TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDELINES
These guidelines should be used by a qualified service agent. Call Sears Service at
Problem | Cause | Solution | |
| Improperly sealed, hot or cold supply connection, | Tighten threaded connections. | |
WATER | relief valve, drain valve, or thermostat threads. | ||
| |||
LEAKS | Leakage from other appliances or water lines. | Inspect other appliances near water heater. | |
| Condensation of flue products. | Refer to CONDENSATION. | |
LEAKING | Thermal expansion in closed water system. | Install thermal expansion tank (DO NOT plug T&P valve). | |
| Check relief valve for proper operation (DO NOT plug | ||
T&P VALVE | Improperly sealed valve. | ||
T&P valve). | |||
|
| ||
SMELLY ODORS | High sulfate or mineral content in water supply. | Drain and flush heater thoroughly, then refill. | |
Bacteria in water supply. | Chlorinate or aerate water supply. | ||
| |||
| Gas control knob not positioned correctly. | Refer to LIGHTING INSTRUCTIONS. | |
| Main gas supply off. | Turn on main gas | |
| Igniter tip more than 1/8” from pilot hood. | Adjust igniter tip. | |
| Thermocouple malfunction. | Replace pilot assembly. | |
| Thermocouple TCO malfunction. | Replace pilot assembly. | |
PILOT WILL | Melted insulation on igniter wire or shorting of | Contact Sears Service to determine cause. | |
NOT LIGHT | igniter wire. | ||
| |||
| High ambient room temperature. | Contact Sears Service to determine cause. | |
| Wire disconnected from spark igniter. | Reconnect wire connector to spark igniter. | |
| Broken electrode or electrical wire. | Replace pilot assembly. | |
| Piezo Igniter generator fails to operate or | Replace Piezo Igniter generator. | |
| malfunctions. | ||
|
| ||
| Thermocouple TCO malfunction. | Replace pilot assembly. | |
BURNER WILL | High ambient room temperature. | Contact Sears Service to determine cause. | |
Dirty or clogged air intake screen. | Clean and reinstall air intake screen. | ||
NOT STAY LIT | |||
Flame arrestor openings blocked. | Contact Sears Service to determine cause. | ||
| |||
| Defective Gas Control. | Replace Gas Control. | |
| Dirty pilot burner. | Clean pilot assembly. | |
| Dirty or clogged air intake screen. | Clean and reinstall air intake screen. | |
PILOT OUTAGE | Thermocouple tip is not in contact with pilot flame. | Insert thermocouple correctly. | |
Thermocouple malfunction. | Replace pilot assembly. | ||
| |||
| Thermocouple TCO malfunction. | Replace pilot assembly. | |
| Defective Gas Control. | Replace Gas Control. | |
| Heater not lit or thermostat not on. | Refer to LIGHTING INSTRUCTIONS. | |
| Thermostat set too low. | Refer to TEMPERATURE REGULATION. | |
NOT ENOUGH | Heater undersized. | Reduce hot water use. | |
Low gas pressure. | Contact your gas supplier. | ||
HOT WATER | |||
Incoming water is unusually cold. | Allow more time for your heater to | ||
| |||
| Leaking hot water pipes or fixtures. | Have plumber check and repair leaks. | |
| High temperature limit switch activated. | Contact Sears Service to determine cause. | |
WATER TOO HOT | Thermostat set too high. | Refer to TEMPERATURE REGULATION. | |
WATER HEATER SOUNDS | Condensation dripping on burner. | Refer to CONDENSATION. | |
SIZZLING - RUMBLING | Sediment or calcium in bottom of heater tank. | Clean sediment from tank. Refer to DRAINING | |
instructions in Maintenance section of manual. | |||
|
| ||
SOOTING | Improper combustion. | No adjustment available. Contact Sears Service to | |
determine cause. | |||
|
| ||
| Lack of supply air. |
| |
VENT GAS ODORS | Improperly installed vent piping. | Contact Sears Service to determine cause. | |
Downdraft. | |||
|
| ||
| Poor combustion. |
|
29
