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How
to troubleshoot gas water heater SEARCH this page using Ctrl+F for browser Find feature |
| Basics | ||
| Emergency? | Leave
house if you smell gas. Do not turn on light switch or touch any light switch or electrical device that might cause static spark Turn off gas When gas handle is perpendicular across gas line, then gas is OFF  Resources Emergency steps for leaking water heater Troubleshoot leaking water heater Flooded water heater How to light gas water heater |
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| Not enough hot water? | IF
water inside tank is hot, then
plumbing is suspect. Open drain valve and check if water is hot Resources: Low hot water pressure Crossover Broken pipe or leaks running hot out of tank Hot water connected to toilet or outdoor spigot Mixing valve is broken Other valves not functioning Recirculation system needed or not functioning |
IF water is not hot, then water heater is suspect. Open drain valve and check if water is hot Resources: Test gas valve thermostat Broken dip tube Undersized water heater Other reasons are covered on this page |
| Water too hot? | Water
too hot? Troubleshoot gas control thermostat Stacking |
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| Common water heater problems | Common
water heater problems: Low hot water pressure Stacking Crossover Flooded water heater Leaking water heater |
General
how-to Find age of water heater How to replace drain valve How to read the gas meter Clean sediment out of tank and periodic flushing How to install electric water heater Thermal expansion tank Noisy-gas-water-heater Tank water heater forum |
| Water too cold? | Open drain valve and see if tank
has hot water If water inside tank is hot, then check for water leak somewhere. Check for crossover Crossover If water inside tank is cold, then check for water leak somewhere. Troubleshoot thermostat Troubleshoot gas control thermostat |
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| New water heater? | How to install gas water heater Which is best gas water heater |
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| Solar | Heat
with solar Connect PV water heater / low voltage Connect PV water heater / high voltage |
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Prevent
problems Maintain water heater to last years beyond warranty. How to maintain water heater 1) Read about anode rods 2) Read about stray current corrosion 3) How to flush water heater 4) Inspect for leaks 5) 9 ways to save with water heater 6) Water heater safety precautions 7) Repair water heater valves 7) Read manual and follow maintenance schedule |
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Larger image Energy factor EF .675 - (.0015 x V volume in gallons) 40 gallon tank: .675 - (.0015 x 40) = 61.5% efficiency 38.5% of heat goes up flue pipe into atmosphere. |
Basic parts Gas water heaters are NOT 100% standardized. Models vary. Manufacturers offer different designs. Ilustrations show atmospheric vent where natural updraft of air pulls toxic combustion by-product up flue pipe and into atmosphere. Parts not shown on illustration include: Electronic gas control valve, power vent, flue damper vent, FV sensor, flexible gas line, air intake, thermocouple, thermopile, pilot etc. Resources TP valve code Replace TP valve Repair water heater valves Remove short water heater nipple Broken dip tube Replace drain valve How much does it cost to run gas water heater Index of all plumbing links |
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| Basic gas
valve thermostat parts Gas water heaters have a control valve with a probe that extends into water heater to measure temperature. Replacement Troubleshoot gas control valve thermostat How to replace water heater gas valve How to light gas water heater Buy: Gas water heater thermostats Amazon AO Smith gas valves at Amazon Buy: AO Smith gas water heater at Amazon Bradford White gas water heater Rheem gas water heater at Amazon |
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10
things needed for gas water heater |
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What
