Kenmore 153.335916 Troubleshooting Guide contd, Condensation, Smoke/Odor, Smelly Water

Troubleshooting Guide (cont'd)

CONDENSATION

Whenever the water heater is filled with cold water, a certain

amount of condensation will fornt while the burner is on. A

water heater may appear to he leakingwhen in fact the water is

condensation. This usually happens when:

•When a new water heater is filled with cold water for the first time.

•When gas burns and water vapor isproduced in water heaters, particularly high efficiency models where flue tem- peratures are lower.

•When you use large amounts of hot water in a short time and the refill water is very cold.

Moisture from the products of combustion condense on the cooler tank surfaces and form drops of water which may fall

onto the burner or other hot surfaces to produce a "sizzling" or "frying" noise.

Excessive condensation can cause pilot outage due to water run- ning down the flue tube onto the main burner and putting out

SMOKE/ODOR

It is not uncommon to experience a small amount of smoke and odor during the initial start-up. This is due to burning off of oil from metal parts, and will disappear in a short while.

Operational Conditions

SMELLY WATER

In each glasslined water heater there is installed at least one

anode rod (see parts section) for corrosion protection of the tank. Certain water conditions will cause a reaction between this

rod and the water. The most common complaint associated with the anode rod's one of a "rotten egg smell '. This odor is derived from hydrogen sulfide gas dissolved in the water. The smell is the result of four factors which must all be present for the odor to develop:

the pilot.

Because of the suddenness and amount of water, condensation water may be diagnosed as a "tank leak". After the water in the tank warms up (about 1-2hours), the condition should disap- pear.

Do not assume the water heater is leaking until there has been enough time for the water in the tank to warm up.

An undersized water heater will cause more condensation. The water heater must be sized properly to meet the family's demands

for hot water including dishwashers, washing machines and shower heads.

Excessive condensation may be noticed during the winter and

early spring months when incoming water temperatures are at their lowest.

Good venting is essential for a gas fired water heater to operate

properly as well as to carry away products of combustion and

water vapor.

_,WARNING

HOTTER WATER CAN SCALD:Water heatersareintendedto

iroduce hot water. Water heatedto a temperature whichwill satisfyclotheswashing,dishwashing,and other sanitizingneeds

can scaldand permanentlyinjureyou uponcontact.Some peo- pleare more likelyto be permanentlyinjuredbyhot water than other*-Theseincludetheelderly,children,theinfirm,or physical- lyy/mentallyhandicappedIf. anyoneusinghot waterin your home fitsintoone ofthesegroupsor if there isa localcodeor statelaw requiringa certaintemperaturewater at the hotwater tap,then mu musttake specialprecautionsIn. additionto usingthe lowest _ossibletemperaturesettingthat satisfiesyour hot water needs, a meanssuchasa mixingvalve,shouldbe usedat the hot water tapsusedby thesepeopleor at the water heater.Mixingvalves

areavailableat plumbingsupplyor hardwarestores.Followman- ufacturers instructionsfor installation of the valves.Before

changingthe factory setting on the thermostat, read the 'q'emporatureRegulation"sectionin this manual.

a.a concentration of sulfate in the supply water.

b.little or no dissolved oxygen in the water.

c.a sulfate reducing bacteria within the water heater. (This harmless bacteria is non-toxic to humans.)

d.an excess of active hydrogen in the tank. This is caused by the corrosion protective action of the anode.

Smelly water may be eliminated or reduced in some water heater

models by replacing the anode(s) with one of less active material,

and then chlorinating the water heater tank and all hot water

lines. Contact Sears Service for further information concerning

an Anode Replacement Kit #9001453 and this Chlorination Treatment.

If the smelly water persists after the anode replacement and chlo- rination treatment, we can only suggest that continuous chlori-

nation and filtering conditioning equipment be considered to eliminate the water problem.

Do not remove the anode leaving the tank unprotected. By doing so, all warranty on the water heater tank is voided.

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