How to clean burner and combustion parts
is a self-help site
| How to install point of use water heater |  |
| How to install recirculation system |  |
| Type 1 and type 2 surge protection |  |
|
Home
Search waterheatertimer.org / all results Search using
   Follow newest ideas on Pinterest |
How
to repair GE Smart Shield Sensor Rheem TRD FVIR troubleshooting guide How to test if thermal device needs replacement Warning: Turn off gas to water heater: If the inner door removed on gas water heater and flammable vapors are present, a fire or explosion may result causing property damage, personal injury or death. |
| GE is made by Rheem The heater has a thermal device located inside combustion chamber (called a smart shield) that trips when heat inside combustion chamber exceeds approximately 180°F. Tripping off can be caused by ignition of flammable vapors or by malfunction of vent, incoming air supply, dirty combustion parts, or failed thermostat on gas control valve. |
|
 FV sensor mounted on outside of
gas water heater is first layer of protection for more recent designs
of water heater:The FV sensor is different than FVIR flammable vapor ignitiom system. The FV sensor is located on front of many water heaters today. The sensor will trip if it senses gasoline vapors in the air. It does not respond to other types of flammable vapors. The FVIR is located inside the water heater and responds to all sources of flammable vapor ignition. The FV sensor is important since research shows that gasoline is the most common cause of fire or explosion caused by water heater. Note: FV Sensor does not prevent the ignition of flammable vapors, the FVIR System is designed to reduce the risk of flammable vapor-related fires. FV sensor is installed 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. The 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. The FV sensor is easily tested using multimeter and easily replaced by plugging new one into terminal slots.  Buy: Flammable sensor kit Resource: How FV sensor works How to test FV sensor |
|
 |
Rheem TRD/
thermal device located inside the combustion chamber This water heater has a glass vial located in combustion chamber that breaks when heat exceeds parameter Rheem FV system trips because of high heat. 1. Cause: Ignition of flammable fuel such as gasoline or paint thinner can cause TRD glass vial to break 2. Overheat inside combustion chamber will break TRD glass vial. Causes: Insufficient air intake or venting will overheat combustion chamber. 3) Other causes: water heater dropped, vent pipe blocked, too many elbows in vent, dusty atmospheres, deterioration of part(s) caused by exposure to trace amount of chemical in air, such as pool chemicals, bleach etc. Buy: Rheem TRD/ thermal device Resource: Verify activated TRD pdf |
 |
Rheem
FVIR or TRD uses glass vial When water heater experiences FV flammable vapor event, the glass vial breaks, causing spring door to snap closed cutting off air to combustion. On Rheem/Ruud/Richmond/GE, if glass vial breaks, you need a new tank. Or Rheem or GE may send you part. Or, in case water heater is still under warranty, return heater to place of purchase for exchange. Cause for FV event must be resolved before putting heater back into service. Read manual and observe cautions, advisories, and maintenance shown in product manual. FV water heaters are evolving rapidly.Information given here can be different than your specific model |
 |
TRD
glass vial is broken What to look for on Rheem, Ruud, Richmond, GE heaters Verify TRD is activated (broken) |
 Larger image |
FVIR
shuts off air supply When glass vial breaks, the air is shut off to combustion chamber The pilot will light, but flutters out when gas valve is moved to operation. |
| Solutions | |
|
Solution
1: Order part online:Rheem, Richmond, GE use TRD Buy: Rheem TRD/ thermal device Resource: Verify activated TRD pdf |
 |
Solution 2: Call Rheem or
manufacturer: Check warranty, part
availability, etc Rheem, Richmond, Ruud, GE water heater: Gather information from label on side of tank, then contact Rheem and ask for glass vial, and other affected parts. Read product manual for advisories about warranty. Other brands: Call Manufacturer and ask for replacement parts and repair steps, and read manual for advisories. Rheem warranty and extended warranty are pro-rated and say: 'the limit of liability is reached when the repairs/replacement equal the replacement cost of 'like and kind' equipment during the term of the agreement. |
 |
Solution 3: Return water heater to box store where purchased: If you bought GE water heater at Home Depot, they will exchange for new heater |
 Solution
4: Replace heaterRheem, Richmond, Ruud, GE water heater must be replaced unless Rheem / GE can ship glass vial or you can replace the TRD. Install new heater and follow prevention steps below. How to install gas water heater How to recycle old water heater Which is best gas water heater |
|
 Flame arrestor screen located under glass vial |
 Before
repairs are madeClean burner and clean combustion chamber. Remove all flammables and household chemicals from area. Move water heater out of dusty, dirty environment, and set 18" off floor Inspect vent pipe and check draft. Vent test |
 Off-code repair  |
 How
to repair TRD if part is not availableIf you cannot buy the TRD that holds the spring loaded door. You can by-pass device by using needle nose pliers. Reach in and bend metal bracket that held glass vial. Bend it so it holds open spring loaded combustion air door. Next clean out the combustion chamber and follow prevention shown below. FVIR/TRD water heaters need plenty of clean air, and proper venting. |