you need for operation of gas water heater. This page contains information for each item with .pdf resources 1) Adequate incoming air supply ... issues: closed doors, tightly insulated house, very hot attic. 2) Adequate air supply getting to burner... issues: dirty vent screen, dirty environment, maintenance. 3) Thermal cutoff ... TCO ... issues: failed part, maintenance, vent. 4) Flammable vapor lockout .... issues: exposure to vapors, bad FV sensor, failed FV system, 5) Fuel supply... natural gas and propane are different ... issues: wrong gas, low pressure, moisture in pipe. 6) Gas valve thermostat regulates fuel supply ... issues: not enough gas, failed thermostat, failed gas control valve. 7) Fuel supply to burner ... issues: maintenance, thermocouple-thermopile, gas control valve. 8) Functioning thermopile-thermocouple-pilot light ... issues: misalignment, failure of part. 9) Ignition of fuel supply by pilot light or hot surface igniter ... issues: pilot light, piezo igniter, electrode. 10) Power vent models ... issues: pressure switch, blower, blower sequence from gas control, polarity 11) Venting of combustion byproduct .... issues: vent in disrepair, other vents in house drawing air |
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 Image of Bradford white air intake Buy: Bradford White water heaters |
Back
to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 1) Incoming air supply Water heater must have enough air to support combustion. Well-insulated house or closed doors can prevent adequate air from reaching water heater. Very hot attic will cause oxygen molecules to spread too far apart to support combustion. AO Smith and 3-legged water heaters have air intake located on bottom of heater (install heater on 3 bricks to elevate space under heater), Bradford White (pictured) has air intake on side. Solution: Do not install gas water heater in small contained area, use louvered doors, do not pile belongings around water heater. Get fresh air to water heater and see if problem is resolved. |
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 AO Smith air intake on bottom of heater shown |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 2) Air supply getting to burner Air intake must be clean. If intake is blocked, the combustion flame is yellow and lazy instead of crisp and blue. Water heater might not stay lit. See manual for location of air intake. Do not install water heater in dusty environment. Avoid dusty environment that will clog air intake, cause unburned fuel, and create fire hazard. Some FV designs can trip if the air intake is clogged. |
 Dirty, dusty and chemical environments pose hazards for all gas appliances. Water heater air intake will clog, and shut down burner or cause FV lockout in some models. Whirlpool shown. |
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 Larger image Location of AO Smith/ American/ Kenmore/Whirlpool 3-legged water heater with arrestor screen that will clog with dust. |
 Inspect and Clean air intake on AO Smith, State, American, Reliance, Whirlpool water heaters using feather duster or compressed air. Buy: Flame trap inspection mirror at Amazon |
Bradford White, Rheem,
Richmond, Ruud, GE
heaters require removal of
combustion parts to clean arrestor screen located inside unit. Remove combustion parts for maintenance. Image of Bradford white air intake Buy: Flame trap inspection mirror at Amazon |
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Flame
should burn clear blue Lazy yellow flame indicates one or more of following: -Poor incoming air supply. -Inadequate venting. -Dirty combustion parts. -Low gas pressure |
 Very hot attic causes oxygen molecules to spread too far apart to support pilot light. Increase ventilation to water heater Resource: Attic ventilation/ pilot outage pdf |
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 Buy: Thermal reset |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 3) Thermal cutoff ... TCO Located on front of combustion chamber near the sight glass, with two wires that connect to gas control valve. Thermal cutoff trips when combustion chamber get too hot. Prevents overheating and is part of the FV system: Push inward to reset, or replace part as needed. Tripped TCO stops all gas from reaching the pilot light or the burner... it causes a complete shut down of gas control valve, and no gas reaches the combustion chamber. If there is a pilot light burning, or flutter of gas on the burner, the TCO is not tripped, then gas control valve is suspect. Causes of tripped TCO are dirty combustion parts, clogged vent... these things cause overheated combustion chamber. Solution: Push in button to reset, replace TCO, clean burner parts, check vent is drafting air. Buy: Thermal reset |
