Review Whirlpool flue-damper natural gas Water Heater

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This review is dated 2014.

Review Whirlpool 333595 50 gallon water heater
Review: Whirlpool 333594 40 gallon water heater
Resources
Whirlpool energy-star product manual
How to light water heater

2019 update: Whirlpool no longer sells water heaters.
In 2014, Whirlpool was offering a version of the AO Smith flue damper heater.
AO Smith still manufactures the flue damper that was changed in 2015 ... reclassified from residential to commercial-grade for residential ... with different coloration, more insulation, improved air intake, and higher efficiencies ... with similar but updated operating parameters, control system and features as earlier models.
Updated review:
2019: Review AO Smith brand flue damper water heater

Use 6 wraps teflon tape ? White for water lines ? Yellow for gas lines Buy: Teflon tape at Amazon	Buy: Pipe wrench at Amazon Channel locks Resources: How to remove rusted element	Buy: Knipex channel locks Irwin pliers
Inspect anode each 2-5 years Anode rod prevents tank from rusting Buy: Anode rods at Amazon Resources: Replace anode rod How to maintain water heater	Buy: Impact wrench at Amazon Resources: Replace anode rod How to remove short water heater nipple	Pressure gauge/ attach to water heater drain valve Pressure over 80 psi can damage water heater and household plumbing Buy: Water pressure gauge Temperature-pressure gauge Resources: Identify water heater valves Troubleshoot water pressure
Prevent flood Automatic water shut off valve Buy: Water detectors at Amazon Automatic water heater leak shut off at Amazon Resources: Leaking water heater/ steps	Pressure reducing valve Pressure over 80 psi can damage water heater and household plumbing Buy: Pressure reducing valve Resources: Identify water heater valves Troubleshoot water pressure	Sharkbite pressure gauge Buy: Sharkbite pressure gauge Resources: Water heater valves
Water heater circulation system Buy: Grundfos at Amazon Resources: How to install recirculation system	COLD side Sharkbite flexible water heater connector Buy: Sharkbite water heater connection Braided water heater line Stainless steel flexible connection Resources: How to install electric water heater How to install gas water heater Leaking water heater	HOT side Sharkbite flexible water heater connector Buy: Sharkbite water heater connection Braided water heater line Stainless steel flexible connection Braided water heater line Flexible water heater connection Resources: How to install electric water heater How to install gas water heater Leaking water heater

Gas water heater thermostats
If tank is overheating or not heating correctly, replace thermostat
Symptoms: Cold water, uneven temperatures, TP releasing water
Buy:
Gas water heater thermostats at Amazon

Resources:
How to replace gas water heater thermostat
Add another thermostat to water heater
Troubleshoot gas water heater

Flue damper heaters use Honeywell gas control valve thermostat
Electronic gas control valves

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2019
AO Smith heaters are sold under other brand names:
American, Lochinvar, State, Craftmaster ... and at one time, Whirlpool and Kenmore, etc. Whirlpool no longer sells water heaters. Kenmore and GSW and other brands sell AO Smith heaters or versions of AO Smith, but not the high efficiency flue damper.

Efficiency
Meets or slightly exceeds 2015 energy standard requiring .60 combined thermal and standby efficiency for 50 gallon and .62 for 40 gallon....
The 40-50 gallon flue damper heater has EF .68-.70 .... which translates to .62-.625 combined thermal and standby efficiency .... indicating that 38% of energy is vented up flue pipe in addition to the toxic byproducts caused by burning hydrocarbon fuels that are puffing out of every vent stack across the globe.
Resource: How much does it cost to run gas water heater

6 year warranty
Warranty applies to: Single-family residential installation only.
6 year full replacement for failed Tank, and 6-year replacement parts.

Water heater must be installed and maintained as shown in manual for warranty coverage. Read product manual
For example, if the air intake is clogged with dust from sanding drywall during a remodeling project and water heater shuts down because heater cannot draw enough air, then the air intake screen must be cleaned ... this is required for the heater to operate in the environment where it is installed and is not covered by warranty.
Install heater in clean environment, without any flammable vapors ... or chemicals such as bleach and chlorine, spray paint, etc .... turn heater off when using flammables .... and when remodeling or house cleaning or furniture moving stirs up dust, dirt etc.

