Had the 5-flash code since June, but with this South Texas summer, there was no pressing need for scalding hot tap. But after a few battles with a leftover bacon greased skillet, it was time to give replacing the temperature sensor a go! Bought the part off of Amazon ($50) and followed the first part of your EXCELLENT video to a T. Everything went as smoothly as planned, and clean skillets and hot lava showers are the back in rotation. Thank you sir!! 👍👍
Had an intermittent temp sensor error, so I figured it was just a flaky sensor. I had watched your video (very helpful!) and knew I had everything to swap it out. I wish I had paid more attention to your discussion on the plastic vs metal tip. I didn't check beforehand and I should have. When I pulled the sensor, it was wet. :( I then had to order a whole new gas valve. I loved your tip on using a short pipe to plug the water connection so that I didn't have to drain the tank. The replacement was fairly easy then, and now I have good hot water and a couple spare parts for the gas valve since it was only the back plastic that was bad.
@@GooGoo007 : eBay has cheap valves - I don’t think you’re gonna find that individual part of a thermometer. You might have to order the entire valve to get what you need so your best bet is to find your cheapest source Amazon or eBay or if you have access to a spot where people drop off used water heaters such as a plumbing supply company often in the back they have a drop off spotand you just cruise over there pull a couple valves off some older Water Heaters especially ones that look like they’re leaking chances are the therm will still be good
I have a 10 year old Whirlpool NG water heater (I think they are made by A.O. Smith) that has been giving 5 flashes. I replaced the entire burner assembly. Still faults out, so next I check the valve itself. Thanks for the instructions.
The problem is that Honeywell used nylon for the thermowell. Nylon absorbs water and is not compatible with chlorides and eventually the plastic fails in the application. After 11 years, the thermowell literally disintegrated. I repaired mine by using double wall heat shrink to (I also needed some 3/8 waterline to rebuild) seal it up. Doublewall heatshrink has glue on the inside surface. The product I used had operating temperature up to 135°C.
Very informative. My water heater is at least 10 years old I think. I'm not exactly sure I've only been here a few years. Would I be better off just buying a new water heater? I dont think it's ever been serviced before
@@dave5334 yeah probably can’t go wrong with the new one most people fix theirs cause they just don’t and I’ll have the money available at the moment. Thanks for watching.
Excellent video. Good detail, tbh this was the first video with the information I wanted fast, tbh could have used a few time lapse in parts but better then i did. I am just getting into better editing
Thanks for the great video! What do you recommend to seal the gas line connections? What is that white paste over the teflon tape that you used for the gas valve? Thank you!
@@GooGoo007 : that’s called a PTFE sealant it’s basically like a Teflon paste- it’s also also referred to as pipe dope- Usually Teflon tape or piped up works really well you could stick with piped up. You can’t really go wrong.- thanks for watching and commenting. Appreciate it.
I currently have the 5 flashes on my heater. I noticed about two weeks ago, the hot water in the house was not very hot anymore. I did not notice the 5 flashes till after I did a flush of the heater. BTW, the flush did not reveal excess sediment. Will the heater function at all with the 5 flashes?? Is the sensor that is faulting in the burner or the one in back of the valve??? The burner seems to be working fine. Thanks!!
@@7080nik yeah it’s hard to say it may still function but eventually if you’re getting a fire flash, that means there’s a problem with the therm and it’s not determining the water temperature and responding to a properly
Please respond is this dangerous if you didn't get it fixed right away? The water is lukewarm to warm for the shower but its pretty warm/hot if I use the kitchen sink the tank is probably 12 years old good video if I could do it like you I would.
So based on your description that means your shower valve isn't mixing the hot water correctly , if you have hot water in sink but not the shower , its a broken shower valve! FYI
@@thewaterheaterfactory Thanks for your reply 🙂 I think that was a possibility or probably it. I thought I saw five code blinks on the water heater it's a Whirlpool I seen some blogs that mentioned Whirlpool's weren't any good I haven't any problems with it until now as long as it's not dangerous I will probably wait get another water heater and have the shower valve replaced thanks for your time and helpful suggestions.
@michaelmurray2104 Whirlpool is made by AO Smith I Believe! Not a bad water heater I work on them all the time its the parts that go sideways on you! Thanks for watching!
There’s something wrong with your shower valve your shower valve is a mixing valve it mixes cold and hot that’s what’s broken not the water heater if the water is super hot at the kitchen sink but only luke warm at the shower. It’s the shower valve turn your water heater down to normal.