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  Buy: Flammable sensor kit |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 4) Flammable vapor sensor/ variety of systems Primary issue for FV is exposure to explosive flammable vapors that can be drawn into combustion flame, causing flashover that travels from inside the water heater and accelerates back into surrounding room. This potentially deadly situation has caused fatalities, injury and property loss. Flammable vapors are commonly found in oil paint, shellac, varnish, adhesives, gasoline. Turn off all pilot lights when working with flammable materials. Do not store flammables in same area as water heater. FV lockout reduces risk of fire either by turning off gas control valve or limiting exit of flame from combustion chamber. Some water heaters have external vapor sensor (shown in illustration on left), and some have internal FV system (shown below), or both. External vapor sensor can be seen attached to front of water heater, near the bottom as pictured on left. With this type FV sensor: If water heater has no gas, then FV is suspect: test and replace part. If water heater has some gas but flame flutters out then internal FV might be suspect, or air intake clogged ... keep reading and then check #6 gas control valve plus #7 #8 #9. How the external FV sensor operates: Two wires connect the vapor sensor to the gas control valve, the sensor 'shorts out' when exposed to gasoline vapors, and shuts down gas valve during vapor event. Buy: Flammable sensor kit Resource: How FV sensor works How to test FV sensor American FVIR bulletin FVIR troubleshoot guide |
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If
flammables materials are used, then all gas burning appliances in the
vicinity must be shut off and pilot lights extinguished. Open doors and
windows for ventilation while flammable substances are in use. The FV sensor is located inside a plastic case to keep it dry and clean... if the sensor is blocked, or has been covered with dust, leaves, water etc, it will not function. Replace part. The FV sensor must have continuity, so a small current of electricity can pass through the sensor and signal to gas control valve that all is ok. Failure of part, or FV event will 'short out' the sensor and shut off gas. Dirty environment will cause problems with all modern gas appliances. Replace the part and clean out water heater as described farther down on page. Buy: Flammable sensor kit |
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Rheem thermal device: Buy: Rheem TRD/ thermal device Resource: Verify activated TRD pdf How to repair TRD |
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| FV
lockout Rheem-Ruud-Richmond-GE Air intake on side. Some models use TRD glass vial trigger for overheating event. See image Arrestor screen located under combustion burner. Locate arrestor screen by removing burner Clean arrestor screen with compressed air after removing burner. Look for broken glass. Company might send glass vial replacement. Reset TCO thermal reset on front of unit. Rheem does not post service manuals Buy: Rheem water heaters at Amazon FV sensor kit Resources/ across all brands: How to repair Rheem FVIR FVIR intellivent troubleshoot .pdf Bradford White service manual .pdf Bradford White 2 .pdf General FVIR troubleshoot .pdf |
FV
lockout AO Smith-American-State-
Craftmaster-Reliance-Kenmore-Whirlpool Air intake and arrestor screen are same and located under combustion burner on bottom of water heater. Best location for ez cleaning. See image No need to remove combustion parts to clean screen. Clean arrestor screen with feather duster/ compressed air. Arrestor screen stops acceleration of flames into room. Set 3-legged water heater on bricks for ez access to arrestor screen. Reset TCO thermal reset on front of unit Clean screen and reset TCO will usually restore FV lockout AO Smith posts service manuals. Service manuals also posted with gas control valves lower on this page Buy: AO Smith water heaters at Amazon Reliance gas water heaters 50 gallon high efficiency |
Bradford
White-Boch-Lochinvar Air intake on side. ScreenLok flame arrestor screen located inside. Image Arrestor screen stops acceleration of flames into room. Arrestor screen located under combustion burner. Locate arrestor screen by removing burner. If dust and dirt collects on arrestor screen over timer, clean with wire brush and compressed air after removing burner, and this will usually restore FV lockout. TCO thermal reset on front of unit will cut off gas to pilot and gas control valve. Reset. Bradford Posts service manuals. Service manuals also posted here and also with gas control valves lower on this page Buy: Bradford White water heaters at Amazon Bradford White water heater parts FVIR Resources How ScreenLok flame arrestor works Bradford white FV troubleshoot Bradford white power vent FV troubleshoot |
