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A.O.Smith BTH500A 300

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Grallert
Grallert Posts: 1,198
in Plumbing

I hesitated to post this but I wonder if there is anyone with the same issue. We have a dorm building that occupies about 20 kids and two resident apartments. Commissioned 2017. Some time in 2020 the water heater failed. A combustion chamber leaked flooding the flame.

On the 9th of October the new one failed. Had a couple service companies out who diagnosed an igniter. I got one but no go. I was suspicious and pulled the burner assembly and found a flooded chamber again.

IMG_3298.jpeg

If you look closely you can see the fine stream of water jetting across the chamber. I don't know if any of you have have 25 teenagers side eyeing you but something had to be done in the short term so I drove a Sheetmetal screw into the hole and stopped the leak and I also pumped out the chamber. It's working now. I'll have the water checked but none of the other water heaters on campus are having issues. We are sort of locked into this heater due to the size and plumbing arrangement.

I guess I'm just wondering if this is not that unusual or has this been an issue for anyone else.

Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse teacher, dog walker and designated driver

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  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Posts: 4,199

    Hi, I'd like to know more about the conditions this heater lives in. What pressures does it see? Is there much of a range? How heavy is the usage? Is there anything about the combustion air that's different, like chemicals stored nearby? Have you had opportunity to pull anodes to see their condition? Have there been any blue glass flakes in the sediment?

    With this info we can close in on possible problems.

    Yours, Larry

    GGross

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