Yeah it is because if the third Mr. is bad you really need to replace the entire valve so you have to shut the gas off and then to get a vapor lock to prevent the water from shooting out of the tank. You have to shut the water off and break the pressure.
This is the ONLY video I could find on UA-cam about the thermistor. It helped a bunch! My thermistor was wet. Do you know where a DIYer can find just the black part of the housing thay goes into the tank?
@@robbienorquay4916 : I think you just need a new valve- you should kill the pressure to the water heater. That’s the incoming water. We really just need a new valve. I don’t know that the entire water heater needs to be replaced, but that’s up to you.. appreciate the comment thank you for watching!!
It says on a gas whip tag (DO NOT RE-USE). Although they typically never leak when re-used I always think it's a good idea to replace them. Also if you RE-USE the drip leg make sure you clean it out in case any debris may have built up inside.
Yeah I reuse them , I've got one I test with water heaters same one probably disconnect and reconnect it 10 times a week for three years. Good advice though !
Yeah, almost every code 5 that I’ve ever seen has that same issue no metal at the end plastic tape cracks water gets in shorts out the Thermister or at least does something to it
Try eBay , you probably are going to need to replace the entire valve not because there’s anything wrong with the circuit board or the valve body, but you need a replacement well body, which is the black part the black plastic nylon and then the thermistor that usually comes with it
@@cafe-jo1410 sure where are you located ? Would need to know the spacing and depth of the well body for the sensor short middle , short low, long middle long low
The valve has model numbers on the right hand side. Do you want to try and match those up as close as possible you could try calling the manufacturer Wirlpool and see if they can get you a replacement part number then search for that online on eBay or Amazon or something to get it cheaper.
@@richardkettering9532 it depends where you purchase the valve from I’ve seen them as cheap as $65 on Amazon and I’ve seen them go for as much as almost $300 new that’s just for the cost of the part labor to replace valve is $75. I’m not sure what other plumbers charge.
@@djlogger1 so you either have 1 inch of insulation on your water heater or 2 inches so it’s the it’s the shank depth of the valve which you could use the valve number as a guide there’s a number on the right hand side of the valve starts with a W as a guide for the part number that you need but there are about three different types of thermistors as far as how there installed
AMAZING SELF HELP!!! thanks for posting, question? my water never ran cold just luke warm. pulled the unit, I have some water in the well in the back, does that mean the sensor is kaput? or can it be cleaned and put back? I have some corrosion at the bottom of the unit so it may have been leaking for some time Also the cover in the back the nipple appears to be plastic not metal, is that possible? If so where would I order a new back cover and sensor? or is the unit shot and better to get a whole new unit? IF i need the whole unit can I put some sort of rubberized covering like Flex paste or Flex glue over the nipple until I get parts? a lot I know, but I wanted to get it in all at once TY
If you mix up the hot and cold side when installing it will (supposedly) water temp should be Lukewarm , if the dip tube falls off inside the water heater it will run lukewarm, to much sediment will insulate the bottom of the tank can cause this , broken thermostat can cause this. So in a water heater the hot water separates from the cold if this system is interrupted the water mixes together. Hope that helps!!
@@thewaterheaterfactory THANKS for the reply, installation was good NP there the tank has been operating for 7years without a problem, I started getting cooler water, suddenly, about 3 wks ago, when I checked it I was getting the dreaded 5 flashes, I tried the reset procedure, lights fine gets warm then shuts down, 5 flashes starts again so I presumed either dirty tank or the controller, didn't know about the thermistor until I watched your video, striped it down and found the moisture in the unit, while I had it off I drained the tank and did a back flush, ( oh forgot the nipple on the back had a slick coating but not cruddy, but flushed anyway, in your video you replaced the back plate and thermistor, I called 2 supply houses locally they said they aren't replaceable, and wanted to sell me the whole controller, I searched online and found a "used" thermistor on ebay, but no new ones, and no back plates at all, I was hoping for a direction to buy parts, if you know of any, if not I guess the best bet is to buy the whole controller. but regardless, thanks for the posting it was absolutely great
That's a tricky part. I call it "the well housing" you might need to buy an entirely new valve try eBay. Or buy a used valve just make sure it has the metal cap on the tip for the sensor. I think you can get valves for $65 maybe its $165 . See if you can pull one from a discarded water heater plumbing store ext. try Craigslist offer up and Facebook marketplace.
Are the Honeywell valve assemblies universal or are they unit specific? I've seen several on ebay that look the same as the one I have but wasn't sure if there was a specific model number I needed.
It’s always best to get the model number that you have if possible. But if not, yes, you can mix and match them. They only really change as the water heater scale up in size say 100 gallon or bigger.
Yes - 3/4” , they’re not all the same shank lengths so some waters heaters have 1 inch of insulation some have two and then sometimes the spacing is high and sometimes it’s a medium. Do you wanna make sure you match up yours as as possible
I don't use either , its not needed its a self sealing end. But i see it used a lot. But you don't need to put teflon tape between the flex line and the adapter. Thanks for commenting and watching!
Try eBay search Honeywell valve body , if there is a place by you where plumbers drop off old water heaters that's where I score them from ! Plumbing supply houses look for the water heaters that are leaking then take off the valve
I have one more question lol. So I took apart the gas vale to access the temp sensor. No water dripped out. But when I pulled the sensor out it looked like it had a drop of water on it. But didn’t seem like water. There was no water running out of the tank and I stuck a piece of paper towel moved it around and it came out dry. Was this drop possibly condensation? Also prior to this the the removal of the sensor the heater had stopped turning on for 10 minutes of water to heat. After I pulled it out and did the above drying etc and put back together the heater once again warmed water for 10 minutes and stopped. So the question is should I replace the wire alone or is it possible the housing is compromised and better to replace the complete gas valve unit?
You can test the thermister for Ohm to see if the left and right side are the same number if they are different the sensor is broken , then replace the thermister are you getting a code fault 5?
Well there are two temp sensors. One detects the temperature of the water, the other detects the Combustion chamber temperature? So the thermistor is located behind the valve in a ribbon cable leading to the sensor , that's for water temperature.
My water heater valve started leaking water about two months ago because it’s old and doesn’t have metal back and that rubber back had a deep crack. I filled the crack with super glue and then cover the whole end with marine grade sealant. Now it got 5 flashing lights that is bad sensor. I’m wondering should I replace the whole valve or just replace the sensor? Thanks
Just installed a brand new water heater valve that I ordered for Amazon and it won’t do anything. Won’t light up the pilot, no light and looks like cheap china’s replica. Any tip or trick that I can try before I send it back. Thanks
@marsshaw799 check for voltage from the thermopile (multimeter) , no voltage no lights , if the pilot light stays on and the LED doesn't come up try turning on the valve might be a bad LED. Thanks for watching!
Take the wires from a thermopile with connector, aa battery ,use ohms law, formula , a resistor wire them together ,you need to cut the voltage under load, in half to around 500-800 milivolts. Box is on amazon, from amazon
Check the status light for flashs and the valve for OHM , clean the thermopile off, with high grit and paper relight if happens again change the valve.
Thanks for commenting ! You need to change the thermistor probably the whole valve! Amazon for $155.00 Search Honeywell Water Heater Valve just get the cheapest one! You may have a leak in the back of the well housing watch my video on code 5 , ther are three of them ! But search code 5 from my page!
I'm having a terrible time finding that water temp sensor (aka 'thermistor') only finding them on eBay which means they are used, and sometimes take a while to ship. I have a Kenmore gas water heater, Honeywell valve and my unit is flashing 5 error code. It will run intermittently but only on the 'hot' or below setting and it only heats up a small amount of water before cutting off. I am 99.99% sure it's that temp sensor he just popped out. If anyone can share a link for the ones they've found, I would appreciate it. I thought I could find an electrical supply store or something locally but so far nothing. It looks to me like an intentional design flaw to get you to buy a new Gas Valuve or even a whole new water heater since paying someone to install the valve would likely cost about 1/2 to 2/3 or new unit anyhoo...
Try for free a plumbing supply store parking lot where they drop off the used and leaking water heaters just ask at the counter if you can take a part. Or try ebay.
Recycled from extra valves left over , I fix and sell used water heaters , install them on occasion sell parts, and perform service calls to fix broken and non-functioning water heaters in the field. So I have box's of parts.
Its a Part , So I'm not saying you can't obtain it. I'll look for a part number but they are all different depending on the depth of your well / spacing. Also if the Valve is leaking you need to replace the whole thing, more or less from your perspective. Replacement valve on Amazon cheapest is $150.00. Thanks for watching!!
This may be one of the best How-To/DIY videos I've ever seen! Thank you so much for sharing. I think I have what I need now to attempt the repair myself..I think I'll need the thermistor and the Black Well housing but how do I know what length valve I will need without disassembling first?
@@thewaterheaterfactory I also have a little water leaking/pooling at the base so I'm hoping it is just the threads leaking at the valve location...Not sure yet.
Hi, i was getting the temp sensor failure and barely warm water after a heavy rain, i attempted opening the valve and drying the sensor! but i opened the whole thing by mistake (the metal part) it had some coils inside, i pushed it all and put everything together. When i turned in the gas again the boiler is making a loud hissing gas that i didnt notice before, did i messed up the valve by opening it? i noticed it had a 1/2 psi stamped on it so was it under pressure? should i just buy a new one? thanks
Possibly I’ve never taken a valve apart like that hard to say but when in doubt, yes, I do believe they sell them used on eBay and you can pick one up for about $150 on Amazon
So it depends on the depth of the probe end of the valve housing its black plastic , some are 1" some are 2" . You really want to remove it and confirm the configuration of how its installed and its length . They are different between valves , You might want to replace the whole valve might be easier. I've seen at least 3 different kinds. Ribbon cable color doesn't matter. Hope this helps!
@@thewaterheaterfactory Really? I suggest you look at the 2022 CPC 12.12.9 of the code and where it is required. It mentions nothing of what you claim.
I'll check it out , City inspector in San Diego makes us move the sediment trap to start at the gas pipe coming off the wall. Then flex over to the valve
Had the 5-flash code since June, but with this South Texas summer, there was no pressing need for scalding hot tap. But after a few battles with a leftover bacon greased skillet, it was time to give replacing the temperature sensor a go! Bought the part off of Amazon ($50) and followed the first part of your EXCELLENT video to a T. Everything went as smoothly as planned, and clean skillets and hot lava showers are the back in rotation. Thank you sir!! 👍👍
@@jjrafanan1970 excellent ! Well done thanks for watching!
This looks like a job for someone who isn't terrified of Water Heaters. I'll be calling my mechanic, thanks for the confirm.
Yes have your guy do it! Thanks for watching!
Had an intermittent temp sensor error, so I figured it was just a flaky sensor. I had watched your video (very helpful!) and knew I had everything to swap it out. I wish I had paid more attention to your discussion on the plastic vs metal tip. I didn't check beforehand and I should have. When I pulled the sensor, it was wet. :(
I then had to order a whole new gas valve. I loved your tip on using a short pipe to plug the water connection so that I didn't have to drain the tank. The replacement was fairly easy then, and now I have good hot water and a couple spare parts for the gas valve since it was only the back plastic that was bad.
@@ken261 : that’s great. I’m glad it worked out. Thanks for watching and commenting. Appreciate it.
Great job, thanks for the info. I’m working on mine today.
Thank you for this video. I now know what needs to be done for my water heater to fix the 5 code.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks, very good teacher 😊
Thanks for watching consider subscribing , Thanks!
Where do I get a new thermistor for the gas valve? Thanks!
@@GooGoo007 : eBay has cheap valves - I don’t think you’re gonna find that individual part of a thermometer. You might have to order the entire valve to get what you need so your best bet is to find your cheapest source Amazon or eBay or if you have access to a spot where people drop off used water heaters such as a plumbing supply company often in the back they have a drop off spotand you just cruise over there pull a couple valves off some older Water Heaters especially ones that look like they’re leaking chances are the therm will still be good
I have a 10 year old Whirlpool NG water heater (I think they are made by A.O. Smith) that has been giving 5 flashes. I replaced the entire burner assembly. Still faults out, so next I check the valve itself. Thanks for the instructions.
No worries! I did a code 5 tonight ! Bradford White ! Thanks for watching an commenting!
The problem is that Honeywell used nylon for the thermowell. Nylon absorbs water and is not compatible with chlorides and eventually the plastic fails in the application. After 11 years, the thermowell literally disintegrated. I repaired mine by using double wall heat shrink to (I also needed some 3/8 waterline to rebuild) seal it up. Doublewall heatshrink has glue on the inside surface. The product I used had operating temperature up to 135°C.
Wow, good job!!
Very informative. My water heater is at least 10 years old I think. I'm not exactly sure I've only been here a few years. Would I be better off just buying a new water heater? I dont think it's ever been serviced before
@@dave5334 yeah probably can’t go wrong with the new one most people fix theirs cause they just don’t and I’ll have the money available at the moment. Thanks for watching.
Excellent video. Good detail, tbh this was the first video with the information I wanted fast, tbh could have used a few time lapse in parts but better then i did. I am just getting into better editing
thanks appreciate you watching and commenting have a good one
Thanks for the great video! What do you recommend to seal the gas line connections? What is that white paste over the teflon tape that you used for the gas valve? Thank you!
@@GooGoo007 : that’s called a PTFE sealant it’s basically like a Teflon paste- it’s also also referred to as pipe dope- Usually Teflon tape or piped up works really well you could stick with piped up. You can’t really go wrong.- thanks for watching and commenting. Appreciate it.
