Heater Pilot Won't Stay Lit

[hayshaker170]

I have a Hayward CZ150-1 millivolt pool heater for my 16x32 above ground pool. It's old. Every year it's a chore to light the pilot. I usually will have to hold the button for several minutes. This year it will light while I am pushing in the pilot button, but when I release the button after several minutes it immediately goes out. Could this be due to a bad thermopile?

[Watermom]

I don't know but someone will. I just wanted to welcome you to the Pool Forum! Hopefully someone with knowledge about this will be along soon who can help!

[PoolDoc]

Millivolt heaters are a total P.I.T.A. to troubleshoot, and are a non-ideal design for use around pools, where corrosion is inevitable.

If the heater's old, and you can afford it, replace it with a modern electronic heater with a salt-compatible heat exchanger, and a 120V electrical circuit. If you use the heater much, you can afford it, since older heaters tend to degrade in efficiency a LOT due to external heat exchanger corrosion.

If you need to work on it, use this page:
http://www.poolsolutions.com/search.html
and the search phrase "millivolt pool heater"