Rick, a gas hot water tank comes with 2 small lift off metal doors, hatches, tin plates, whatever you want to call them. To cover the opening where the burner & the pilot are located. The galvinazied one goes in first, going over the 2 gas supply lines. Then a larger one that’s the color of the tank goes on the outside, & covers the first plate & the exposed supply tubes. The plate is attached to the tank by the 2 metal tabs going into the 2 slotted openings in the outside jacket of the tank. Once this is done, check to see if the access door to the mechanical room where the hot water tank is located fits tighter than it now does. If a draft goes underneath the outside door this would helf to snuff out the flame of the tank.
Well we are on the subject, your tank does have a thermocouple doesn’t it. Standing pilots are just to damn dangerous nowdays, but I have run into them myself. I was a industrial Pipefiter for 28 1/2 years & I worked as one in the construction field for another 10 years.
I hope this solves your problem.
-- kwhit190211
