Need Propane Hot Water Heater Help

harrisjnet · #1 11/25/06, 05:33 PM

I have a propane hot water heater. The Wednsday my DH smelled an saw what we thought was smoke. It turned out to be the hot water heater. We reroofed the house this spring and had knocked the vent pipe off the top about half way. We thought this was where the smell and smoke was coming from. We had our Thanksgiving today. We were cooking when our hot water supply quit. My DH has relit it two or three times. The pilot lights then the burner will kick in. It acts like it isn't drawing air or getting too much gas. It has sooty streaks up the side now that was not there Wednsday. Does this sound like a stopped up vent? Or maybe a thermocoupler? Any Help will be appreciated. I really don't want to shell out $300.00 for a new one.

mtman · #2 11/25/06, 05:56 PM

if it stays running its not the coupler try lighting a match hold it at the bottom of the vent pipe where it connects to the water heater see if the flame is drawing up the vent pipe
if it does not your not getting good vent

harrisjnet · #3 11/25/06, 07:02 PM

Thanks MtMan. I will check it out first thing tomorrow. I canhold a cigarette up close to the vent pipe and the smoke is being drawn up the pipe. I can light the heater and the piolet will stay just fine. When it kicks on, it is ok for a few seconds then the flames start coming out the side. It is like the waterheater itself is stopped up. How would you clean the inside for ventilation?

mtman · #4 11/25/06, 07:45 PM

i dont understand the flame is comming out the side ware from the front where you light it

harrisjnet · #5 11/25/06, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtman

i dont understand the flame is comming out the side ware from the front where you light it

There is a door to light the pilot on the side bottom of the tank. There are little doors to shut this part. My flames are coming out around the little door. It is almost like it is getting too much gas or not venting up through the tank itself.

Edited to ad. I may have figured it out. From what I am finding online, I think My closet doesn't have enough ventilation causing incomplete combustion resulting in a whole bunch of soot. I will need to clean my vent pipe. Pull the baffel out of the center of my heater and clean the flue. I also need to take my burner out and blow it out with a compresser. I will climb on the roof tomorrow and check my vent cap. It could be obstructed by a birdnest or something. Once I get it all cleaned and see that it is working properly, I will need to put a vent in the wall for the water heater to get more oxygen. Some models will also have a filter around the bottom of the heater that can become foulded and obstruct air flow. I will let you know what I figure out.

mtman · #6 11/26/06, 04:35 AM

i understand now i built a closet to hold my water heater but i put louver door on it thats very inportant it must breath the black you are seeing is gas soot

harrisjnet · #7 11/26/06, 06:22 PM

Lots of soot. LOL
We pulled the baffel out and took out the burner. Shop vaced the whole thing and found a mouse nest under the tank and quite a bit of lent. We cleaned out the vent pipe and the heater is now working like new. It had a beautiful even flame. I placed a paper towel ove the vent while the heater was going, it came away clean. So I am getting better combustion and not having the soot problem. It was a pain in the neck job, but well worth the $300.00 plus to replace it. I will have it on my calendar from now on to check and clean around and under the water heater at least every six months. I think the mice had some plastic on my burners a time or two. That was not a good thing. LOL I am just glad we found it when we did. That was a house fire looking for a place to happen. It made me really check my tank and controls to. I would say this heater may out live me.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 11/26/06, 06:29 PM

Don't you love it when you fix it yourself? GOOD JOB!!!! :baby04:

harrisjnet · #9 11/26/06, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rose

Don't you love it when you fix it yourself? GOOD JOB!!!! :baby04:

Dismanteling a water heater is one of the few things I haven't gotten into before.

But Yes, It really does make you feel good to do it yourself. DH and I have been married 27 yrs. We have never called a repairman for anything. No telling how much money we have saved by doing it ourselves. We know what kind of workmanship goes into our projects to.