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 Buy: Flexible gas line Keep ends of pipe connections clean when installing or repairing gas supply or water heater. Do let stray pieces of teflon tape get inside pipe... wrap tape one second thread from end and not at end. Install sediment trap and loop on flexible gas line to keep out moisture and debris. Use black pipe and yellow flexible gas line. Do not use galvanized pipe or flakes of galvanized will chip off and get into gas control. Do not use copper pipe unless approved locally.. |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 5) Fuel supply Natural gas and propane gas are different. Water heaters are purchased by type of gas used. Propane requires greater air supply ratio than natural gas. Propane has higher ignition temperature and burns hotter. The gas control valves are different with different threads for each type of gas. The burner and internal parts are different. Natural gas is lighter than air and rises. Propane is heavier than air and falls to low spot. Do not install propane appliances below ground level where gas leak can accumulate in basement. Water heaters are rated by BTU, or the amount of gas they burn. Gas lines and gas meters are rated by BTU for the amount of gas they can supply. Higher elevations consume more gas to achieve same BTU output. New appliance, or too many appliances can affect amount of gas. If overall consumption of BTU is greater than supply, then water heater will not function. Larger gas meter, or gas line may be needed. Look at labels on each appliance. Call gas supplier. Do not use copper pipe or galvanized pipe. Use only black pipe or yellow-colored flexible gas line. Check local codes for approved pipe that is non-reactive to the type of gas being used. Dirt, debris, moisture, galvanized flakes etc from wrong pipe or dirty pipes will get into the gas control valve and cause it to malfunction. yellow is international color code for gas line. Acceptable to reuse flex line when installing new appliance. |
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 Resources: Definitions and formulas/ pdf Pipe size BTU chart Pipe capacity Square footage per BTU Gas pipe capacity .pdf |
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  Larger image Gas valve manufacturers |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 6) Gas water heater thermostats are usually single-use after ECO trips. Exception, some intellivent-style power-vent thermostats can be reset using button sequence. -ECO Energy Cut Off is located inside the thermostat probe that extends into the tank to measure water temperature. When ECO senses overheating inside tank, the ECO trips and shuts off gas control. -If ECO is tripped, or other malfunction, Gas valve must be replaced. -ECO must have continuity so small current (derived from thermocouple or thermopile when heated by pilot light) can travel from thermostat through the ECO and back again to thermostat, completing the electric circuit, and signaling to gas control to function normally. -If water heater burner or pilot light has gas, if pilot or burner flutters and goes out, then ECO is not tripped: Gas thermostat might still be bad, but FV system or related maintenance is first suspect. -Do not install cold water line above gas valve where condensation drips on valve. Thermostat calibration means tank temperature matchs thermostat setting. All setting are approximate and vary widely. Adjust temperature, replace gas control if temperature setting is unreliable. Resources Pilot outage troubleshoot Test ECO on Robertshaw- White Rodgers ECO on Robershaw,White Rodgers, Honeywell pg 17 Read about resetting intellivent How to adjust thermostat temperature Buy Gas water heater thermostats at Amazon |
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 Larger image natural gas burner Another images NG gas burners are different than LP burners. Connections to natural gas control valve are right handed. |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 7) Fuel supply to burner The gas control valve lets gas flow into the combustion chamber through the pilot tube and manifold tube. The pilot tube has an orifice that restricts gas flow for the type of gas and the amount of pilot flame needed. The manifold tube is larger and sends gas to the burner in the amount to meet BTU rating of water heater. The gas control valve must match the pilot and burner. |
 Propane gas burner made of cast iron, shows manifold and pilot tubes, and thermocouple. Connections to gas control valve are left handed. LP has more pressure and higher temp |
 Image shows natural gas burner assembly with piezo igniter, pilot tube, manifold tube, and thermocouple. Some gas water heaters have modular burner assembly that is replaced whole, instead of individual parts. Buy: AO Smith burner assembly Rheem burner assembly Bradford White burner |
