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Water heater sooting

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kcopp
kcopp Member Posts: 4,432
in Gas Heating
18 month ol WH Install. LP Gas. Natural draft. Unit shut down... fortunately. What are some reasons for this sooting???



Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,317
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    What were the combustion test results? The only way I can think of to get that catastrophe is the air/fuel ratio being way off.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,062
    edited December 2020
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    Burning on the bottom side of the burner? (leaking gas)
    Gas valve not shutting off 100%?
    Low gas pressure?
    Air inlet screen/grid plugged?
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,302
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    Hi, It could be something is interfering with air flow, either out or in. Also, you’ll want to clean the flue baffle of all the soot it’s collecred B)

    Yours, Larry
  • realliveplumber
    realliveplumber Member Posts: 354
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    Is it an LP water heater?
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,432
    edited December 2020
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    Unit does not work now....So I cant test combustion. Yes propane.
    Plenty of air flow. Sits up on bricks...no blockages.
    Vent up top looks clean.
    I not even sure I want to clean up... I think it would need a whole new burner and pilot assembly.
  • neilc
    neilc Member Posts: 2,703
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    why is that lint screen all corroded away in that middle picture ?
    known to beat dead horses
    seattlepioneerkcopp
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,697
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    I think what @realliveplumber meant is. Is the heater actually made for LPG.    We understand it's running on it.

    What I do know is I don't want that in my house.  For LP and NG to soot something is really really wrong.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    realliveplumber
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,157
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    NG burner running on LP?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,534
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    Maybe they (the factory) marked the heater wrong. LP versus NG or vise versa
    kcopp
  • seattlepioneer
    seattlepioneer Member Posts: 6
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    neilc said:

    why is that lint screen all corroded away in that middle picture ?

    I agree that is a VERY good question.

    In my view, the most likely reason for this sooting condition is that the combustion air going into the burner compartment has been obstructed.

  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,432
    edited December 2020
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    All good questions...
    The screen looked melted.
    The heater is labeled for LP gas.
    Would an undersized gas line cause this?

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