Water Heaters - Power Vent failed
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Dfree5
12-07-05, 11:08 AM
I have a Bradford White power vented heater. Pilot light lights, burner burns for a few minutes and I hear a "click" in the vent area on top of the heater, and immediately, the burner and pilot go out. I relight the pilot and burner, then a few minutes later the vent fan kicks in and everything is fine for a couple of hours. The next morning the pilot light is out again.
I replaced the thermocouple already, but this seems like an electrical problem in the power vent. Any ideas?
I replaced the thermocouple already, but this seems like an electrical problem in the power vent. Any ideas?
DUNBAR PLUMBER
12-09-05, 04:25 PM
Nope, sounds like a faulty sensor. Sounds like it is doing exactly what it is supposed to do to prevent the heater from operating when something is wrong.
There are 2 approaches to this situation: You can attempt to try to fix this heater by troubleshooting and ruling out what is working by using BW's website troubleshooting PDF's.........and hope you get the right part to fix the problem.
The second approach is to contact the local plumbing supply house that sells BW's, ask for the name and number of the authorized reps in the area that handle the warranty work on them. They will come out and troubleshoot your unit whether it is under warranty or not; if it is a major expense to fix it, I would weigh the cost against a new install to have the insurance of the implied warranty of a new water heater.
That way you are only out the expense of the cost of the tech to come out and correctly diagnose the problem, giving you options which way to go from there. Sometimes they are cheap like $100 out the door, and then they can be quite expensive with no guarantee after the tech leaves that something else may or may not go wrong with it. It seems pestimistic to think that way, but the reality disproves that it can and will happen.
There are 2 approaches to this situation: You can attempt to try to fix this heater by troubleshooting and ruling out what is working by using BW's website troubleshooting PDF's.........and hope you get the right part to fix the problem.
The second approach is to contact the local plumbing supply house that sells BW's, ask for the name and number of the authorized reps in the area that handle the warranty work on them. They will come out and troubleshoot your unit whether it is under warranty or not; if it is a major expense to fix it, I would weigh the cost against a new install to have the insurance of the implied warranty of a new water heater.
That way you are only out the expense of the cost of the tech to come out and correctly diagnose the problem, giving you options which way to go from there. Sometimes they are cheap like $100 out the door, and then they can be quite expensive with no guarantee after the tech leaves that something else may or may not go wrong with it. It seems pestimistic to think that way, but the reality disproves that it can and will happen.
vucat80
12-11-05, 09:42 AM
I have Bradford White and had similar problem a few years ago. On the exhaust system there is a rubber gasket sealing the exhaust unit. On mine, the gasket was glued incorrectly and came loose. The unit thought the system was not venting so it never heated up.
Went to plumbing supply and they replaced part for free and said they would contact Bradford White for $$.
I fixed it myself..after paying plumber $200 who couldn't find /solve the problem...good luck
Went to plumbing supply and they replaced part for free and said they would contact Bradford White for $$.
I fixed it myself..after paying plumber $200 who couldn't find /solve the problem...good luck
DUNBAR PLUMBER
12-11-05, 11:58 AM
after paying plumber $200 who couldn't find /solve the problem...good luck
This is the very reason I did not mention hiring a plumber. Plumbers for the most part farm out this type of work due to the complexity of the system they are dealing with. They are relatively simple to install as opposed to troubleshooting and executing a repair that goes directly to the source of the problem.
Authorized reps who work on these units 5 to 10 times a day are the ones who know their product, know the symptoms when they present themselves.
I refuse to go and troubleshoot a powervent for the reason that the customer wants it fixed, not second guessed while throwing money into something that isn't fixing the core problem.
This is the very reason I did not mention hiring a plumber. Plumbers for the most part farm out this type of work due to the complexity of the system they are dealing with. They are relatively simple to install as opposed to troubleshooting and executing a repair that goes directly to the source of the problem.
Authorized reps who work on these units 5 to 10 times a day are the ones who know their product, know the symptoms when they present themselves.
I refuse to go and troubleshoot a powervent for the reason that the customer wants it fixed, not second guessed while throwing money into something that isn't fixing the core problem.