@@thewaterheaterfactory Thank you for the fast response!
Good information and explanation. Just wish the lighting was better in first half so I could see what you were doing.
Sorry always working on the lighting not much room for a light and they often go out , thanks for the comment and watching!
I currently have the 5 flashes on my heater. I noticed about two weeks ago, the hot water in the house was not very hot anymore. I did not notice the 5 flashes till after I did a flush of the heater. BTW, the flush did not reveal excess sediment. Will the heater function at all with the 5 flashes?? Is the sensor that is faulting in the burner or the one in back of the valve??? The burner seems to be working fine. Thanks!!
@@7080nik yeah it’s hard to say it may still function but eventually if you’re getting a fire flash, that means there’s a problem with the therm and it’s not determining the water temperature and responding to a properly
Please respond is this dangerous if you didn't get it fixed right away? The water is lukewarm to warm for the shower but its pretty warm/hot if I use the kitchen sink the tank is probably 12 years old good video if I could do it like you I would.
So based on your description that means your shower valve isn't mixing the hot water correctly , if you have hot water in sink but not the shower , its a broken shower valve! FYI
@@thewaterheaterfactory Thanks for your reply 🙂 I think that was a possibility or probably it. I thought I saw five code blinks on the water heater it's a Whirlpool I seen some blogs that mentioned Whirlpool's weren't any good I haven't any problems with it until now as long as it's not dangerous I will probably wait get another water heater and have the shower valve replaced thanks for your time and helpful suggestions.
@michaelmurray2104 Whirlpool is made by AO Smith I Believe! Not a bad water heater I work on them all the time its the parts that go sideways on you! Thanks for watching!
😊@@thewaterheaterfactory
There’s something wrong with your shower valve your shower valve is a mixing valve it mixes cold and hot that’s what’s broken not the water heater if the water is super hot at the kitchen sink but only luke warm at the shower. It’s the shower valve turn your water heater down to normal.
Is it necessary to shut off the gas/ water supply or drain the tank before replacing the thermistor?
Yeah it is because if the third Mr. is bad you really need to replace the entire valve so you have to shut the gas off and then to get a vapor lock to prevent the water from shooting out of the tank. You have to shut the water off and break the pressure.
This is the ONLY video I could find on UA-cam about the thermistor. It helped a bunch! My thermistor was wet. Do you know where a DIYer can find just the black part of the housing thay goes into the tank?
I've got boxs of them , but try ebay.
Thanks for watching!
If you have a back for a Honeywell valve model WV8840B1109, would you consider selling it to me?
@backrhodeskansas the whole valve?
No...just the back part that screws into the tank. My thermistor was wet so mine must have a crack in it.
I followed your instructions and when I removed the thermistor water shot out like a garden hose. So new water heater I’m guessing?
@@robbienorquay4916 : I think you just need a new valve- you should kill the pressure to the water heater. That’s the incoming water. We really just need a new valve. I don’t know that the entire water heater needs to be replaced, but that’s up to you.. appreciate the comment thank you for watching!!
Thanks! And you can’t use the flex gas line again, correct? I heard the compression connection is a one-time thing
I use them them over and over again , doesn't hurt to replace it ! But my customers are on the thrifty side if you know what i mean.
It says on a gas whip tag (DO NOT RE-USE). Although they typically never leak when re-used I always think it's a good idea to replace them. Also if you RE-USE the drip leg make sure you clean it out in case any debris may have built up inside.
Yeah I reuse them , I've got one I test with water heaters same one probably disconnect and reconnect it 10 times a week for three years. Good advice though !
Yeah, almost every code 5 that I’ve ever seen has that same issue no metal at the end plastic tape cracks water gets in shorts out the Thermister or at least does something to it
Thanks for watching!!!!!
Thanks! Are thermistors specific to the type of water heater? How do I know the correct one to order?
Haven't seen a part number on them. They are specific to the valves shank depth. so , some are short some medium some long. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Thanks! Where do I get the thermistors?
Try eBay , you probably are going to need to replace the entire valve not because there’s anything wrong with the circuit board or the valve body, but you need a replacement well body, which is the black part the black plastic nylon and then the thermistor that usually comes with it
Hi I was wondering if you still sell the well body as you mentioned. The black plastic nylon. Please let me know.
@@cafe-jo1410 sure where are you located ? Would need to know the spacing and depth of the well body for the sensor short middle , short low, long middle long low
Ok I’ll get that and reply back. Thanks!
We have a Whirlpool n40s61-403... how do I determine exactly which thermistor to buy?
