Bradford White 8 flashes
Bradford White 8 flashes: pilot stays on with knob off
Short answer
On ICON 1.0 controls, eight flashes followed by a three-second pause means the standing pilot stays lit even though the setpoint knob is in the OFF position. Bradford White says the pilot valve is stuck open, and the gas control must be replaced.
In this guide
When you turn the knob to OFF, the pilot should go out. Eight flashes means it did not: the gas control senses the pilot is still burning.
The meaning below comes from Bradford White's service manual for its ICON gas controls. Bradford White changed its flash codes in January 2019: serial numbers with a date code before TA use ICON 1.0 codes, and TA or later use ICON 2.0. Our guide on how old is my Bradford White water heater shows how to read the date code.
Why it matters
A pilot valve stuck open means the control cannot fully shut off gas to the pilot. That is a safety issue, because you cannot rely on the knob to turn the heater off.
If you smell gas, do not reset the unit or touch any switches. Leave the building and call your gas utility from outside.
What to do
- Do not keep cycling the knob.
- Close the gas supply valve on the pipe leading to the water heater, if you can reach it safely.
- Call a qualified technician. Bradford White's service step is to replace the gas control.
Before you call
Note the exact flash pattern, count it twice, and have the model and serial number from the rating label ready. Tell the technician when the light started flashing, whether the pilot is lit, and whether anything was stored or spilled near the heater recently. The serial number also tells you the heater's age, which matters when deciding between a repair and a replacement.
See every code on our Bradford White status light codes page.
Common questions
Can I keep using my Bradford White with 8 flashes?
It may still heat, but the gas control cannot shut off the pilot properly. Have it replaced promptly.
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Other Bradford White codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 2 flashes | Weak pilot signal (thermopile getting weak) |
| 3 flashes | Water not heating as fast as expected (ICON 1.0) |
| 4 flashes | High tank temperature |
| 5 flashes | Gas valve thermostat sensor fault |
| 6 flashes | Chamber door temperature sensor out of specification |
| 7 flashes | Gas valve electronic fault (ICON 1.0) |
| 8 flashes | Pilot stays lit with the knob off (ICON 1.0) |
| 9 flashes | Tank leak detected by accessory leak sensor |
| 10 flashes | Insufficient combustion air detected |