 |
Solution 5: Repair work-around
using ordinary fuse or nail Warning: NOT code Don't do this. Insert cartridge type fuse (short variety) to replace glass vial |
 |
This
is not a game.New heater costs a few hundred dollars. Hospitals, lost
wages, lost careers, funerals, burned-down homes cost more. I personally knew two fellows who were killed while laying floor tile in Chicago in 1978. They were using the old petroleum-based floor adhesive (now outlawed). Water heater ignited floor adhesive and conflagration killed both young men. Recently, the local Lowes manager told me he had a friend who lost both legs. The fellow smelled gas. Instead of leaving the building and calling gas company, he removed front panel off water heater. The explosion and fire caused life-altering injuries. His action by-passed the FVIR safety feature by removing front cover. |
  |
How
to access FVIR/TRD Take photos of everything for easy re-assembly. 1) Remove wires as needed from Gas control valve and ECO located on combustion door 2) Disconnect Thermocouple, Manifold tube, and Pilot tube from bottom of Gas control. Notice these connections are not overtightened and do not require pipe sealant. 3) Gas controls vary. Manifold and pilot tubes on LP gas heater are reverse thread. Some thermocouples are reverse thread. 4) Burner door is held with 2-4 screws and may require replaceable gasket or sealant. Be careful with gasket so it can be reused.  5) Pull
out burner assembly. It will fit under or into a slot.6) Reassemble after repair. Do not over tighten connections. Thermocouple is usually finger-tight + 1/4 turn. 7) Use soapy water and check manifold and pilot tube connections for gas leak. DO NOT remove or loosen
the combustion door without turning off gas.Product manual has diagrams and advisories How to remove burner Example combustion cover removal for Bradford White Troubleshoot gas water heater |
 What
is FVIR or FV or TRD system: Flammable
vapor
ignition retardation systemWhen water heater ignites, the heat caused by fire starts to move air upward. This action draws fresh air up from air intake located under combustion chamber. The fresh air on Rheem water heaters enters from louvers located on side of tank near bottom. In the case of power-vent water heaters, the blower motor draws fresh air into combustion chamber. With atmospherically-vented water heaters, where there is no draft inducing blower on top of unit, the metal vent pipe running up to the roof will create a natural draft upwards, just like a fireplace chimney naturally drafts upwards. The vent pipe to outdoors creates natural draft upward that pulls fresh air into combustion chamber. If fresh air entering combustion chamber contains flammable vapors such as gasoline, then water heater burner ignites the gasoline vapor. If unchecked, the ignition of gasoline vapor inside water heater will spread back out into surrounding room causing flashover or explosion that can kill you and burn down house. With FVIR water heaters, this flashover event is retarded or stopped. So when vapor ignites inside combustion chamber, the FV system senses very high heat and immediately shuts off air supply to combustion chamber.  This
prevents flashover or
explosion inside room.Insurance company property and casualty losses prompted FV safety mandate. Each water heater manufacturer is responsible for developing FVIR system. Rheem developed system with glass vial that breaks in event of FV event. Water heaters rated over 65,000 BTU do not have FV system. Tankless water heaters do not have FV system. Space heater, open fireplace, gas logs etc do not have flammable protection and each item listed above can ignite vapors and kill you if precautions are not taken. Resettable TCO on front of combustion chamber. The TCO or thermal cut off responds to overheating inside the combustion chamber, and trips when temperature exceeds set point. This causes gas valve thermostat to shut off gas supply to burner. Troubleshoot TCO |
 Symptoms
of tripped FVIR1) On Rheem, Ruud, Richmond, GE heaters, look for signs of shattered glass on combustion floor. 2) Symptoms by type of gas control: With Robert-Shaw and White Rodgers gas control valve: If pilot light stays on without problems as long as gas valve is in PILOT position, but you then turn to ON position and main burner flutters and disappears within 30 seconds then good chance TRD is tripped.' With digital-type Honeywell gas control and White Rodgers Intellivent gas controls, there are wires connecting combustion chamber and gas control that will shut off gas to burner and pilot. Pilot will not light. Burner will not light. 3) Caution: Same symptoms can also be bad gas control, low gas pressure, or clogged air intake. Inspect if air shut-off baffle is tripped upward. Inspect for broken glass. Clean air intake. Avoid dusty atmospheres. If water heater brand is not shown on this page, consult manual for FV information. Troubleshoot flammable vapor 4) If pilot will NOT light, and there is NO gas available, then ECO can be tripped. Check manual for ECO. Some ECO/TCOs are small button located on front of combustion chamber: this configuration is re-settable after overheating problem is repaired (clean combustion parts and air intake). Some ECOs are located inside gas control thermostat. ECO inside gas control is single-use, and gas control valve must be replaced. Consult manual. Follow maintenance schedule shown in manual for cleaning combustion parts. Test ECO 5) If pilot will not stay lit, then thermocouple might be bad. Test thermocouple. Read: pilot will not stay lit |
 |
Soot
on burner and/or top of water heater indicate insufficient