 Expanded image Burners and burner assemblies can be cleaned serviced. -Maintenance manuals suggest annually cleaning burner area with wire brush and vacuum cleaner. Buy: Tube cleaners at Amazon |
Burner
brush Buy: Tube cleaners at Amazon Burner brush tube cleaner at Amazon Burner Tube Brush Cleaners at Amazon Appliance cleaning brushes at Amazon Straw cleaning brush |
 Soot implies unburned gas: dangerous situation Gas may not be burning fully: lazy yellow flame indicates poor incoming air supply, dirty combustion parts, inadequate venting of combustion byproduct.  Soot on top of heater implies danger of improper vent and backdraft #11 venting Improper vent can blow out pilot light. |
Flame should burn clear blue Low gas pressure. Dirty combustion parts. Poor incoming air supply. Inadequate venting. This is dangerous because unburned gas can accumulate inside combustion chamber or inside the flue way. Causing ignition. This situation will overheat combustion chamber and trip ECO, TCO and FV system, causing water heater to stop working. |
 Use wire brush to clean burner assembly and combustion chamber. When re-starting cold tank, expect possible condensation dripping until tank reaches temperature. This is the only time water should be apparent inside the combustion area of water heater, otherwise #11 bad vent or leaking water heater is suspect. Cleaning water heater Burner cleaning /pdf Example: how to clean combustion chamber Example: cleaning combustion chamber Example: how to clean combustion chamber Clean sediment out of water heater Clean combustion chamber Effex water heater Leaking water heater |
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to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 8) Thermocouple- thermopile, pilot light Pilot light heats the thermocouple or thermopile, producing small millivoltage of electricity that travels to the gas control valve along the copper pilot tube. If the pilot light goes out, the lack of electric current shuts down the gas control valve and pilot light needs to be lit again. Older model gas water heaters required a long match and patience to relight pilot, while more recent water heaters are required to have sealed combustion chamber and use a piezo igniter to light pilot. Thermocouple and thermopile are different. Thermopile is basically several thermocouples combined and produces more current than thermocouple. Thermocouples are used with older-style mechanical gas control valves that have a round dial on front. Thermopiles produce enough current to power small circuit board and are used with modern electronic gas control valves. |
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 Look upward, and to one side, through sight glass to see that pilot flame is lit and clear blue color. Causes for pilot outage: Backdraft from shared vent and wind coming down the flue can blow out the pilot. see section 11 for venting. Dirty combustion parts and need for maintenance can also cause outage. see section 7. Bad thermopile or thermocouple. Misaligned thermocouple can also cause outage. Modern water heaters have solved the misalignment problem with fixed positioning and 1-piece replacement for combustion parts. see section 7. Bad gas control valve can cause pilot outage. see section 6. |
Pilot
light troubleshoot: Clean the air intake, and get more fresh air to unit. Push in TCO located on front of combustion chamber. Pilot troubleshoot resources Test thermocouple How to light gas water heater Pilot light goes out Burner goes out when control knob turned to ON Pilot light will not stay lit/ pdf Pilot outage/ pdf Pilot problem or ECO or gas control? Wind blows out pilot light Pilot light or thermocouple? Negative pressure blows out pilot |
 Pilot tube orifice Clean with compressed air or carburetor cleaner Do not rub with rag, or tube can clog Pilot troubleshoot resources con't Standing pilot light maintenance Attic Ventilation and Pilot Outage Pilot outage and negative pressure Pilot light maintenance/ pdf Ventilating tight-house/ pdf Pilot light troubleshoot |
 Buy: Rheem Pilot assembly AO Smith Pilot< Reliance Pilot Kenmore Pilot Bradford White Pilot |
 Gas water heater How to remove burner |
Avoid
