[Shop-talk] Power-vented water heater kicks out.

[Arvid Jedlicka]

Phil,

Doesn't that imply that it runs better when the gas is going the wrong way in
the vent? By that I mean that if you suck enough air out of the house that air
comes in the vent ... or at least does not go out as fast as it should ...
then the pressure in the vent is low enough to keep it on.

Or maybe I do not understand what is going on.

Arvid

On Sep 13, 2013, at 4:34 PM, pethier at comcast.net wrote:

> We have a newish gas water heater with a power vent.  We built the vent line
out of Schedule 40 and minded the length and number of bends shown in the docs
that came with it.
>
> Worked fine for a couple of months, then started kicking off.  Gave a 6-2
code which implies venting was inadequate.
>
> Took it apart and found a diaphragm switch which measures vacuum on the
upstream side of the vent blower.  Tech support says that the switch is
supposed to trigger at 3/4-inch of water.  Switch tests fine by mouth test,
but a human can pull several inches of water.
>
> Measured vacuum at 7/8-inch of water.  This says the switch is bad, so I
asked them to send me a new one.  Went to Door County and Road America for a
week.  Came back to find a large parcel.  They sent me the whole darn blower
assembly.
>
> I installed the whole assembly and the same thing still happens.  Get this:
It runs OK if all the house windows are closed and either the exhaust fan in
the basement or the clothes dryer is running.
>
> Can I get an auxiliary fan that goes in-line in a Schedule 40 vent line?
>
> Phil Ethier West Side Saint Paul Minnesota USA
> 1973 Triumph Stag LE22439UBW "uncle jack", Sapphire Blue
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> pethier at comcast.net
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