Rheem Quality Control from Home Depot

Users who are viewing this thread

FullySprinklered

In the Trades
Messages
1,897
Reaction score
208
Points
63
Location
Georgia
Installed a w/h last week. It was a 12yr warranty Rheem gas appliance from HD. Everything went fine until I went to fire it up. The clicker wouldn't click. Tried to take the plastic cover off and see if the striker was loose, but the torx screw that holds it on was buggered up. It's the kind with the little hole in the bit to prevent unauthorized persons from working on it. Anyway, the post down in the bit hole was mushroomed and none of the bits would go in. So, I went out and robbed the striker from the old water heater and used that to jump the new water heater off. I made the customer aware of what was going on, and he will contact the company. Let's see what happens next.
You'd think someone on the production line could repurpose a finger long enough to check the clicker.
 
Last edited:

Dj2

In the Trades
Messages
2,611
Reaction score
258
Points
83
Location
California
"You'd think someone on the production line could repurpose a finger long enough to check the clicker."
You are asking too much.

"I made the customer aware of what was going on, and he will contact the company. Let's see what happens next."
They will probably send him a new igniter assembly.
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,599
Reaction score
1,037
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
They do NOT make "Special heaters for Home Depot", but they may NOT do a final inspection so that they do not have to reject any heaters. Let the customer do the final inspection and if there is a problem, THEN they will get rid of it after the customer hauls it home, installs it, removes it, returns it, and then does the job over again. I think the same thing happens with other companies also. For example, I have had customers buy Kohler fixtures and some are so defective that they would NEVER have passed a final inspection before being shipped, IF they had been inspected. There have been many other instances of such poor quality control, that it has to be just be the ones they get or the companies could not stay in business.
 
Last edited:

Dj2

In the Trades
Messages
2,611
Reaction score
258
Points
83
Location
California
Maybe there are differences in the tank, gas valve, thermostat, anode and other parts, but the manufacturers won't say. Even their field reps don't know, and if they knew, they are probably told not to disclose it.
I recently asked an O.A Smith rep I met at Lowe's this very question, and she said she didn't know.

It's exactly what HJ said about the consumer responsibility finding the faults.
Then deal with warranty claims, when they happen.

Back to the OP, did Rheem send a new igniter kit?
 

Master Plumber Mark

Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Messages
5,533
Reaction score
354
Points
83
Location
indianapolis indiana - land of the free, home of
Website
www.weilhammerplumbing.com
They don't look at all like what I'm buying at the wholesaler.

The rheem heater that the plumber buys from the supply house has a solid robert shaw metal
gas thermostat on it and a standard thermocoupling.... with no blinking lights

The Rheem heater you get at Home Depot is the honeywell plastic gas thermostat
with the thermopile kind of parts inside the chamber... Comes with the blinking lights
and it is not as good as quality as the plumber gets from the supply houses....


This guy might see the parts in a few weeks if he is lucky....

rheem-hd-gas-valve-1.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Master Plumber Mark

Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Messages
5,533
Reaction score
354
Points
83
Location
indianapolis indiana - land of the free, home of
Website
www.weilhammerplumbing.com
In all honesty, the honeywells on the Rheem units have not been all that bad....so far.
The ICONS honeywells on bradford whites have been trouble for sure.... I dont exactly
know what the difference between them could be....

We bought a scratch and dent load of 50 gallon heaters that was going to go to canada
and they had this exact same honeywell valve on them.... We really did not have any problems
with any of them ... I have kept about 6 of the valves and thermopiles in reserve just in
case of future issues....

actually you would have a better chance getting a Rheem replacement part from me fast in our town
compaired to waiting a week or two for the local home depot to cough one up....
 

stevon

New Member
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
San Diego
I have a newer water heater $600 Rheem 40 gallon 38,000 BTU Ultra Low NOx model number XG40T06EN38UO. It worked fine for about 6 months until it didn't. Red LED with various codes, required shorting out the board then resetting. It would work for 20 or so hours, rinse and repeat. Rheem sent warranty replacement part# WV8860C1008. The water heater is less than 2 years old and I have had about of 6 months carefree use for all of that time. Honeywell valve has been known to be defective for years, why can't they or why are they unwilling to fix this? and why are they allowed to keep selling their junk in the world? Dam this junk!
In any case what can I do to fix this? another brand valve? stock a replacement valve at all times and just to fill the landfill with all of the defective ones? Any ideas? Thanks

Stephen
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks