Hot Water heater will ignite but no hot water

gmcc · 07-31-2016, 04:56 PM

Atwood hot water heater - The Hot Water Heater will ignite but still no hot water. Assuming the propane is turning off too quickly... where to troubleshoot?

I may have over heated something when I thought I had water flowing through it but didn't.

**JohnB** · 07-31-2016, 05:32 PM

Hi,

Some of these may sound like simple questions but not knowing where you started with this and the last time hot water worked, we need to ask:

Question 1. Does any water come out of the faucets when the hot faucet only is turned on? This means we have water at least, just no hot water yet maybe.

Question 2. Are you sure the winter bypass on the back of the heater is still not in the winter position? We do not know if this is the first time this year you fired up the heater or you used it all summer and then just died.

Question 3. When the heater has water in it, and the gas burner is running, how long does it burn before the flame shuts off? Normally it takes approx 15 to 20 minutes to heat 6 gallons of all cold water and the burner should run non stop until it is all heated. If it does run this long and no water comes out the sinks, OK that is a different problem but we need to know the burn time.

Question 4. When did all this start? Was it working a day ago, a week ago, or this is the first time you tried it this season?

Need some more back ground on how the problem came to be so we can help give better places to look.

Hope this helps

John

gmcc · 07-31-2016, 05:38 PM

Updated very low flow out of hot water heater. So I think the hot water heater check valve is partially clogged but I am getting hot water... just need to flush or replace the hot water check valve.

gmcc · 07-31-2016, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi,

Some of these may sound like simple questions but not knowing where you started with this and the last time hot water worked, we need to ask:

Question 1. Does any water come out of the faucets when the hot faucet only is turned on? This means we have water at least, just no hot water yet maybe. luke warm but it is very hot where I am. Myrtle Beach, SC

Question 2. Are you sure the winter bypass on the back of the heater is still not in the winter position? We do not know if this is the first time this year you fired up the heater or you used it all summer and then just died.

Thought it was in the correct position but it was not.

Question 3. When the heater has water in it, and the gas burner is running, how long does it burn before the flame shuts off? Normally it takes approx 15 to 20 minutes to heat 6 gallons of all cold water and the burner should run non stop until it is all heated. If it does run this long and no water comes out the sinks, OK that is a different problem but we need to know the burn time. It was only running for a short period...

Question 4. When did all this start? Was it working a day ago, a week ago, or this is the first time you tried it this season?

Need some more back ground on how the problem came to be so we can help give better places to look.

Hope this helps

John

So the bypass was in the wrong position but I am still not getting a lot of flow of hot water but the it is hot and the cold flow is fine. So I am going to troubleshoot the check on the hot water heater.

John Thank you for the quick post and detailed questions. It is much appreciated to have a 2nd head thinking through the problem!

Thanks again!

**JohnB** · 07-31-2016, 10:18 PM

Yes, check the discharge check valve. After draining down the HT heater and cooling it down, unhook the discharge line and poke the check valve. They get stuck with minerals crud'ing them up

**JohnB** · 07-31-2016, 10:30 PM

Once you get the water flowing, we can work on getting the heater to run longer. The T stat may have issues shutting down early. OR the high limit on the gas valve is cutting out. For the gas operation, both thermal disk switches are behind the foam cover piece.

Yours is about 1 - 2 years older but this should be close. The ECO shuts down the gas valve when way too hot and the T stat is what is suppose to shut it down. They twist in place behind the foam cover.

You really need to get the water flowing through it right first, then hone in on the lack of operation. It might be hot enough. Be careful, it can be 140F or hotter.

Good luck

John