Corrosive environments Exposure to corrosive environments such as pool chemicals, process chemicals, bleach can damage burner parts. Air is drawn into water heater, and if air contains trace amounts of chemical, or chemicals are burned in the flame, this will damage water heaters over time, and shorten life of water heater Remove chemicals from same room as water heater. -Chemicals that will corrode water heater parts and vent pipe include: 'Spray propellants, cleaning solvents, refrigerants, swimming pool chemicals, calcium and sodium chloride, household bleach, waxes and process chemicals ... all these chemicals are corrosive at very low levels with no odor." Read Bradford White Pdf pg2-8 Read Rheem pdf Avoid corrosive atmospheres |
| Piezo
igniter Today's water heaters have igniter to send spark to pilot light to start flame. Older water heaters have open combustion chamber and pilot was lit with a match ... the piezo igniter helps prevent explosion into someone's face, or ignition of flammable vapors in the room caused by open flame. The igniter is part of the FV flammable vapor prevention system where the combustion chamber is sealed so flames cannot easily travel from inside combustion chamber out into surrounding room. How to test piezo igniter How to check the igniter Electronic spark troubleshoot Troubleshoot hot surface ignition Hot surface igniter troubleshoot Power vent hot surface ignition |
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 Buy: Thermocouples at Amazon Thermocouple adapters Thermocouple Test and replacement How to test water heater thermocouple How to replace thermocouple pdf How to replace thermocouple/ forum Test thermocouple Test thermocouple and thermopile |
Thermocouple/ thermopile Remove burner & replace thermocouple thermopile  How to Remove burner & replace thermocouple thermopile |
How to light gas water heater Pilot light goes out Burner goes out when control knob turned to ON Pilot light will not stay lit/ pdf Pilot outage/ pdf Attic Ventilation and Pilot Outage Pilot outage and negative pressure Pilot light maintenance/ pdf Ventilating tight-house/ pdf Pilot light troubleshoot when thermostat set lower Pilot problem or ECO or gas control? Wind blows out pilot light Pilot light or thermocouple? Negative pressure blows out pilot |
| Back
to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 9) Ignition of fuel supply by pilot light or hot surface igniter ... issues: pilot light, |
Hot surface igniter | |
 Location of flame sensor and igniter vary by model and brand of water heater. Sand carbon deposits off igniter. Avoid touching igniter Larger image Hot surface igniter troubleshoot Hot surface ignition basics Troubleshoot hot surface ignition Hot surface igniter troubleshoot Power vent hot surface ignition |
 Tip of flame sensor must be directly in front of burner port. Use a nickel to set 7/64 gap. Natural gas flame sensor will be bent, while propane will be straight. Larger image Intellivent troubleshoot Manual Power vent surface ignition |
 Larger image Burner flame is yellow |
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Back
to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 10) power vent water heaters Power vent water heater can vent combustion gas through a sidewall vent. How it works: "When the thermostat senses a need for hot water, a valve is opened which allows gas to flow to the closed solenoid valve. As gas pressure builds up within the solenoid, the gas pressure switch closes and 24 VAC flows to the blower relay. The blower relay contacts close and send 115 VAC to the vent blower which turns it on. Air flow from the vent blower closes the air pressure switch sending 24 VAC to the solenoid valve. The solenoid valve opens and allows gas to flow to the burner which is lit by the pilot or igniter" Blower: less than 5 amps consumption @ 120 volt. 120 volt x 5 amp = 600 watts running with 1200 watts start-up. Resources: Power vents: Power vent water heater issues Anode covered by power vent |
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Blower Power vent water heaters use a blower to vent gas by-product from water heater. Blower requires 120 volt grounded outlet. Electric outlet for power vent and flue damper water heaters should be dedicated, and surge protected. Do not use extension cord for power vent and flue-dampered water heaters. Blower is connected to gas control valve with a wire, called the control cable. The gas control uses a firing sequence to activate the blower and start moving air upwards just before the burner fires up. Blower, control cable, gas control valve, and pressure switch are part of troubleshooting. Eliminate the obvious: Check the blower first, and gas control valve last. Buy blower: Water heater blowers at Amazon Blower troubleshoot Test pressure switch Power vent troubleshoot Troubleshoot hot surface ignition How to check blower motor Check blower motor |
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Pressure