NOx emissions/ specifications
Water heaters that are not rated for low NOx release approximately 54 ppm per BTU. AO Smith flue damper series is rated for low NOx and ultra low NOx.
AO Smith flue damper heaters are made in two versions: 40-50 gallon models with Ultra Low NOx (14 ppm) and 40-50 gallon models with Low NOx (20 ppm) burners.
The low NOx version also has 40-50 gallon short models. Otherwise, all types have same efficiency, operating parameters, gas valve, parts, maintenance, and installation. All have 6 year warranty for residential installation.
Difference between low NOx and ultra low NOx would be found in replacement parts, some troubleshoot steps, and amount of NOx greenhouse gas released per BTU.

Resources:
2019 Spec sheet Low NOx
2019 Spec sheet ultra low NOx
2014 spec sheet

Resources:
2019 Installation manual
2014 installation manual
2014 Whirlpool installation manual
2014 Kenmore manual
2014 American manual

Troubleshoot
-AO Smith installation manual has solid and useful DIY maintenance, part replacement steps, error-codes and general troubleshoot instructions contained in the product manual ... but AO does not post a service manual for the Flue damper series, which is negative for the customers ...
-Bradford White does have a service manual (posted below) which is useful, however their design is slightly different than AO Smith ...
-There are additional resources (posted below) for troubleshooting gas control valve error codes.
Troubleshoot Resources:
Bradford White flue dampered service manual
Bradford White ultra low nox flue dampered service manual
Flue dampered/general install and troubleshoot
Dampered troubleshoot codes
Dampered error codes
Dampered error codes
Induced draft troubleshoot codes
bradford-white-flue-damper-error-codes

