Water Heater Pilot Orifice
A water heater pilot orifice controls the flow of gas to the pilot. Gas
orifices are engineered to strict tolerances. A tiny amount of debris
will interfere with the operation of the pilot light.
When to check a pilot orifice and supply tube.
If your air vents are clean, the thermocouple is good, and you are
still having pilot trouble, a restriction in the orifice could be the
problem.
How to Remove and Clean a Pilot Orifice
The pilot orifice is located at the end of the pilot supply line. You will need to shut the gas off and remove the burner
Help file for removing the burner.
Unscrew the pilot line from the pilot head.
The orifice looks like a tiny brass cup.
This is the orifice up close. You can see how tiny the hole in the center is.
Hold it up to a light and look through it. Tap it on something and/or blow through it if its clogged.
Blow through the pilot supply tube to be sure its not clogged. Reassemble the pilot tube and orifice. Don't forget to reinstall the orifice. Reinstall the burner assembly and try to light the pilot again.
Water heater Burner Orifice
The burner/manifold orifice controls gas flow to the burner. These
orifices have a much larger port hole than pilots.
Gas pressure will push small debris through the line and out the port.
Its very unusual for these orifices to clog up.
How to Remove a Burner Orifice
Remove the burner from the water heater.
The orifice is located directly under the
burner between the two screws.
Turn the burner upside down and remove
the two screws holding the orifice assembly.
Flip the burner back over and raise the
assembly bracket away from the orifice.
Remove the orifice with a box end wrench.
Orifices are made of brass, which is very
soft.
A box end wrench will lessen the
chance of rounding off the head.
The orifice removed.
Natural and LP gas water heaters operate under different
pressures.
If you are switching from one gas to the other, you would
need to change out the gas valve and orifices.
This is a different style of burner. If your burner looks like this, you
will not have to disassemble anything.
This orifice is easy to remove.
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