The valve has model numbers on the right hand side. Do you want to try and match those up as close as possible you could try calling the manufacturer Wirlpool and see if they can get you a replacement part number then search for that online on eBay or Amazon or something to get it cheaper.
On the side of the valve are identifying numbers to order parts from the manufacturer
How much does it cost to just replace the whole thing (the control center)
@@richardkettering9532 it depends where you purchase the valve from I’ve seen them as cheap as $65 on Amazon and I’ve seen them go for as much as almost $300 new that’s just for the cost of the part labor to replace valve is $75. I’m not sure what other plumbers charge.
Where can I find/buy a replacement thermistor? I have looked online but I can’t find one that looks like this one.
Just buy the whole valve used and cheap and use it from there! Make sure you get the stem length correct some are short some are longer
How do you know what length to order? @@thewaterheaterfactory
@@djlogger1 so you either have 1 inch of insulation on your water heater or 2 inches so it’s the it’s the shank depth of the valve which you could use the valve number as a guide there’s a number on the right hand side of the valve starts with a W as a guide for the part number that you need but there are about three different types of thermistors as far as how there installed
AMAZING SELF HELP!!! thanks for posting, question? my water never ran cold just luke warm. pulled the unit,
I have some water in the well in the back, does that mean the sensor is kaput? or can it be cleaned and put back?
I have some corrosion at the bottom of the unit so it may have been leaking for some time
Also the cover in the back the nipple appears to be plastic not metal, is that possible?
If so where would I order a new back cover and sensor? or is the unit shot and better to get a whole new unit?
IF i need the whole unit can I put some sort of rubberized covering like Flex paste or Flex glue over the nipple until I get parts?
a lot I know, but I wanted to get it in all at once
TY
If you mix up the hot and cold side when installing it will (supposedly) water temp should be Lukewarm , if the dip tube falls off inside the water heater it will run lukewarm, to much sediment will insulate the bottom of the tank can cause this , broken thermostat can cause this. So in a water heater the hot water separates from the cold if this system is interrupted the water mixes together. Hope that helps!!
@@thewaterheaterfactory THANKS for the reply, installation was good NP there the tank has been operating for 7years without a problem, I started getting cooler water, suddenly, about 3 wks ago, when I checked it I was getting the dreaded 5 flashes, I tried the reset procedure, lights fine gets warm then shuts down, 5 flashes starts again so I presumed either dirty tank or the controller, didn't know about the thermistor until I watched your video, striped it down and found the moisture in the unit, while I had it off I drained the tank and did a back flush, ( oh forgot the nipple on the back had a slick coating but not cruddy, but flushed anyway, in your video you replaced the back plate and thermistor, I called 2 supply houses locally they said they aren't replaceable, and wanted to sell me the whole controller, I searched online and found a "used" thermistor on ebay, but no new ones, and no back plates at all, I was hoping for a direction to buy parts, if you know of any, if not I guess the best bet is to buy the whole controller.
but regardless, thanks for the posting it was absolutely great
That's a tricky part. I call it "the well housing" you might need to buy an entirely new valve try eBay. Or buy a used valve just make sure it has the metal cap on the tip for the sensor. I think you can get valves for $65 maybe its $165 . See if you can pull one from a discarded water heater plumbing store ext. try Craigslist offer up and Facebook marketplace.
Are the Honeywell valve assemblies universal or are they unit specific? I've seen several on ebay that look the same as the one I have but wasn't sure if there was a specific model number I needed.
It’s always best to get the model number that you have if possible. But if not, yes, you can mix and match them. They only really change as the water heater scale up in size say 100 gallon or bigger.
@@thewaterheaterfactory Thank you! I appreciate the quick reply!!
Hi, and thank you for the informative vids. Are those "back plates" or "thermistor wells/housings" universal?
Yes - 3/4” , they’re not all the same shank lengths so some waters heaters have 1 inch of insulation some have two and then sometimes the spacing is high and sometimes it’s a medium. Do you wanna make sure you match up yours as as possible
If you had found water when you took out the thermistor, what does that mean-replace the whole valve? Thanks.
The Black Plastic Well Housing Yes , valve body and motherboard may still be good! Thanks for Watching!
Do you use pipe dope and/or teflon tape to connect the flex gas line to the converter that is screwed into the control valve?
I don't use either , its not needed its a self sealing end. But i see it used a lot. But you don't need to put teflon tape between the flex line and the adapter. Thanks for commenting and watching!
is there anyway to get the valve alone not the whole control valve?
Try eBay search Honeywell valve body , if there is a place by you where plumbers drop off old water heaters that's where I score them from ! Plumbing supply houses look for the water heaters that are leaking then take off the valve
Btw I appreciate this and your help
Thanks for watching ! Appreciate it ! Consider Subscribing! Thanks!
I have one more question lol. So I took apart the gas vale to access the temp sensor. No water dripped out. But when I pulled the sensor out it looked like it had a drop of water on it. But didn’t seem like water. There was no water running out of the tank and I stuck a piece of paper towel moved it around and it came out dry. Was this drop possibly condensation? Also prior to this the the removal of the sensor the heater had stopped turning on for 10 minutes of water to heat. After I pulled it out and did the above drying etc and put back together the heater once again warmed water for 10 minutes and stopped.
So the question is should I replace the wire alone or is it possible the housing is compromised and better to replace the complete gas valve unit?
You can test the thermister for Ohm to see if the left and right side are the same number if they are different the sensor is broken , then replace the thermister are you getting a code fault 5?
Hi goodmorning...I have a honeywell control valve on my water heater model #WV8850B1309......2
WHERE ON THE CONTROL IS THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR LOCATED?
Well there are two temp sensors. One detects the temperature of the water, the other detects the Combustion chamber temperature? So the thermistor is located behind the valve in a ribbon cable leading to the sensor , that's for water temperature.
How much would this job typically cost?
I charge $75 I think it was $125 for the drive , But I'm sure a plumbing company would charge $150 labor $350 parts
Where did you get the sensor ?
I have spare valves from working on used water heaters I sell them and perform service calls for people with the spare parts!
@@thewaterheaterfactory I see. thanks for the response. I need a sensor!
Try ebay
is there a year that Honeywell started putting that metal cap on their valve?
2014-15 and newer Just a guess not sure. I know those circuit board/Honeywell valves started showing up commercially around 2008.
Thank You For video. Can you share where to get parts. Instead of complete valve. Thank you
@@timkral2353 - try eBay for individual parts. Thanks for watching!!
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Do I have to drain the water to change the sensor?
Not necessarily , but not a bad idea to do it. The thermistor? or the chamber sensor? Thanks for watching!
My water heater valve started leaking water about two months ago because it’s old and doesn’t have metal back and that rubber back had a deep crack. I filled the crack with super glue and then cover the whole end with marine grade sealant. Now it got 5 flashing lights that is bad sensor. I’m wondering should I replace the whole valve or just replace the sensor? Thanks
The whole valve just to be safe!! you can try using a used valve off a leaking water heater , as long as its close should work
Just installed a brand new water heater valve that I ordered for Amazon and it won’t do anything. Won’t light up the pilot, no light and looks like cheap china’s replica. Any tip or trick that I can try before I send it back. Thanks
@marsshaw799 check for voltage from the thermopile (multimeter) , no voltage no lights , if the pilot light stays on and the LED doesn't come up try turning on the valve might be a bad LED. Thanks for watching!
wait! put you old valve body and cover on the new black housing from the new valve ! That should work if the new valve circuit board is broken!!!
make sure you connect the ribbon wire from the thermister!!
What Brand is the water heater
I believe it was a ao smith , or a Kenmore
I like a little black box that you what's the batteries how can I make one
Take the wires from a thermopile with connector, aa battery ,use ohms law, formula , a resistor wire them together ,you need to cut the voltage under load, in half to around 500-800 milivolts. Box is on amazon, from amazon
Link for making a thermopile tester with a battery
How much do you charge to do this job? Or should I say, how much should I pay for a job like this?
It depends you know if you can find someone that can do it I think because I had to travel on that job. It was about $120.
Hey I got same Honeywell thing I lit pilot about 8 mins it shuts off so I just left it alone any reason for it
Check the status light for flashs and the valve for OHM , clean the thermopile off, with high grit and paper relight if happens again change the valve.
@@thewaterheaterfactory it telling me.five flashes sensor failure
Thanks for commenting ! You need to change the thermistor probably the whole valve! Amazon for $155.00 Search Honeywell Water Heater Valve just get the cheapest one! You may have a leak in the back of the well housing watch my video on code 5 , ther are three of them ! But search code 5 from my page!
@@thewaterheaterfactory are the valves interchangeable? I have a wv8840c1406. They are pricey.
Pretty much I've had a lot of luck with it. Try ebay for used ones !
