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Home
> Water Heater
Parts > How to Replace a Gas Valve
Water
Heater Gas Valve Replacement
How to replace Robertshaw and White-Rodgers gas valve on water heaters and features
Water heater gas valve or control gas valve is the small device located inside the tankless water heater, or outside, in the lower part of the tank type heater, designed to open or close the gas flow to the pilot and the main burner.
Water Heater Gas Valve Types
Some water heater manufacturers like AO Smith, Bradford White, American heater company are using White-Rodgers and Robertshaw gas control valves and some manufacturers Honeywell valves.White-Rodgers water heater gas valve has the following components:
- Gas valve assembly with the safety valve, thermostat valve, electromagnet...
- Valve control knob with ON-OFF-Pilot settings
- Water temperature dial and setting indicator
- Inlet and outlet
- High limit or temperature probe
- Pilot tube threaded port
- Thermocouple threaded port
- Thermal switch
Robertshaw water heater gas control valve has next components:
- Gas valve with the safety valve, thermostat valve, electromagnet...
- Control knob with ON-OFF-Pilot settings
- Reset button
- Water temperature dial and setting indicator
- Inlet and outlet
- High limit or temperature probe
- Pilot tube threaded port
- Thermocouple threaded port
- Thermal switch
Water Heater Gas Valve Component Review
Some
valves are equipped with the manifold gas pressure tap where you
can measure the pressure on the line supplying the main burner. You
just have to remove
the plug and attach the gas gage. Recommended pressure is
marked
on the water heater gas valve.Both pilot light tube and the tube from the main burner are connected to the gas valve, thermocouple also, used as the safety element. The unit works on 24 VAC but has to be able also to work without outside electricity.
Temperature setting indicator, installed on the front of the gas valve, allows you to select the right hot water temperature. Temperature is factory set on its lowest setting to comply with the safety regulations. On some control valves (Robertshaw) there is a "HOT" mark which shows where the 120 F temperature or scalding water range starts.
The pilot burner is lit by switching the control knob to the pilot setting (or by pressing the reset button, on Robertshaw gas valves) and pressing the piezo igniter button. There are some water heaters where you have manually to use a match to ignite the pilot.
Then, incoming cold water will activate the thermostat that initiates the water heater gas valve to open to the burner. The pilot light ignites the gas on the main burner. Hot water temperature rises and once it reaches the set temperature the thermostat interrupts the main flow.
Two metal probes are mounted onto the back of the gas valve and immersed inside the tank.
The longer temperature probe contains a metal rod or Energy Cut Off (ECO) switch, that expands and contracts as the water changes its temperature. The probe acts as the temperature high limit. If water gets excessively hot, a sensor within the probe opens, interrupts the small electrical current to the gas valve and the flow is interrupted.
Thermal Cut Off Switch or TCO is resettable thermal switch designed to shut off the gas supply if there is a high temperature inside the combustion chamber.
Note: The control valve if subjected to an excessive pressure (over 0.5 psi) it can damage the valve and result in the explosion from the leaking gas.
Manual shut off valve in the gas supply line should be installed together with the drip leg or sediment trap to prevent the foreign material like dirt coming into the control valve. To allow easier service, a flexible pipe or ground joint union between the shut off and water heater gas valve should be installed.
Note: If for any reason heater fails to shut down, i.e. due to overheating, always manually turn the water heater gas control valve off.
How to remove and replace Water Heater Gas Valve
When replacing water heater gas valve use factory authorized replacement parts only. Be very careful when working on the gas valve, do not use a pipe wrench or similar tool to grip the body, and especially do not apply too much force, as it might result in damage to the element. The removal and replacement involves gas piping and electrical wiring disconnection:
- Turn off the manual shut-off valve on the gas line. It is typically located beside the water heater.
- On the control valve turn the thermostat to its lowest setting.
- Turn the electrical power off.
- Turn the control knob to the OFF position.
- If it is needed, drain the water heater.
- Disconnect the thermocouple, pilot tube, main tube, piezo...
- Disconnect the ground joint union and other connections from the control valve.
- Remove the gas valve assembly.
When replacing the water heater gas valve, make sure to match the part, and follow the steps above in reverse order. Use approved Teflon tape or compound on all connections. Check for gas valve leaks using soap-water solution.
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