Should a new gas water heater need adjustment?

[Bimwad]

My newly installed Bradford White water heater is working fine in terms of hot water and all. It doesn't make any funny noises or emit strange odors.

But since I'm curious, and like know things are working in optimum fashion, I couldn't resist looking into the sight glass to check out the flame.

There is a good deal of yellow flame, not at all like what comes out of a stove burner, the flame I see inside the furnace, nor what is generally described as the ideal almost-all blue flame.

I could snap a picture if need be.

Thanks.

 

[Jimbo]

Well the obvious question, of course, did you buy the right model for the gas you have, that is natural or LP?

Next, what about combustion air? The new water heaters are very sensitive to having proper combustion air supply. How about the flue pipe? Is the draft hood properly installed, pipe mainly vertical and not obstructed anywhere?

Picture of the whole installation would help.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[joe in queens]

EVERY gas fired hot water heater should be set-up with a manometer to ensure the gas pressure is correct and a combustion analyzer to assure CO, CO2, draft... are correct. Is this usually done? Rarely - even by those who call themselves pros.

A manometer is not expensive, and you can even make one yourself, but a combustion analyzer... those are pricey, but I would NEVER consider installing a gas or oil fired hot water heater without my Bacharach Fyrite Pro 125 and affixing the printout of the results.

I've seen enough hot water heaters blowing off relief valves simply because they were not adjusted properly. No doubt not setting them up properly will shorten their lives, and on commerical units - which run several thousand dollars - that is just plain foolish.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

never used one yet

once in a blue moon have I needed to
adjsut a water heater.....

that is why all the fuss over the new FVIR heaters

they are supposed to shut themselves down when
either bad gas clogs up the orfice of the burner assembly
or a fire starts......


ocassionally we have run into defective gas METERS....


and before I will come out and fool around for half a
day trying to figure out why my Brad ford White gas heater is not burning right,


I can take a good guess that they have
a defective rusted up gas meter,



if the furnace comes on while the water
heater is heating, the furnace literally steals all the gas
out of theline and almost shuts down the heater.....


I usually will call the local gas company and let them
do a FREE test on the METER first....

 

[Bimwad]

Thanks folks.

Well the obvious question, of course, did you buy the right model for the gas you have, that is natural or LP?

The homes in this area predominantly use natural gas to heat water and air, so I doubt the plumber picked up the wrong type of tank. It's the M-4-40T6FBN model, and the label confirms the correct fuel type.

Next, what about combustion air? The new water heaters are very sensitive to having proper combustion air supply. How about the flue pipe? Is the draft hood properly installed, pipe mainly vertical and not obstructed anywhere?

The flue pipe was slightly reconfigured, and isn't quite as sharply angled as before, but it rises more than the 1/4" per foot as recommended. I don't believe it's obstructed, as there have never been any apparent exhaust abnormalities before.

According to the instructions, the heater has a self-adjusting steel burner, and not the alternate cast-iron burner that can be adjusted.

I've also got a small (350k) movie of the burner in action, but it exceeds the attachment size limits here.

 

[GrumpyPlumber]

A manometer is not expensive, and you can even make one yourself, but a combustion analyzer... those are pricey, but I would NEVER consider installing a gas or oil fired hot water heater without my Bacharach Fyrite Pro 125 and affixing the printout of the results.

Ironically Bacharach is one of the more affordable...most run upwards of $1500-$3000 +
AND...on the newer digitally controlled modulating gas valves found on high efficiency fixtures, you could need a digital manometer that has to be readable within .01 WC (NOT a typo), they're not bad...about $150-$200.

 

[Jimbo]

Well, as usual we find that things vary considerably from place to place.

I will go out on a limb with this statement: If 250 water heaters are installed in San Diego today, 251 of them will have NO measurements or adjustments on gas pressure or draft.

Not trying to say what is right, just what IS.

 

[GrumpyPlumber]

Well, as usual we find that things vary considerably from place to place.

I will go out on a limb with this statement: If 250 water heaters are installed in San Diego today, 251 of them will have NO measurements or adjustments on gas pressure or draft.

Not trying to say what is right, just what IS.

No agrument here.
It's the truth...not meaning to say it isn't a good idea...it is.
Like giving a brand new car a tune-up right outta the showroom,
But, in the same respect...you don't know who calibrated it at the MFG.

 

[joe in queens]

You really cannot compare an automobile with heating appliance.

Automobile engines do not require any calibration from the factory because their powertrain management systems adjust to various operating conditions. In fact, over roughly the last 25 years automobile engines (OBD-I and OBD-II) have largely been non-adjustable. You cannot set the air-fuel mixture, ignition, idle speed, and so forth because it's all done electronically. Heating appliances do not have any such management systems, and must be set-up manually for the conditions their installed in.

Natural gas pressure varies widely, and draft variances are even greater. Until the day comes where heating units are manufactured with electronic combustion controls, they must be set-up prior placing into service.