Can you tell by the manufacturing date if it is on a metal housing
Manufacturing date is on the nameplate if its older then its the first two numbers of the serial number is the year
I'm having a terrible time finding that water temp sensor (aka 'thermistor') only finding them on eBay which means they are used, and sometimes take a while to ship. I have a Kenmore gas water heater, Honeywell valve and my unit is flashing 5 error code. It will run intermittently but only on the 'hot' or below setting and it only heats up a small amount of water before cutting off. I am 99.99% sure it's that temp sensor he just popped out. If anyone can share a link for the ones they've found, I would appreciate it. I thought I could find an electrical supply store or something locally but so far nothing. It looks to me like an intentional design flaw to get you to buy a new Gas Valuve or even a whole new water heater since paying someone to install the valve would likely cost about 1/2 to 2/3 or new unit anyhoo...
Where can a guy find a thermistor? My secretary said she tried and all that came up were thermopiles and the whole Honeywell unit..
Try for free a plumbing supply store parking lot where they drop off the used and leaking water heaters just ask at the counter if you can take a part. Or try ebay.
Where do you get the thermistor?
Recycled from extra valves left over , I fix and sell used water heaters , install them on occasion sell parts, and perform service calls to fix broken and non-functioning water heaters in the field. So I have box's of parts.
So if the thermistor goes bad and I can’t obtain one, is replacing the valve going to fix it? Even though more expensive.
Its a Part , So I'm not saying you can't obtain it. I'll look for a part number but they are all different depending on the depth of your well / spacing. Also if the Valve is leaking you need to replace the whole thing, more or less from your perspective. Replacement valve on Amazon cheapest is $150.00. Thanks for watching!!
Call the manufacturer , and describe the part , and fault code they can point you in the right direction.
Where are you located? I live close to a place called oceanside, maybe it's the same one and you can fix my heater? :)
This may be one of the best How-To/DIY videos I've ever seen! Thank you so much for sharing. I think I have what I need now to attempt the repair myself..I think I'll need the thermistor and the Black Well housing but how do I know what length valve I will need without disassembling first?
insulation depth will tell you, either 1" or 2" well housing will be center short/long or lower short/long
@@thewaterheaterfactory I also have a little water leaking/pooling at the base so I'm hoping it is just the threads leaking at the valve location...Not sure yet.
Yes you can order a used complete valve from ebay or new from amazon last I checked it was $150.00
Do we need to empty HWT to replace control valve?
@@nv5854 I’m not sure since I didn’t wind up needing to replace it. The friend I was helping decided to just replace the whole unit.
I just replaced the thermister however still code 5. 😢 I found a drop of water inside the housing...
yeah you need to replace the black housing , the "well body" very important
Thanks for all your help. If there is water inside the valve is it still necessary to replace the thermistor or just the valve body?
When in doubt replace the entire thing. Well body usually(black or red), thermistor for sure, valve body and motherboard usually you can reuse them.
Hi, i was getting the temp sensor failure and barely warm water after a heavy rain, i attempted opening the valve and drying the sensor! but i opened the whole thing by mistake (the metal part) it had some coils inside, i pushed it all and put everything together. When i turned in the gas again the boiler is making a loud hissing gas that i didnt notice before, did i messed up the valve by opening it? i noticed it had a 1/2 psi stamped on it so was it under pressure? should i just buy a new one? thanks
Possibly I’ve never taken a valve apart like that hard to say but when in doubt, yes, I do believe they sell them used on eBay and you can pick one up for about $150 on Amazon
@@thewaterheaterfactory appreciate the reply, i was hoping i wouldn’t have to buy a new one hahah oh well, thanks
anyone know the part number for the wv8840b1109 thermistor replacement?
So it depends on the depth of the probe end of the valve housing its black plastic , some are 1" some are 2" . You really want to remove it and confirm the configuration of how its installed and its length . They are different between valves , You might want to replace the whole valve might be easier. I've seen at least 3 different kinds. Ribbon cable color doesn't matter. Hope this helps!
i ended up replace the control value, the old was had the plastic tip and water was leaking thru it
@@thewaterheaterfactory
Again, where is the sediment trap on the gas line?
Sediment trap needs to be attached to the gas pipe at the wall not the gas valve on the water heater, its code for California
@@thewaterheaterfactory Really? I suggest you look at the 2022 CPC 12.12.9 of the code and where it is required. It mentions nothing of what you claim.
I'll check it out , City inspector in San Diego makes us move the sediment trap to start at the gas pipe coming off the wall. Then flex over to the valve
Also I got a 5 and then7 flash
@@richardkettering9532 get a whole new valve !
I’m getting five flashes. It says sensor failure. The pilot light goes out every day, but lights easily.
Replace the valve , thanks for watching
Backlighting your videos results in very poor pictures . Can't see what your doing
@@rogermasson6038 - thanks for the tip