Changing the gas control valve for an RV water heater

[MtnDon]

Has anyone had to change the gas control valve on their RV water heater? We began having issues with the off-pilot-burn selector part of the valve last winter. This was on the RV water heater used on the off grid cabin. The control valve needed replacing. No serviceable parts inside is what I was told. Last winter it began to be very difficult to depress the pilot knob as the first step in lighting the pilot light. I though warm weather would bring relief but that was only met with limited success. A new valve was needed.

The control valve unit threads into a pipe fitting welded into the tank. It is very cramped space. I determined that there is a special tool required to safely chnage the control. I found two different versions; one around $30 and the other costing more than the valve itself. The valve was $135. I also read that many purchasers of the cheaper valve found it to be a piece of junk, often breaking in use.

So I made my own with assorted steel from the scraps box. View from the backside




View from the front showing the welded nut and illustrating how the angle pieces fit around the square shape of the control valve.

[48Rob]

Nice work!