Here is an email I got today:
The pilot to my water heater has shut off for no reason. It won't stay lit, even when I attempt to light it. The type is a Kenmore Mixer 6.Please get back to me asap, and tell me if this is a serious problem or if it is a minor detail that can be fixed at home.Thank you for your time,Fernando D.
Probably because of my post on Fixing a Sears Kenmore Water Softner.
Comments
Dave (not verified)
Thanks the info on the flame
Sat, 2007/05/19 - 20:48Thanks the info on the flame arrestor screen. Mine was way dirty. My water heater pilot started shutting off on a regular basis. Sears wasn't worth a sh - -. They had me running around in circles and wanted a tech to come out right away. I guess so they could charge me $80 to scrub lint out of a screen. The tech line said the thermocouple was out, and that the TCO would shut the water heater off if the ambient air temp reached 80 degrees. They could explain why it didn't do so last summer when it over a 100 degrees day after day.
Jeanne (not verified)
Kenmore Water Heater
Sun, 2007/06/03 - 01:31The pilot light on our Kenmore water heater went out several times this past month before it finally wouldn't stay lit at all. I brushed the powdery residue off from the top of the pilot light twice, but that didn't work. I called a repairman today, and he said it sounded like the thermocouple. He would have to charge me $112 an hour on the weekend plus parts. I said thanks, and went to the internet to learn how to replace a thermocouple. I removed the burner and unscrewed all of the lines from the heater myself and lo and behold, the thermocoupler is not a standard type. I may have to buy an entire Sears unit with all 3 lines. Leave it to Sears to sell a product that is not very user-friendly so you have to pay them to fix it. I am determined to try and repair it myself. Meanwhile, the water is pretty cold...
kevin (not verified)
Kenmore Water Heater
Mon, 2007/06/04 - 20:41Try cleaning flame arrestor screen. It is located underneath the burner. We are hoping that this solves our problem. We did order a new pilot assembly from sears online at a cost of $50.00. our water heater is just over 2 years old i find it hard to beleve that the thermocoupler is bad but order on just incase.
Anonymous (not verified)
Same here with Sears, water heater lint dirty
Sat, 2007/06/23 - 13:30I have a brand new economizer 6, installed 6 mos ago and the pilot light kept going out. After the runaround with sears they came out and cleaned it. My WH is INSIDE in the utility closet next to the washer and dryer, I am sure that is the problem but I don't care how much lint my dryer creates, this is a BRAND NEW WH!
I think these are defective items personally.
Anonymous (not verified)
Crappy Water Heater - Kenmore Economizer 6
Sat, 2008/08/23 - 20:31Brand new wh, stayed lit for 30 minutes on first day of install and hasn't stayed lit since. Appears to be a piece of crap!
Stay far way from this if you can!
Anonymous (not verified)
Power miser 9
Fri, 2007/07/13 - 02:06After reading all of these emails, I think it's time for a class action lawsuit. Sears should replace their defective products. I called Sears earlier today and was told it would be 12 days before they can get here. They tried to sell me a $239 1 year warranty!!
Anonymous (not verified)
Kenmore Water Heater
Wed, 2008/05/28 - 08:25I, too, have a Kenmore water heater. It is only a few years old, and the pilot light won't stay lit. Sears replaced it the first time it happened, but the new one is not any better. I have had Sears repairmen out more times than I can count, and my son has relit the thing at least 50 times. This is getting old and very frustrating. My son relit it last night, and I just had to take a COLD shower so I can go to work. How do we start a lawsuit???
mark (not verified)
powermiser 9 problems
Mon, 2007/07/30 - 11:54i too purchased a sears powermiser 9. the flame arrestor filled up with lint leading to less oxygen, which caused yellowing of the flame, which sooted both the burner and the underneath of the tank. i replaced it with a bradford white defender M4 which has a flame arrestor the whole circumference of the bottom of the tank. i hope this helps dust clogging. i took apart the powermiser and noticed heavy sooting underneath the tank in heavy globs which are a fire hazard. also, my local code enforcement has been subcontracted and no longer allows the pressure relief valve to be routed 18" above the ground in the garage on a cement floor. i have to route it outside at significant cost and danger as the exit is on my back patio in an egress area. i have a septic tank so i cant put it there either. this is a cost scam to reinforce plumbers. they gave me a quote for $1300 to replace the water heater and route the pipe. needless to say i did this myself with the new heat resistant pvc pipe. i don't think i will ever purchase an appliance from a big box retailer ever again and will search for recommendations from what contractors install and service.
Anonymous (not verified)
Kenmore Economizer 5
Sun, 2007/08/05 - 20:37I have a Kenmore Economizer 5 electric water heater which has completely stopped producing hot water? The reset button is resisting which, in the past, has always meant that there is hot water avaiable, however, there is no hot water. I recently had a power outage due to a thunderstorm, so I turned all of my circuit breakers off and on, but this did not solve my problem either. Does anyone have a suggestion for me? ^^^Jason
Anonymous (not verified)
kenmore water heater
Mon, 2007/09/03 - 04:20my water heater has the pilot go out very often, called every body body but no idea. s i checked it out myelf i found that if i remove the black plastic grating at the bottom footing of the heat"er and with a long brush clean out a round area which is used for the heater pilot to "breathe" and get fresh air, it will work for a while till it gets clogged-up with dust again. i have been tempted to remove the piece but have not done it yet. i believe that the round object works as a catalytic converter on a car, which also has to be changed when clogged. the brush neds to be at least a foot long and have bristles at a 90 deg angle so you can get to the round elemnt object, the object is about 4 inches round and sits just below the pilot burner, you can see it through the glass window if you remove the removable metal cover that protects the tubing for the thermocouple, hope this helps.
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