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Water heater sooting

kcopp
kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
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: 24,878
    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: 11,279
    edited December 2020
    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: 3,600
    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
    Is it an LP water heater?
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,472
    edited December 2020
    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: 2,855
    why is that lint screen all corroded away in that middle picture ?
    known to beat dead horses
    seattlepioneerkcopp
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,317
    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 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    realliveplumber
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,412
    NG burner running on LP?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,501
    Maybe they (the factory) marked the heater wrong. LP versus NG or vise versa
    kcopp
  • seattlepioneer
    seattlepioneer Member Posts: 6
    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: 4,472
    edited December 2020
    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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