hot water heater ?

[Tractorat]

I just got back from camping this weekend. When I was buttening up to leave camp, I noticed that the vent for the hot water heater had black soot on it and just about. Any ideas what would cause that ?



Thanks,

Tractorat

 

[MChildress]

I have found spider webs and bee nest in mine in the past. You might want to check out the intake and exhaust for any blockage from insects or rotents.

 

[SafeHarbor]

Why heat hot water?

Sorry, guys, but this comes up frequently on another forum I visit, and I couldn't resist.



Checking for bugs and obstructions is good, but you change the mixture by moving the air shutter up near the control. Mine seems to need to be adjusted about every season change.

 

[Tractorat]

Thanks, the air shutter makes sense to me. Ill take a look at that as well. I did take my garden hose and just spray it up the combustion tunnel (is that the right description ?), and then reverse flush thru the vent. A bunch of black sooty stuff came out. Then, after letting it dry out, I relit the water heater, and now it seems to burn more efficiciently

 

[YFZBOB]

Water Heater Sooting

This situation strongly suggests that something has altered the air/fuel mixture of the water heater burner. If nothing physical has occurred, such as removing and replacing the appliance, then the problem is most likely an obstruction of some sort that is preventing the proper mix of the LPG and the required air supply. Most often this happens when insects build a nest or web inside the burner tube. Another possibility is that the orifice has become partially obstructed, due to contaminates in the propane supply.



Check and see if your flame is Orange, if so. Adjust the Air/Fuel mixture until a blue flame is present. You can do this by sliding/adjusting the Air-Shutter.



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[Bob Cochran]

I would not use water to clean the flue, etc. Use compressed air or the air you get in a can to clean electronics etc. Remove orfice and clean with carb cleaner or acetone do not sitck anything in theorfice not even a tooth pick. You can clean the ignitor by using steel wool. The adjust a s discribed above.

 

[cwsoules]

I am worried about bugs getting into my hot water hot heater. When I have not used my heater with gas in a while, I light it off and then open the trailer door and check for smoke comming out of the vent. So far no smoke.

 

[JMetzger]

I would go with the air shutter also, but you might want to check the LP pressure. Sometimes the main regulator can cause a problem.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I've found that carburator cleaner (not brake cleaner) does a good job of breaking down the carbon in orfices with out taking a chance of damaging them by sticking something through them.

 

[wtfd6]

hello all. i have soot coming from mine also. i replaced the whole assembly since it was rusted out. the ignitor had a heck of a time keeping the flame lit. not to hijack the thread or anything, can anyone help me? even after cleaning mine out and replacing the "burner", i only get a few seconds of warm water. then it goes cold. the bypass valve is closed and im getting ready to just buy a new water heater. but if someone has some input on this i would rather just fix my existing one. my rv is an 87. it has a 10 gallon, electronic ignition heater. I just thought i would ask you guys this since you were already talking water heaters. if not I will check for other threads on this topic. thanks in advance!


mark

 

[wtfd6]

my heater doesnt have a pilot light. it has an electronic ignition. the flame stays on. if I open the relief valve toward the top of the heater the water is hot. I mean damn hot. i just dont understand why it wont keep putting out hot water. at first I was thinking air pocket or something since I winterized by compressed air blowing all the water out. but I even backflushed the water heater through my washer/dryer connections. thanks for the thoughts.

mark

 

[B.G. Smith]

my heater doesnt have a pilot light. it has an electronic ignition. the flame stays on. if I open the relief valve toward the top of the heater the water is hot. I mean damn hot. i just dont understand why it wont keep putting out hot water. at first I was thinking air pocket or something since I winterized by compressed air blowing all the water out. but I even backflushed the water heater through my washer/dryer connections. thanks for the thoughts.



mark

Oops, I just went out and looked at mine, no pilot and no thermocouple either, gotta be some sort of safety to keep the main flame from staying on it it is not burning?? I will get the manual out and see if I can find what's going on. bg

 

[BigFun]

Spiders have a strong attraction to propane. They will nest in the gas path every chance they get. Might want to look in your main burner tube for an obstruction.

BF

 

[B.G. Smith]

my heater doesnt have a pilot light. it has an electronic ignition. the flame stays on. if I open the relief valve toward the top of the heater the water is hot. I mean damn hot. i just dont understand why it wont keep putting out hot water. at first I was thinking air pocket or something since I winterized by compressed air blowing all the water out. but I even backflushed the water heater through my washer/dryer connections. thanks for the thoughts.



mark

Ok, I got the installation manual out, not a lot of help. The wire from the from the control board goes through a hi-limit switch and a thermostat before it gets to the gas valve. The hi-limit is 180 deg. and is manual reset. Doesn't say if the thermostat is fixed or adjustable. Sounds like the thermostat is not reacting when the water starts to cool. bg