Rinnai R85e blew fuses and is now dead

nibs

Rinnai is very frustrating when it comes to talking to owners. Have had two rather simple issues and both times getting any help was like pulling teeth.

pecmsg

nibs said:

Rinnai is very frustrating when it comes to talking to owners. Have had two rather simple issues and both times getting any help was like pulling teeth.

Factory Tech Support need you to be there Eyes and Ears, homeowners do not have the training or tools to do that.

Using terms like Fine, Good, Within Range just doesn't cut it!

ChrisJ

pecmsg said:

nibs said:

Rinnai is very frustrating when it comes to talking to owners. Have had two rather simple issues and both times getting any help was like pulling teeth.

Factory Tech Support need you to be there Eyes and Ears, homeowners do not have the training or tools to do that.

Using terms like Fine, Good, Within Range just doesn't cut it!

Some do, maybe even more than most techs......
You can generally tell right away when someone knows what they're doing or not. Unfortunately tech support for these companies flat out won't talk to people, just because.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

nibs said:

Rinnai is very frustrating when it comes to talking to owners. Have had two rather simple issues and both times getting any help was like pulling teeth.

Troubleshooting with a homeowner can be dangerous. What is a simple task from one tech. to another can take on caustic proportions never thought possible.

rick in Alaska

One of the reasons I have been staying with Rinnai is because of their support. I can get on the phone with them, usually pretty quickly, and they will stay with me until the problem is solved. And I don't know if they still do it or not, because I haven't had the need, but the last time I did a warranty call I actually got paid for my time. Nobody has ever down that.
Tech support is also why I stay with Lochinvar. I am not sure if they pay for warranty work as I just have not needed to.
Rick

Jamie Hall

There is also a liability issue, unfortunately. If a company tech. support person helps a non-qualified individual (whether it be a homeowner or a tech. or whomever) and said individual misunderstands the answer, misapplies, or does something clever in addition and something evil happens, it's not unheard of for the next call to be from a lawyer.

Johndee

This is June 2022. Im making this post to help someone else fix this transformer problem on a Rinnai tankless heater. I just went thru this myself and want to share what I did.

My transformer was part # ET-281, no longer available from anyone. It had 120 VAC going into it, nothing coming out. Some research later, I realized the unit is made in Japan that uses 100 vac instead of our 120 Vac. That is the only purpose of the transformer, reducing USA 120 volts to Japan 100 volts. The factory transformer had two molded plugs on the leads, so I cut them off the factory transformer and wire nutted the leads together in effect bypassing the factory transformer.

Next, I bought a VCT brand travel transformer on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PC4JL4?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

to power up the entire water heater externally. By using a simple 3 prong to 2 prong plug adapter, I was able to simply plug the tankless heater into the “Japan” side of the travel transformer to run it on the proper 100 volt power supply.

This heater didn’t work for six weeks while plumbers came to replace the circuit card and servo valve. Neither of those were ever bad, it was simply a bad transformer all along.

Shame on Rinnai for discontinuing this transformer as a repair part.

109A_5

If you just need the transformer, or if you need a transformer to continue the troubleshooting. If you can do this type of work this may be a reasonable substitute transformer. I do not know the VA rating of the original transformer, close physical size may be a clue. If the replacement is a bit bigger, not a problem (as long as it fits where it needs to fit). The connectors and wires would have to be transferred, one at a time, don't mix them up.

Hammond Manufacturing
Manufacturer Product Number 166G100
Description PWR XFMR LAMINATED 50VA CHAS MT
Voltage - Primary 115V
Voltage - Secondary (Full Load) 100V
Size / Dimension 93.73mm L x 54.10mm W
Height - Seated (Max) 58.67mm

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/hammond-manufacturing/166G100/455170
or
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Hammond-Manufacturing/166G100?qs=atHKiefXm7SRpqo30qeT4g==

109A_5

Johndee said:

This heater didn’t work for six weeks while plumbers came to replace the circuit card and servo valve. Neither of those were ever bad, it was simply a bad transformer all along.

@Johndee, I'm saddened to keep hearing stories like yours. By the way apparently the plumbers violated one of the most simple rules of troubleshooting, Verify the Power Supply (and / or energy supply (Fuel)) or in this case verify the power chain, which is usually easy and fast to test and gives direction, but if you don't your are just wasting time and probably someones money. Like in your case.