"Froubleshooting Guide
CONDENSATION
Whenever the water heater is filled with cold water, a certain
amount of condensation wil! form while the burner is on. A water heater may appear to be leaking when 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 is produced in water heaters, particularly high efficiency models where flue tem-
peratures ate 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 fbrm 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 our the pilot.
Because o£ the suddenness and amount of water, condensation
water may be diagnosed as a "tank leak". After the water in the tank warms up (about 1-2 hours), 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 essentia! for a gas fired water heater to operate properly as well as to carry away products of combustion and water vapor.
A'WARNING
HOTTER WATER CAN SCALD: Water heaters are intended to
produce hot water. Water heated to a temperature which will satisfyclothes washing,dish washing,and other sanitizing needs can scaldand permanently injure you upon contact. Some peo- ple are more likelyto be permanen_ injured by hot water than others. These include the elderly,children,the infirm, or physical.
!ly/mentatly handicapped.If anyone usinghot water in your home fits into one of these groupsor if there is a localcode or state law requiring a certain temperature water at the hot water tap_then
you must take specialprecautions. In addition to usingthe lowest possibletemperature sett ng that satisfiesyour hot water needs,
_ _a means such as a mixing valve, shouldbe used at the hot water taps used by these people or at the water heater. Mixing valves
are availableat plumbing supplyor hardware stores. Follow man- ufacturers instructions for installation of the valves. Before changing the factory setting on the thermostat, read the
t'TemperatureRegulation'section in this manual.
(cont'd)
SIOKEIODOR
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
SHELLY 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 is 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:
a.a concentration of sulfate in the supply water.
b.little or no dissolved o:cygen 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 smdly 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.
"AIR" IN HOT WATER FAUCETS
AWARNING
HYDROGEN GAS: Hydrogen gas can be produced in a hot water system that has not been used for a long period of time (generally two weeks or more). Hydrogen gas is extremely flammable and explosive. To prevent the possibility of injury under these conditions, we recommend the hot water faucet be opened for several minutes at the kitchen sink before any electrical applianceswhich are connected to the hot water sys- tem are used (such as a dishwasher or washing machine). If hydrogen gas is present, there will probably be an unusual sound similar to air escapingthrough the pipe as the hot water faucet is opened. There must be no smoking or open flame near the faucet at the time it is open.