switch or vacuum switch Generally, to check if blower is good and pressure switch is bad, you bypass the pressure switch and connect blower directly to 120 volt outlet, running a pigtail to the blower or plugging blower directly into outlet. Pressure switch troubleshoot Test pressure switch Air pressure switch testing Intellivent wiring Pressure switch replacement Bradford White pressure switch replacement Check pressure switch |
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Polarity If gas valve is connected to electricity, the outlet polarity must be correct Water heater must be grounded. Poor ground can prevent flame. GFCI circuit can cause short cycling. If outlet is not dedicated or has GFCI, other loads such as florescent lighting can cause short cycling.  Unplug cord. Test for continuity between ground prong on plug and manifold tube on gas valve. Connect water heater to different outlet. Test outlet with circuit analyzer |
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 Venting power vent models Read product manual for venting specifications Example power vent manual p17 Minimum vent distance from window Power vent tables Power vent troubleshoot Typical power vent manual Typical power vent manual2 Typical service manual Gas venting specs Conditions where outdoor air supply is needed |
General
troubleshoot and service manuals: Troubleshoot gas water heater Troubleshoot gas water heater2 Test if thermal device needs replacement/ pdf Reliance 2006 troubleshoot handbook/ pdf AO-Smith-service-manual/ pdf AO Smith service manual AO Smith service manuals AO Smith 2006 service handbook AO Smith Technical bulletins Bradford White Service Manual/ pdf Bradford White technical bulletins American troubleshooting guides State service manual Icon gas valve error codes Dampered water heater troubleshoot/ pdf Hot surface igniter troubleshoot/ pdf American gas water heater service manual Intellivent service manual Whirlpool Energy Smart Gas Service/ pdf Polaris troubleshoot and install manual Rheem service bulletin Rheem-Ruud 2011 parts list/ pdf Rheem parts 2010 Rheem-Ruud 2009 parts by model number Rheem 2009 parts list |
General
how-to Find age of water heater How to replace drain valve Leaking water heater How to read the gas meter Clean sediment out of tank and periodic flushing How to install electric water heater Thermal expansion tank Noisy-gas-water-heater Typical manuals Typical power vent manual Sample Rheem Gas water heater manual AO smith Service manuals |
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Back
to 10 things for troubleshooting water heater 11) Venting combustion byproduct Do not use aluminum vent pipe. Use 3"-4" steel galvanized, stainless or PVC pipe. During water heater combustion, hydrogen content of fuel is burned, resulting in hot gases that travel upward and out the vent pipe. Obstructed vent will slow or halt combustion, resulting in tripped ECO, yellow flame instead of blue. Adequate venting or air draw up vent is required so gases vent outside. Atmospheric vent has no blower or mechanism to assist upward flow of vent gasses. The venting action is a natural upward flow of hot air, plus the natural upward convection of air. Power vent and flue-damper water heaters push vent by-product up the vent pipe. If blower or pressure switch or firing sequence is not functioning, the vent gasses do not travel up vent pipe. Negative air pressure Wind Rusted flue pipe -or water dripping down from flue pipe: 1. Vent cover could be missing > rain water entering flue (replace cover) 2. Flue pipe clogged with bird nest or come apart or damp from improper venting: danger of odorless Carbon Monoxide poisoning Buy: Carbon monoxide detector Vent tape Water heater vent hood Simple test for proper venting: Check that pipes are not rusted or covered with white condensate. There is no water on top of tank. Burner inspection does not show excessive rusting. Steps: Turn off water heater and wait 1-2 hours for heat to stop rising from tank. Hold lit match within 1" of vent hood and see if smoke is drawn into vent. If smoke does not draw, then check for vent obstruction on roof, or call plumber. Resources: See image of test Vent draft test Gas venting specs Square footage per BTU Ventilating tight-house/ pdf Pilot outage and negative pressure |
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Soot
on top of heater also implies danger of improper vent and
backdraft. Improper location of vent on roof, and incorrect clearances, or windy location can stop vent gas from leaving vent pipe. If vent gas cannot escape at top of pipe, it can be entering house at the vent hood. Soot on top of heater is evidence. If pilot goes out, the improper draft can be blowing out pilot light. Soot on top of heater can be caused by backdraft where vent gasses are being blown back onto water heater because of shared vent pipe with furnace or other gas appliance. Read next section. |