air supply. This causes heat build-up and can trip FVIR. Flame should
be clear blue. Yellow flame indicates insufficient air. -Clean air intake -Clean combustion parts and chamber -Check gas pressure -Inspect/ repair vent |
 1) Do not store gasoline in open container.  2) Avoid dusty atmospheres and give water heater adequate fresh air supply |
How
to prevent FVIR problems: (and ECO failure and other
general water heater problems) Caused by overheating inside combustion chamber ADEQUATE FRESH CLEAN AIR 1) Do not store gasoline or flammables near water heater. Keep gasoline, kerosene in closed containers. 2) Avoid dusty atmospheres and give water heater adequate fresh air supply 3) Turn off water heater when using oil-paints, varnish, spray propellants, shellac, WD-40, thinners, lacquers, hair spray, gasoline, solvents, flammable cleaners, contact cement. Read product label to identify flammables. 4) Install water heater 18" off floor since gasoline vapors gather close to floor. Other flammable vapors do not gather close to floor. 5) Read product labels for flammability and advisories 6) Avoid storing or using chemicals in same room 7) Craft sprays and home project materials are flammable. Read labels 8) Read manual and follow yearly maintenance schedule for cleaning air intake and combustion parts. 9) Make sure vent pipes are working and that combustion parts and top of water heater are not sooty. 10) Don't drop water heater Remove flammables away from water heaterBe cautiousExplosion inside your home wastes precious fuel, and could burn down neighbor's garage. Buy: Gas safety cans at Amazon |
 5) Read label for flammable warnings |
 5) Read product labels for flammable warning: shellac, Kilz, lacquer, varnish, craft spray, floor paint, spray paint, solvents, accelerants, cleaners, etc |
 |
FVIR mandates were
passed to reduce insurance casualty and property losses. Many household appliances can cause flashover and explosion of hydrocarbon fuels Fireplace Tankless water heater Hybrid electric water heater Oven Stove Space heater Gas logs Faulty wiring Tank-type gas water heaters are located in garages and storerooms where flammable vapor storage is probably more likely to happen. People are more likely to clean a paint brush using gasoline while in a garage, rather than in the kitchen or family room. |
 6) Set water heater 18" off ground |
 |
7)
Check if flue has proper draft by lighting match See if smoke drafts immediately upward. The smoke should not linger. It should draw upwards quickly. If vent does not have draft or if furnace vent is blowing out of water heater vent each time furnace turns on, then vent pipes must be repaired. All gas appliances must vent out of house to avoid CO poisoning. Read checking the draft |
 |
Troubleshoot
by type of GAS control valve Troubleshoot by type of gas control valve  |
| 14 things needed for gas water heater & .pdf resources | |
 |
What you need for
operation of gas water heater. General troubleshoot 1) Basic parts and operation 2) Adequate incoming air supply ... issues: closed doors, tightly insulated house, very hot attic. 3) Adequate air supply getting to burner... issues: dirty vent screen, dirty environment, maintenance. 4) Thermal cutoff ... TCO ... issues: failed part, maintenance, vent. 5) Flammable vapor lockout .... issues: exposure to vapors, bad FV sensor, failed FV system, 6) Fuel supply to gas valve thermostat ... natural gas and propane are different ... issues: wrong gas, low pressure, moisture in pipe, undersized gas meter, supply line too small for BTU rating. 7) Gas valve thermostat regulates fuel supply ... issues: not enough gas, failed thermostat, failed gas control valve. 8) Fuel supply from thermostat to burner ... issues: maintenance, thermocouple-thermopile, gas control valve. 9) Clean and replace burner ... issue: periodic maintenance requires burner inspection, cleaning, and possible replacement 10) Functioning thermopile-thermocouple-pilot light ... issues: misalignment, failure of part. 11) Ignition of fuel supply by pilot light or hot surface igniter ... issues: pilot light, piezo igniter, electrode. 12) Power vent water heater troubleshoot ... issues: pressure switch, blower, blower sequence from gas control, outlet polarity 13) Venting combustion byproduct .... issues: vent in disrepair, other vents in house drawing air 14) Misc troubleshoot manuals |
 How to flush gas water heater |
 |
 9 ways to save with water heater |
 |
 |
 See basic 120V and 240V water heater circuits |
 Drop wire from attic |
 Replace circuit breaker |
||
 How to wire tankless water heater |
 How to wire off-peak water heater |
How to install gas water heater |
 Hot water circulation system |
||
 9+ ways to save with water heater |
 Motorized shut off valve |
 Clean sediment from tank |
|||
 Contactors |
 Anode rods |
|
|||
 |
 My art website |
 Intermatic trippers and parts |
 Do it yourself water heater |
||
 Low hot water pressure |
 Atwater water heater resources |
 Leaking water heater |
 Remove water heater from attic |
||
 Remove old element |
 Water heater safety precautions |
 How to wire Cooper 277 |
|||
 |
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 Troubleshoot gas water heater Troubleshoot electric water heater |
 |
Compare box timers |
 |
Compare programmable timers |
 |
Compare countdown timers |
 |
Buy
from my affiliate links every time/ thanks: Amazon As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases Enter Amazon from any link on my site, fill cart with any item ... purchases pay small commission E-mail: geno03245w@gmail.com My response might end up in spam folder, check email folders Waterheatertimer on Twitter Message thru facebook |