# Input for heater problem



## Johnnybeltway (Nov 16, 2010)

Our heater is not working. The blower motor works fine, it is just that the heat wont kick on.  I opened up the unit and it appears that the wires coming out of the thermal fuse should be attached to something. As it stands now they are swinging free.They are the wires that are in the strange blue plastic wing nut looking thing.

I looked at my neighbor's unit, and her thermal switch appears to be connected to either side of the main control unit ( Where the black wires are connected to the main control unit in the picture). It seems like that part is the missing link but I am not sure.

Does anyone know if I can just connect the wires to either side of the unit? Will that fix the issue? 

The Heater is a RUUD unit, with a Robert Shaw Unitrol control unit and it is abour 25 years old. Also As there does not seem to be any manual online for this thing, any idea how to re-light the pilot would be helpful.

Help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

John O


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## paul52446m (Nov 17, 2010)

Johnnybeltway said:


> Our heater is not working. The blower motor works fine, it is just that the heat wont kick on.  I opened up the unit and it appears that the wires coming out of the thermal fuse should be attached to something. As it stands now they are swinging free.They are the wires that are in the strange blue plastic wing nut looking thing.
> 
> I looked at my neighbor's unit, and her thermal switch appears to be connected to either side of the main control unit ( Where the black wires are connected to the main control unit in the picture). It seems like that part is the missing link but I am not sure.
> 
> ...


    To lite pilot turn knob on gas valve clock wise then you can push the knob down. Hold it down , lite pilot,and keep holding it down for another min. then let up and if it stays lite turn the knob to on .
 don't worry about that blue wing nut looking thing. that thing goes behind the thermocouple on the gas valve. paul


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## Johnnybeltway (Nov 17, 2010)

So the blue Wing nut thing does not get attached to anything? I just want to make sure. It seems odd is all.

Thanks for your quick response.


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## Johnnybeltway (Nov 17, 2010)

paul52446m said:


> To lite pilot turn knob on gas valve clock wise then you can push the knob down. Hold it down , lite pilot,and keep holding it down for another min. then let up and if it stays lite turn the knob to on .
> don't worry about that blue wing nut looking thing. that thing goes behind the thermocouple on the gas valve. paul



It looks like my pilot light was out. I feel dumb! thanks for the help.


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## paul52446m (Nov 17, 2010)

Johnnybeltway said:


> It looks like my pilot light was out. I feel dumb! thanks for the help.



glad you got it going, now that blue wing nut looking thing. when you look at your gas valve you will see a small gold tubing. That is a thermocouple.
 If you unscrew the thermocouple from the valve, that blue thing goes on the valve and then the thermocouple screws back. That puts the thermo switch back into the circuit . Then you will have to relight your pilot. Now they might have taken it out because it is bad or the thermocouple is getting weak. You will know this if the pilot won't relight.   Later Paul


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## Johnnybeltway (Nov 18, 2010)

paul52446m said:


> glad you got it going, now that blue wing nut looking thing. when you look at your gas valve you will see a small gold tubing. That is a thermocouple.
> If you unscrew the thermocouple from the valve, that blue thing goes on the valve and then the thermocouple screws back. That puts the thermo switch back into the circuit . Then you will have to relight your pilot. Now they might have taken it out because it is bad or the thermocouple is getting weak. You will know this if the pilot won't relight.   Later Paul




That was the first thing  looked for online. They are pretty cheap. Is it terribly dangerous to not have it installed?  Once again thanks for your help.


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## paul52446m (Nov 19, 2010)

Johnnybeltway said:


> That was the first thing  looked for online. They are pretty cheap. Is it terribly dangerous to not have it installed?  Once again thanks for your help.



The gov. says the law required the safety switches like yours be in use.
 The problem you have with these type of safety switches is, The thermocouple in the pilot flame will produce a millivolt current of about 
 30 to 32 millivolt When we test them a 18 or less is bad. Your safety in this
 circuit might drop the voltage by 8 or 10. So this means you have to have a
 good magnet in the gas valve, a real good thermocouple and a good clean
 pilot or you will not get the pilot to stay light.     Later Paul


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