermocouple to heat up. The thermocouple is the small metal rod located directly above the pilot light. It is designed to allow the burner to operate only when the pilot light is functioning.
   
9. 9 Release the gas control valve. If the pilot light goes out, check the fittings between the thermocouple and the gas control valve. A loose fitting to the control valve can keep the thermocouple from operating properly. If the fittings are tight and the problem persists, replace the thermocouple.
   

Angel Joseph Jr.

• 685 Answers
• Posted on May 11, 2011

SOURCE: Hi, my old Vulcan wall

Check if there is contact between the terminals of the thermostat using an ohm meter when set to a higher temp, if the reading is infinite or open, you have to replace the thermostat. Also check if the thermopile is receiving enough heat from pilot flame for it will generate a little amount of electricity to energize the main valve and fire up the burner.