Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Ruud Water Heater Repeated Gas Valve Failure or Wider Problem?

chriswar
chriswar Member Posts: 3
in Plumbing
I have an approximately 8 month old Ruud PROG40 38N RU62 water heater. This replaced a 10 year old water heater that could not maintain water temperature. It worked great for about 6-7 months, then stopped being able to maintain hot water temperature. Plumber replaced gas valve, which includes basically all replaceable parts, including thermostat. Heater then still could not maintain hot water temperature, on A setting (130 degrees) water temp was 110. Plumber again replaced gas valve, immediately after replacement A setting was 130, but next day, no hot water at all. As this point I am trying to figure out if (1) Ruud gas valves are uniformly defective, (2) some other problem exists in the Ruud heater outside the gas valve or (3) outside conditions, like the water or water line or gas or gas line are causing the problem. We had our gas line changed from low pressure to intermediate pressure in the past year, for example. Everyone is mystified any suggestions?
joanngiles

Comments

  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 4,243
    VERY interesting and unusual! I haven't a clue.
    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
  • TomS
    TomS Member Posts: 66
    If you see a good flame and still no hot water I would check the dip tube. This brings the cold water to the lower section of the tank. I would not expect it to go bad after a few months but maybe it is defective somehow.
    chriswar
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,310
    With your rework of gas pressures, did anyone check the gas pressure at the gas valve itself?
    mattmia2GGrosschriswar
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,145
    JUGHNE said:

    With your rework of gas pressures, did anyone check the gas pressure at the gas valve itself?

    or for that matter, did anyone that was a gas tech look at this thing or did a plumber just keep changing parts?
    chriswar
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,636
    Hi, Thermostats can fail if buried in sediment, but it's rare. If you had softened water and an aluminum anode in the tank it could cause this sort of problem. If the hot and cold lines were reversed, that could cause trouble as well, but it might not show up until there was more hot water use. Sometimes the dip tube is missing. All that said, I'd ask Ruud directly if there have been problems with their gas valves.

    Yours, Larry
    chriswarIntplm.
  • chriswar
    chriswar Member Posts: 3
    Thanks! Looking at the heater it looks like the pilot is out. Which obviously is the immediate source of no hot water, but this is a one day old gas valve!
  • chriswar
    chriswar Member Posts: 3
    I think the gas pressure comments are well taken, this is definitely going to be looked into.
  • GGross
    GGross Member Posts: 1,365
    @chriswar
    I may be pretty cynical in general. I usually just assume when someone tells me "the gas pressure is fine" or some variation thereof, that they did not check the gas pressure. They should be able to give you an exact number, and show you that it falls within the specified range.
    chriswarmattmia2
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 25,262
    Generally speaking, if you replace a component twice and still have problems, it's not the component. Unless your supplier gets their parts at Midnight Discount...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    chriswarGGross
  • jhewings
    jhewings Member Posts: 139
    I had a an issue with an atmospheric water heater in which the pilot went out several times. I also threw parts at it which did not fix it. I believe what fixed it was tightening the connection of the flue to the chimney and tightening the chimney clean out door. I'm not an HVAC pro and this is just one heater in one building. Just sayin'
    chriswar
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,310
    Did the gas company upgrade the pressure on their side of the meter or on your side of the meter.

    If on their side only then their regulator may not be delivering enough consistent pressure.

    Pilot outages are often a possible sign of low delivery pressure.

    If your side of the meter/regulator was upgraded then you might have a new regulator at each appliance.

    It takes maybe 10 minutes to check the pressure at the gas valve......if you have the right tool......
    chriswar
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 11,145
    JUGHNE said:



    It takes maybe 10 minutes to check the pressure at the gas valve......if you have the right tool......

    Or a hose barb fitting and a piece of plastic tubing
    GGross
  • joanngiles
    joanngiles Member Posts: 1
    Same problem with my 50 gal RUDD water heater. After 10 months, no hot water. The heater repair guy replaced the gas regulater, but the gas flame still wouldn't stay lit.  He also said gas has been leaking "for awhile"....yikes!
    They're getting me a new water heater today,  but I don't want a RUDD again.

Categories