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| Backdraft
Is your furnace causing water heater
to malfunction? Furnace, kitchen-bath bent fans etc can affect vent
draft on water heater. Called negative pressure. Is there evidence of rusting etc on top of heater, next to the draft hood? Is the furnace room particularly cold or wet? This is evidence of backdraft. Here is a simple, but telling test. When the water heater first fires up, a little heat will spill from the draft hood. It should only spill for a second or two under normal circumstances. So, with the furnace off, turn the temperature on your heater up to cause it to fire up (you might make a mark on the thermostat dial so it can be put back to the same place). Quickly, put the back of your hand to the draft hood to feel any heat spilling out. Count the seconds. Return the heater to normal. Now wait a bit and fire up the furnace. Feel for any spillage at the water heater draft hood with the water heater off. Count seconds. Now fire up the water heater (furnace running) and check for spillage again. If furnace and water heater both vent into same chimney, the draft might not work properly. Water heater should have dedicated vent. For example the chimney vent pipe is is eight inch, but the two vents (from furnace and water heater) going to it are both four inch. That bigger vent might be oversized and hard to warm properly for good drafting. If the furnace is power vent, and fan or vent will overpower natural draft. Having the furnace and water heater vents combined will cause problems. Likely the right fix is to run two, separate three inch vents. |
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on top of
heater. Rusted vent pipe. White condensate on pipes. Inadequate draft, or improperly installed vent pipe can cause condensation inside pipe that will rust and cause white condensate. Missing roof cap will cause water on top of heater that will rust out the water heater. |
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 Never install more than 1 elbow on sidewall vents Straight shot is always best shot. Elbows slow venting and cause backdraft. Resources: Gas venting specs Direct vent clearances Conditions where outdoor vent is required |
  Vent Gas Odor Lack of air supply -Clean air intake screen, open window Ventilating tight-house/ pdf Improper vent -Read product manual for vent requirement Downdraft Poor combustion -Clean combustion parts, service unit |
CO poisoning If joints fall apart, or vent is improperly installed, hot gases enter home posing risk of odorless CO poisoning. Symptoms: headache that goes away when outside in fresh air. Unconsciousness. Remove affected people from home and lay on sides, not on back. Call emergency help. call plumber. Attach vent pipe sections with 3 screws and then cover joints with aluminum tape. Buy: Vent tape Carbon monoxide detector |
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Corrosion
of parts. Chemicals can damage burner parts Do not expose water heater to stored chemicals, swimming pool chemicals, laundry equipment Remove chemicals from same room as water heater. -Chemicals corrode water heater parts and vent pipe. 'Spray propellants, cleaning solvents, refrigerants, swimming pool chemicals, calcium and sodium chloride, household bleach, waxes and process chemicals are corrosive at very low levels with no odor." Poor venting can damage parts When there is inadequate draw, the water vapor cools and condenses on inside wall of vent pipe. This condensation water is acidic (pH 3-5) and corrosive. It will corrode steel metals and other materials. Improper venting causes water to drip down vent into combustion chamber of gas water heater. Parts inside combustion chamber rust. Holes develop in bottom of water heater. Inspect combustion chamber for rust and water. Avoid corrosive atmospheres |
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Support
the economy: Buy water heaters from my associate links: 50 gallon Gas water heaters at Amazon 40 gallon gas water heaters at Amazon 50 gallon Electric water heaters at Amazon 40 gallon electric water heaters at Amazon Hybrid / heat pump/ water heaters at Amazon Resources: How to install gas water heater How to install electric water heater Troubleshoot gas water heater Troubleshoot electric water heater Point of use water heaters |
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