Quick review	Whirlpool energy-star water heater/ Made by American water heater The energy-star 40 and 50 gallon flue-damper water heaters with EF .67 cost $271 per year to operate and save about $28 per year over ordinary EF .60 non-dampered water heater. Payback 2-8 years compared with less efficient non-dampered series make this a good offer. Payback assumes 120 volt electric outlet is available. The damper and electronics require electrical outlet that should be dedicated and should be protected from electrical surge that can knock out water heater controls. This water heater is repairable following FVIR event, saving money over water heaters that must be replaced.. Plastic drain valve and air intake on bottom of heater are workmanlike. There is no specific service manual posted for water heater. Product manual has good instructions for maintaining and repairing water heater. Warranty is 6 years tank and parts for single-family residential installation.
Warranty 1-877-817-6750	Warranty 12 years when installed in single-family residential home using instructions shown in product manual: Product manual does not show warranty, but gives warranty claim phone number 1-877-817-6750 Whirlpool flue-damper gas water heater manual 12 years tank, 12 years parts. 1 year labor warranty. Tank warranty covers leaking tank. Part warranty is for parts that fail due to defective workmanship, and part warranty does not cover failures due to lack of maintenance and improper installation. Warranty 1 year full replacement with labor for water heater tank that develops leak Whirlpool warranty is NOT void if homeowner installs product How to install gas water heater BUT warranty usually applies to original owner, single-family, residential installation when 'installed and maintained according to printed instructions in product manual.' Read the manual, and also review the installation tips shown on this webpage. Most warranties offer diminished coverage for non-residential installations such as apartment or business. 1-877-817-6750
Customer reviews No other company lets you write a water heater review	Customer reviews appear to be positive http://www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/products/natural-gas/nd50t122-403/#contentTab2 How to install gas water heater
Craftmaster/Whirlpool	2" Foam insulation 'Glass-lined' enamel coating inside steel tank, combined with anode rod protect tank from rusting, same as all metallic water heaters today. EF energy factor .67, Expected annual cost to operate $272 will save $28 each year over typical gas water heater with EF .60 "Energy Factor indicates combined thermal efficiency and standby efficiency of a new water heater." Government EF information site Flue damper located on top of unit. No pilot light. Water heater plugs into outlet. Factory-installed heat traps contribute to lower cost per year, but also cause problems with noise and low hot water pressure Read more 1/2" Gas line Recovery 40.9 gal per hour is typical of ordinary gas water heater 40,000 BTU indicates burner size and fuel consumption. Higher BTU heaters use more fuel and heat water faster, but generally are more inefficient since more wasted heat goes up the vent stack. 40 gallon first hour rating of 70 gallons and a recovery rate of 42 gallons per hour is good for home with 1-3 people. 50 gallon first hour rating of 83 gallons and a recovery rate of 42 gallons per hour is good for home with 4-5 people. 80 gallon first hour delivery is general rule of thumb for home with Whirlpool bath or oversized bath
AO Smith version Larger image	Whirlpool is made by Craftmaster/ AO Smith water heater company, owned by AO Smith company Whirlpool 333595 and 333594 Energy Efficient sold at Lowes is same product as Kenmore Whirlpool flue damper product manual Kenmore energy-star flue dampered product manual American Residential gas water heater model FDG62/ is same as Whirlpool flue damper American FDG62 product manual AO Smith Flue Damper Series water heater GCF40 and GCF50/ almost identical to Kenmore energy-star flue damper Difference: AO Smith has brass drain, air intake located on side, but models change rapidly and there may be no difference when actual Kenmore water heater is purchased. AO Smith Product manual AO Smith Spec sheet AO Smith Estimated annual cost GCF40 and GCF50 EF .67, annual cost to operate $272 1/2" Gas line Recovery 42 gal per hour 40,000 BTU 40 gallon First Hour 67 50 gallon first hour 81
Whirlpool tub requires 80 gallon first hour rating What size energy-star water heater do you need for home? 40 gallon energy star tank has First Hour 67 so buy 40 gallon tank for residential homes up to 3 people 50 gallon energy star tank has First Hour 81 so buy 50 gallon tank for residential homes with 4-5 people First hour is how much hot water is available from fully heated water heater before water turns cold. For homes with more than 5 people, then Kenmore energy-star is small unless people conserve hot water and schedule hot water use. Water heater temperature is factory-set to 120 degrees. Increase temperature if hot water runs out too soon
^	Flue-damper series water heater plugs into 120V outlet to power gas ignition sequence and damper. Best to have a dedicated circuit with nothing else on the line, including fluorescent lights. Check outlet with circuit analyzer to ensure proper polarity of outlet. Water heater must be grounded or gas control will not operate. Important: Do not use extension cord. Unit comes with 10 foot cord. Whirlpool manual mentions electrical connection page 19. Kenmore manual shows more detail about electrical connection page 27 Power surge can knock out gas control when water heater plugs into outlet. Ordinary power-outage can cause surge when power is restored. Protect water heater with surge protection. Example surge protector at Amazon. How to wire whole-house surge protector
Larger image	Hone well gas control valve has error codes Whirlpool Flue damper error codes Error codes Error codes pages 20 & 26-29 Kenmore Error codes page 26 & 40-41 Typical service manual for water heater with Honeywell gas control valve How to light Honeywell gas control valve Diagnostic error codes are handy for homeowner and plumber when repairing water heater. Most water heaters today are shifting to new electronic gas controls. Advantage is error code troubleshoot, and more control options when designing water heater including higher EF energy factors. For example, the gas control can more accurately measure water temperature, and better control combustion sequence. Honeywell is major manufacturer of gas controls found on heat-air systems. Today's heat-air systems have reliable electronic gas controls. Disadvantage of electronic control is that water heater should be protected from surge. Surge will knock out electronic gas controls. Surge at Amazon Whole-house surge protection is recommended for homes because so many appliances, like microwave oven, clothes dryer, washing machine, and heat-air systems have electronic controls that are not protected from surge. Whole house surge at Amazon How to wire whole-house surge protector
Flammable vapor ignition resistant FVIR	Error message: Seven Flash, three second pause Flammable Vapor Sensor (FVS) Lockout Contact qualified service technician to reset the sensor From AO Smith manual: This water heater is a flammable-vapor ignition resistant FVIR water heater and is designed to reduce the chances of flammable vapors being ignited, gasoline and other flammable substances should never be stored or used in the same vicinity or area containing a gas water heater or other open flame or spark producing appliance. In the event the FV Sensor does not prevent the ignition of flammable vapors, the FVIR System is designed to reduce the risk of flammable vapor-related fires.
Flammable vapor ignition resistant FVIR	The patented system protects your family by trapping the burning vapors within the water heater combustion chamber through the special flame-arrestor. The burning vapors literally “burn themselves out” without escaping back into the room. In the event of a flammable vapor incident, the FVIR System disables the water heater by shutting off the gas supply to the water heater’s burner and pilot, preventing re-ignition of any remaining flammable vapors in the area. Gas control valve may need to be replaced.

