# Water heater B$



## Changes HI (Sep 19, 2004)

Ok so my G/f's Mothers Water heater went last night. 
No biggie right? Home Depot... $350 later drop in a new water heater right?
O HELL NO!
Well typical size issues aside i get the plumbing crap done about 3 hrs ago (water and Gas).
Open the cold water supply...... open the faucets..... WHOOSH.. Good thing...
Alrighty we got water flowing must be full right? Right....
Okie... open gas line... soap em up check for leaks... no bubbles.... leak test passes. 
move the stupid dial thing to pilot push down button hit the igniter WOO HOO we got soem fire.. let finger off ... woohoo it stays on. move stupid dial thingy to on... still got pilot... damn this is almost too easy! 
turn thermostat to about 110 deg. burner kicks on.... YAY! bout 10 secs later a loud click from the control vavle and no more fire... CRAP! 
So i try the whole lite pilot turn dial crap.. same thing.

So I started thinking plumbing (my uncle was a res. plumber when i was a kid and I helped him a bit) so after some deliberation I thoguht maybe cause i made the gas line a bit longer i lost pressure? So I re-plumbed the gas line from the T (it's sbout 5ft from the unit) P.S. I used all 1/2" Black pipe, New manual valve, and a sediment trap which wasn't on the old unit (see my uncle taught me sumthin!  ). Still same CRAP! :evil: 
Ok so I'm thinking the exhaust wasn't venting correctly maybe due to a higher pitch on teh exhaust.... so i found some old tin and started making some new exhaust.. well after about 1/2 hr of cutting/bending/rolling (really wish HD woulda been open at 2 am!) Nadda!

So anyone got any OTHER IDEAS? It's a 40 gallon short Gas GE Home Depot 9 year warranty unit (seems to be actually man. by Rheem tho) it replaced a AO smith unit Circa 1993 or so (she doesn't remember).

Holy COW that was a long post! Almost like some of Grumpy's posts! HAHA! J/K Grumpy! :Thumbs: 

So ANY help is appreciated.

Oh P.S. Do these new control valves need a higher gas pressure/volume than the older ones? the Gas main is a 1" at the wall with a 1"-3/4"-1/2" T on it. 3/4" goes to the HVAC and 1/2" was run to the water heater which I figured was fine. There's only about 5-6' of pipe from the reducer to the unit. Should I re-pipe with 3/4" to the unit then reduce to 1/2" at the valve?

As If you can't tell this is REALLY annoying me! 

and if you don't wanna type a long-winded reply... pm me and I'll give you my Phone # ... i REALLY want this working (plus if the G/F wakes up and theres no Hot water... i'm gonna be in Hot water!  )


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## Bjd (Dec 19, 2003)

Changes;
Thermocouple? must be junk or it could be the gas valve.

Bernie


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## Changes HI (Sep 19, 2004)

Bjd said:


> Changes;
> Thermocouple? must be junk or it could be the gas valve.
> 
> Bernie


Straight outta the box? I mean I guess it's possible. I'm gonna call the service line now.


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## Changes HI (Sep 19, 2004)

Changes HI said:


> Straight outta the box? I mean I guess it's possible. I'm gonna call the service line now.


Gotta LOVE Long hold times!


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## Changes HI (Sep 19, 2004)

And now calling gas company..... :evil:


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

That short of a new gas line shouldn't have any effect on your gas pressure unless you were already in a state of just about starving the old heater, which I doubt because you would have had problems before now.

I know this sounds simple, but you are purging out the gas line right? You are letting all the air out of the line before you are lighting the pilot light?


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## Changes HI (Sep 19, 2004)

Mike Finley said:


> That short of a new gas line shouldn't have any effect on your gas pressure unless you were already in a state of just about starving the old heater, which I doubt because you would have had problems before now.
> 
> I know this sounds simple, but you are purging out the gas line right? You are letting all the air out of the line before you are lighting the pilot light?


Yea i did that... But anywho ... ended it with teh dumbass before the gas company came there to check it out. So it's HER problem now. See what happens when you try to do nice things for people? they get MEAN and yell at you! Whatever... I'm just bitter now. Thanks for all the help ppl! :Thumbs:


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