How to Reset a Honeywell Water Heater Gas Control
On this page (5 sections)
The Short Answer: A Honeywell (Resideo) water heater gas control has no reset button. To reset it, you turn the knob to OFF, wait until the status light goes out, and relight the pilot following the label on the heater. Do that once, and only after reading the flash code. Some codes, such as excessive tank temperature or a wet control, point to problems a reset won’t fix.
Read the light before you reset
The status light on the control flashes in groups with a three-second pause. Count the flashes over two cycles. Bradford White’s service manual 238-51542-00A (opens in a new tab) gives this chart for the Honeywell control on the models it covers:
| Status light | Meaning in the manual |
|---|---|
| Off | Control not powered; usually the pilot is not lit |
| 1 flash, 3-second pause | Normal operation |
| Solid on | With the knob at PILOT: pilot detected, turn to a temperature setting. After turning to OFF: wait until the light goes out before relighting |
| 2 flashes | Low thermopile voltage, main burner not on (weak pilot, thermopile, or a tripped thermal switch) |
| 3 flashes | Insufficient water heating; temperature sensor out of calibration |
| 4 flashes | Excessive tank temperature; system must be reset |
| 5 flashes | Thermostat or tank sensor fault |
| 6 flashes | Water leak detected by an accessory module (models with one) |
| 7 flashes | Gas control electronic fault; reset the control, or the control is wet or damaged |
| 8 flashes | Pilot remains on with the knob at OFF; replace the control |
Charts vary between Honeywell control versions and heater brands. Use the label on your heater if it differs. Rheem-family controls use their own codes; see Rheem flashing blue light 7 times.
How to reset
- Check that you don’t smell gas and there is no gasoline, paint, or solvent stored near the heater.
- Turn the control knob to OFF.
- Wait. If the light is on solid, wait until it goes out. The lighting label may also give a minimum wait time.
- Relight the pilot exactly as the lighting label describes, then turn the knob to your temperature setting.
- Watch the light. One flash every three seconds means normal operation.
If the pilot won’t light, see Honeywell water heater igniter not sparking. If it lights but goes out, see why won’t my gas water heater stay lit.
When not to keep resetting
- Four flashes (excessive tank temperature) means the water overheated. A control or sensor that let that happen needs checking; resetting it repeatedly risks scalding water.
- Seven flashes that return after one reset, or any sign of water on the control, means the control may need replacing.
- Eight flashes means the pilot valve is stuck open; the manual says to replace the control.
- The same code twice means the cause is still there.
What the technician will check
A technician measures thermopile output, checks the pilot flame and the resettable thermal switch near the burner, tests the tank temperature sensor, and checks for water on or in the control. For temperature faults they compare actual water temperature with the setting before deciding whether the control must be replaced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is the reset button on my Honeywell water heater? A: There isn’t one on the gas control. The reset is turning the knob to OFF, waiting, and relighting. Electric water heaters have a red reset button, but that is a different design.
Q: The light stays on solid after I turned it off. Is it broken? A: In the chart above, a solid light after turning the knob to OFF means the control is waiting. Let it go out before you relight.
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: service manual 238-51542-00A (Honeywell gas control troubleshooting chart) (opens in a new tab)Bradford White FVIR gas models covered by that manual with a Honeywell gas control; other heaters' labels may differ.
- 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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