How to Relight a Bradford White Pilot Light
On this page (5 sections)
The Short Answer: Bradford White gas water heaters have no pilot reset button. You relight the pilot by following the lighting label on the heater. On controls with a status light, there’s one extra step: if the light stays on solid after you turn the knob to OFF, wait until it goes out. Make one careful attempt. If the pilot won’t stay lit, call a technician.
Before you relight
Don’t relight if:
- you smell gas (leave and call the gas utility from outside)
- there is water in the burner area or under the heater
- gasoline, paint or solvent fumes are in the room
- the pilot went out because of flooding or fire
In any of those cases, the heater needs a technician first.
The relight, in outline
The lighting label on the front of the jacket is the procedure for your heater. Follow it word for word. On most Bradford White atmospheric tanks it goes like this:
- Turn the gas control knob to OFF. If the status light stays on solid, wait until it goes out. Bradford White’s service manual describes the solid light as the control being in shutdown after being turned off, and says to wait until it goes out before relighting.
- Wait the time the label gives for any gas to clear.
- Turn the knob to PILOT, press and hold it, and press the igniter button. Look through the sight glass for a pilot flame.
- Keep holding for the time stated on the label, then release.
- If the pilot stays lit, turn the knob to your temperature setting.
What the status light should do afterwards
On Bradford White controls with a status light, the normal patterns are:
| Light | Meaning |
|---|---|
| One flash every few seconds | Pilot lit, burner off, water up to temperature or waiting for the knob to be turned up |
| One flash every second | Burner on, heating |
| Solid on right after turning to OFF | Shutdown. Wait for it to go out before relighting |
| Two flashes, then a pause | Weak pilot signal. See weak pilot signal |
| Four or more flashes | A fault. Note the count and see Bradford White troubleshooting |
Slow flashes are normal operation. The exact timing varies slightly between control makers, so check the label on your control.
If it won’t relight or won’t stay lit
- No spark when you press the igniter: see water heater piezo igniter won’t spark.
- Spark but no pilot flame: see Bradford White pilot won’t light.
- The pilot lights but goes out when you let go: see Bradford White Defender pilot won’t stay lit.
Make one attempt, or two if the first clearly failed because you released the knob too early. Every attempt releases a small amount of gas, and repeating the procedure won’t fix a failed part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is there a red reset button like on an electric heater? A: Not on the gas control. Defender models have a resettable thermal switch on the inner combustion door. Bradford White’s service manual tells technicians to find out why it opened before resetting it, so it isn’t part of a normal owner relight.
Q: How long does the light stay solid after I turn it off? A: The manual doesn’t give a fixed time. Wait until it goes out, which may take a few minutes. If you relight while it’s still on, the control won’t respond normally.
Q: The pilot keeps going out every few days. Should I just keep relighting it? A: No. A pilot that keeps going out has a cause, such as a restricted air supply, lint in the flame arrestor, a draft or a weak sensor. Have it serviced.
Manuals and supporting references
These links distinguish general safety information from model-specific documentation. A manual directory helps you locate your unit’s instructions; it does not establish that every model uses the same parts, codes, or test values.
- Bradford White: Defender Safety System atmospheric gas service manual (238-51542-00C) (opens in a new tab)Bradford White atmospheric FVIR gas models listed on the manual cover; LED status tables for White Rodgers electronic and Honeywell V1/V2 controls.
- Bradford White: find your water heater manual (opens in a new tab)Use the model and serial number to locate the correct documentation.
- PG&E: recognizing and responding to a gas leak (opens in a new tab)Emergency actions for suspected fuel-gas leaks.
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