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I agree its not the thermocouplings getting too hot. If you actually test the thermocouple with a meter with the pilot on it you will see that it is giving enough millivolts but the gas valve is requiring more than the valve should so as soon as the thermocouple gets a little weak the pilot goes out. I have tested many that where like 17 plus millivolts and wouldn't work till i replaced them with a new one. and they were connected correctly.
The original thermocouples had a heat sensor built into the thermocouple and would become weak or bad then requiring replacement.
The new design has a resettable heat sensor that is supposed to make resetting easier...only having to push a button.
Not sure if it will cause the millivolts to just become weak.
Hi Jim
Yeah, I concur. The thermocouplings are not burning up.
You know, when you read a long thread like this one, you'll find there is plenty of bull, and plenty of facts. The hard part is trying to figure out which is which. Your post #194, where you said the thermocouplings were not bad, struck me as fact. That is what caused me to turn my attention to the pilot light. Sometimes, a seemingly inconsequential observation, makes all the difference
You know, other than putting in the correct pilot jet, I guess one could replace the thermocoupling with one that has a higher voltage. Then when it ages, becomes less able to generate voltage, it would not fall off the plateau.
Regardless, I won't ever buy another. It's a POS.
Originally Posted by Plumber Jim
Last edited by HeyRube; 05-16-2008 at 10:18 AM.
at least you all agree on something....
whther the chicken or egg came first...
at least you all agree that
its a piece of crap.....
Well today I get to make "the call"...someone is taking this Cesspool piece of garbage back. I don't care if it is Cesspool or Lowes.
I got the reset switch to work once last night - went through one cycle and then crapped out. I doubt its dirty under there - I rubbed my fingers on the screen and they weren't dirty at all.
I'm going to HD today and buy a GE-Rheem...enough with this shinola.
Note: I am a DIY'er and not a professional. My posts here are observations / opinions and may or may not be in accordance with your local ordinances.
The best thing I ever did was replace that WP with a Bradford White. Going on 3 months now and I don't even think about my water heater.
Need help with Gas Valve /Thermostat Replacement
I too have one of the Whirlpool Flame Lock water heaters that I've had for over 5 years now. I just recently had a problem where the pilot light won't stay lit and Whirlpool sent me a whole replacement assembly that I replaced with no problem, but the pilot light still wouldn't stay lit. I troubleshot per the flow chart supplied and called Whirlpool with my troubleshooting results and they overnighted a Gas Valve/Thermostat assembly to me. My question is there is a plastic cover that seems to be fitted over the probe that goes inside the water heater. The instructions don't say anything about removing the plastic prior to installation and naturally customer support is closed. Does anyone know if the cover should remain in place? Also, the customer servise rep didn't mention anything about the filter, but after reading all of the complaints I'm definitely going to check it.
Right-threaded vs. Left-threaded
I recently received my replacement manifold per the lawsuit. No instruction were provided for those strange new parts. I stored it away as a spare part. Well, like everyone else that owns a Whirlpool Flame-Lock, I ended up using it sooner than later. I only wish I had found this forum before I tried to put it in myself. When I began to screw in the thermocouple nut - without the adapter provided in the kit - I had the hardest time getting that new right-threaded nut to go in the left-threaded hole in the controller. Imagine that! I'm thinking, "Those idiots can't even get their parts to match!" So I did the unthinkable and just tried to start that left-handed nut into the hole as if the nut was right-threaded. And guess what! It went in with little resistance! I'm thinking to myself, "Now I could have sworn that puppy was left-handed when I took it off. Maybe, it wasn't." It was only after reading this forum that my fears were confirmed: I obviously re-threaded the nut or the hole. Either way my water heater is working again. My question to you all is this. How necessary is the reset switch? And if it IS necessary, should I try to "re-thread" yet once again?
None of this is necessary when you rip that junker out and slap in a new Rheem or Bradford-White.
If you have not submitted your claim yet under the terms of the class action lawsuit...
You are officially screwed!
June 28, 2008 Postmark Deadline for Claim Submission
Not that their Fix it Kit really did anything for you anyway!
I have got two replacement kits myself,
they came from customers who feared to
fool with the water heater in the first place....
we tore it out and put in the bradford ,
how you were able to crank that theromcoupling into that
valve is a mystery to me...,
and this all makes me wonder , no instructions in the box
and with most people really not capable of messing with a gas valve
or thermostat, ...
who will be the first person to try sue whirlpool
when they burn their own house down....or blow it up??
Last edited by master plumber mark; 06-29-2008 at 07:32 AM.
Right-threaded vs. Left-threaded
I suppose I understand your hesitation in answering my question given the issues of liability this water heater is surrounded with. My understanding is that the purpose of the reset switch is to lengthen the life of the thermocouple. I will, therefore, leave the reset switch dormant until either 1) the next time I have to replace the thermocouple or 2) I decide to replace the water heater. The orifice theory intrigues me. I hope to hear more discussion about that.
their high limit re-set switch....
the high limit was designed to keep the thing from overheating.....
and of course it is totally half assed designed
on the whirlpool unit....
considering that Whirlpool sends this kit out to
un-lliscensed amatures to install themselves
without instructions...
http://www.weilhammerplumbing.com/galleryiii/
Last edited by master plumber mark; 02-15-2009 at 06:01 PM.
LOL...well it obviously won't be me. The paper trail would get me laughed out of any court in the world. The only thing I'm missing is a MySpace or FaceBook page with pictures showing me doing all those sneaky things to the nasty bugger. But to me it has become a kind of duel with the devil. My warranty is in the last few years and I will be victorious over this devil. I haven't had any problems since I got the new manifold kit installed...and haven't cleaned any of the filters since then, either. I've also got a few spare old-style thermocouples I browbeat Whirlpool into sending me, totally free of charge. I'll yank the adapter off and use the old thermocouples to limp across the finish line if I have to. I will not be denied my birthright to rule over this water heater!!! On a lighter note, I had an 18,000 BTU Whirlpool AC crap out on me on Independence Day. Replaced it with a Fridgidaire and used a screw gun to dissect the Whirlpool, and got $36 for it at the scrap yard (only $5 if you don't separate the metals). Guess what's going to happen to my little Flame Lock friend the first time it quits on me after the warranty expires? I'm sure the scrap yard will give me a buck or two for it...
Hey! I resemble that remark!
Tim it sounds like you are trying way to hard to get your money's worth out of this thing.
Before I put that much effort into an exercise in futility...
Take helicopter flight lessons with the intention of returning it to Lowes...
Through their roof!
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