A.O. Smith gas water heater status light: Status light on solid
The pilot was lit but is now off, and the thermopile is still cooling down. The valve will not relight until it has cooled.
If you smell gas
Stop: do not relight or troubleshoot anything. A.O. Smith’s own words (Residential Gas Water Heater Installation Instructions and Use & Care Guide 100263112, cover page):
- Do not try to light any appliance.
- Do not touch any electrical switch; do not use any phone in your building.
- Immediately call your gas supplier from a neighbor’s phone. Follow the gas supplier’s instructions.
- If you cannot reach your gas supplier, call the fire department.
Calling from a neighbor’s phone means leaving the building first.
What you see: the status light is on steady, not flashing. Applies to: A.O. Smith residential atmospheric gas water heaters with the Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant safety system and an electronic gas control valve. State heaters use the same codes.
What it means
The manual’s wording: “A solid Status Light” — A.O. Smith and State electronic gas control valve.
The pilot was lit but is now off, and the thermopile is still cooling down. The valve will not relight until it has cooled.
What A.O. Smith tells the owner to do
- A.O. Smith says to release the gas control knob and wait 10 minutes; once the status light goes out, light the pilot again following the lighting instructions.
semiatic gives no repair instructions of its own. The steps above are only the ones A.O. Smith addresses to the owner in its manual.
When to call a qualified service agency
A.O. Smith’s manual: “Installation and service must be performed by a qualified installer, service agency or the gas supplier.” Its Technical Assistance Hotline is 1-800-527-1953; have the model and serial number from the data plate ready.
Source
A.O. Smith’s own manuals, read on the date shown.
- A.O. Smith: Residential Gas Water Heater Installation Instructions and Use & Care Guide (100263112, January 2015), “Status Light Code Troubleshooting Chart” and “Lighting the Pilot” — A.O. Smith residential atmospheric gas water heaters with the Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant safety system and an electronic gas control valve. assets.hotwater.com Checked 2026-09-29.
- State Water Heaters (A.O. Smith): Residential Standard Gas Water Heater Service Handbook (327306), “Diagnostic Flash Codes” — State residential standard (atmospheric) gas water heaters with the electronic gas control valve/thermostat — a handbook written for qualified service professionals. www.statewaterheaters.com Checked 2026-09-29.
The same pattern on other brands
The same count on another maker’s gas control can mean something else.