Larger image	Flue damper increase efficiency Flue damper slows the release of hot vent gases, causing more heat to enter water and less wasted heat to escape up vent pipe. Venting is necessary to remove toxic combustion gas from home. Damper is main reason water heater has .67 EF energy factor and costs $272 per year to operate. Flue damper series saves $28 per year vrs ordinary EF .60 gas water heater Compare flue damper series with typical non-dampered water heater with EF .60 that costs $300 per year to operate How to install gas water heater
Questions about Installing and owning Kenmore water heater Image from product manual How to install gas water heater How to solder pipe	1) Can the homeowner install this water heater? YES. Whirlpool does not say that professional installation is necessary. Other water heaters, such as tankless, require professional installation or warranty is reduced or null. For installation steps: See page 6 thru 19 Whirlpool manual. See page 6 thru 20 of AO Smith product manual#1 or page 9 thru 26 Kenmore product manual #2 Also read information on this webpage Also read: How to install gas water heater 2) Is Whirlpool water heater more or less reliable than other water heaters? Same reliability. All brands of water heater are good. Kenmore is manufactured by American Water Heater Co, owned by AO Smith. All brands have lemons now and then. This product comes with 12-year warranty. Water heater is for single-family residential installation, and has to be installed correctly as shown in product manual, and maintained as outlined in product manual. This is true for all residential water heaters, no matter which brand. Kenmore manual shows more maintenance information. Read. 3) Is Whirlpool more expensive to repair than other water heaters? Same as other water heaters. Parts are available. Service is available. >1-877-817-6750 The Kenmore product manual has very specific steps for maintaining and fixing the water heater. If water heater is maintained, it will last many years beyond the warranty, and have fewer problems. Maintenance starts page 28 of Kenmore product manual. Also read How to maintain water heater plus read information on this webpage 4) Can the homeowner repair this water heater without calling service technician. Probably Yes, if homeowner is experienced with tools and repairs. The manual shows several important repairs, and has troubleshoot guide. The key is reading the product manual. There is a comparable service manual that applies to the hone Honeywell gas control valve, and specific tools and testing equipment are required. You can also post question on pro water heater forum
^	Flue damper can raise height of vent pipe. Draft hood installation page 10 manual Cut old vent pipe using tin snips. Connect vent pipe using 3 sheet metal screws. All vents pipes should have 3 screws per joint and be made of approved material such as galvanized steel or stainless steel. Use either 3" or 4" vent pipe. How to install gas water heater Do not use aluminum vent pipe. Aluminum is for clothes dryer and NOT code for water heater.
Room size needed for 60,000 BTU heater is 15x25 Do not expose to dust or stored pool chemicals or household chemicals such as bleach, spray paint, aerosols etc	Whirlpool flue damper water heater has 3 legs Models change frequently If water heater has 3 legs, then stand water heater on bricks so air intake screen can be cleaned once per year. Use mirror and flashlight to view screen. If water heater does not have 3 legs, then air intake is located on side of tank, and bricks are not needed. Remember, code says water heater must be installed 18" off floor to prevent flammable vapors such as gasoline vapors from entering water heater. AIR INTAKES MUST BE KEPT CLEAN/ read manual and advisories Do NOT install water heater in dusty environment. Today's gas water heaters need plenty of fresh air, and air intakes must be kept clean. Adding bricks will raise height of water heater by 2-1/2" How to install gas water heater
	Air intake located on bottom of tank. Set heater on bricks so air intake arrestor screen can be cleaned using vacuum cleaner. How to inspect air intake Why clean the air intake Or use compressed air to blow out the dust from inside combustion chamber, or clean from below using mirror and flashlight See image Page 27 AO Smith manual Larger image
Clean air intake on AO Smith, State, American, Reliance, Whirlpool water heaters	Buy: Flame trap inspection mirror at Amazon
	Whirlpool TCO located on front of combustion chamber If combustion chamber overheats because of FV event or clogged air intake, press TCO thermal cut out to reset water heater. Then clean air intake, clean combustion parts and perform required maintenance, remove flammable vapors from area, increase amount of available incoming air supply, and relight gas water heater. Today's gas water heaters have FVIR systems to prevent flashover or explosion if flammable vapors, such as gasoline or petroleum-based paints, enter water heater combustion chamber. FV system can also trip if water heater is not maintained as shown in product manual, or air intake gets clogged with dust. Turn off water heater when using flammables such as contact cement, shellac, varnish, petroleum-based solvents, etc. Read more about FVIR causes and prevention
Drip pan saves damage See drip pan installation Water heater drip pans at Amazon	Drip pan can prevent water damage If water heater is set in drip pan, keep FV sensor higher than top rim of pan so water leak will not short out FV system.
Maintain water heater	Warranty and longevity of water heater depend on regular maintenance 6-year water heater can last many years beyond warranty if maintained Whirlpool manual does not recommend customers perform own maintenance. Read Kenmore manual page 7 & 28-34 Read AO Smith manual page 25 Also read: How to maintain water heater
	Plastic drain valve will last many years. Can be repaired by replacing washer. Drips can be fixed by installing hose cap over end of drain. Always install water heater in drip pan to prevent water leaks from causing damage. Make sure water heater is installed so water hose can connect to drain valve. Professional plumbers prefer brass drain valve, because brass will unscrew from tank without breaking off. How to replace drain valve All water heaters should be flushed each 6 months to prevent sediment build-up How to flush water heater
	Kenmore product manual has good instructions for maintaining and repairing Whirlpool flue damper water heater Combustion parts are easily removed using instructions in product manual Gasket that seals combustion chamber is reusable. No parts have to be purchased to do routine combustion chamber cleaning. Clean combustion parts once each year using wire bush and water and then finish with vacuum cleaner. Inspect that flame color is strong and clear blue, and that there is no soot on top of burner or on top of water heater. Additional resources Pro water heater forum Troubleshoot gas water heater

Electronic gas control valves
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Honeywell gas control valve
Electronic gas control valves are increasingly common, and have been used on HVAC units for many years. Error codes are handy.
Troubleshoot by type of gas control
How to light water heater
How to install gas water heater

Dampered Fury gas troubleshooting codes
Induced draft troubleshoot codes
Error codes
Error codes2
Error codes
Icon gas valve error codes
Service manual
Test gas control/ from BW service manual
Power vent water heater issues
Sequence of operation
How to clean burner

How to replace water heater gas valve

Whirlpool product manual	AO Smith product manual
Highlights from manual Warranty page 6 Basic installation tools page 9 Locating water heater/ Avoid flammable vapors page 13 Combustion air supply page 18 Set temperature page 26 Error codes page 26 & 40-41 Required maintenance page 7 & 28-34 Thermal reset switch #3 page 37 ECO lockout if thermostat fails and water temps exceed 189°F #4 page 37 Anode page 29	Highlights from manual How to light water heater page 19 Error codes page 21 31-32 Temperature adjustment page 20-21 Repair parts page 34 manual Troubleshoot page 29 manual Anode rod page 24 Maintenance page 25 Flammable vapor lockout page 32
	Anode rods keep tank from rusting. All steel-tank gas and electric water heaters have anode rod to prevent rusting. Tanks with longer warranty usually have larger anode rod or two anode rods. Flue-damper series tank has 1 anode rod, and illustration shows the rod is installed in separate port on top of heater. Unknown if anode is magnesium or aluminum Prevent tank from rusting: Anode should be removed and inspected once each 2-4 years. More frequently if water is softened. Read more about anode rods How to maintain water heater

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