Suburban water heater intermittant

[ronspradley]

My Suburban water heater VFDSI - 6 - 3 only works intermitantly. I can hear clicking from direct spark and sometimes it lights, sometimes it has small explosive pop, sometimes it lights and stays lit. Does seem very sensitive to wind and will go out easily. Previous Suburban water heaters have worked for me going down the road. And when it does light, there is no jet airplane roar and the temperature is extremely hot with no adjustment that I have found.

Anything I can check and or fix before having to take to shop? I am on the road in Missoula Montana........thanks..........ronspradley

[RV Wizard]

Sounds like the burner assembly needs cleaning. Even a very fine spider web can disrupt the flow of fuel and air mixture to cause the problem you are seeing. Carefully remove the burner and clean the venturi tube, ignition electrode and any debris from the heat exchanger box. Re-assemble and let us know how it works then.

[ronspradley]

Yesterday I removed and cleaned the burner assembly. And removed and inspected the orifice. Did not see anything that looked out of the ordinary. This is my first direct start water heater. What is a proper gap for the ignition electrode? Mine is about one quarter inch? Do not know how to see if it is a fuel problem or a spark problem. Can I change this assy out myself without removing the whole water heater? That would be problematic while on the road. Thanks for the help...........ronspradley

[RV Wizard]

igniter electrode gap should be 3/16". There is a 7/16" nut under the venturi tube holding it to the heat exchanger; remove it. Loosen the gas line that feeds from the valve to the burner at the gas valve side. Pry the venturi out of the exchanger and finish removing gas line. Remove the ignition electrode and clean all of the components of soot and carbon. Reassemble and check operation.

[ronspradley]

Thanks Wizard for the help. I have cleaned what I can get to and it has worked in Yellowstone and last night at Buffalo, Montana. That is the fun part about an intermittant problem. Will post later with results.............ronspradley

[speed racer]

Always check the connections first. The most common problem with the water heaters and furnaces is low voltage caused by bad connections.

[KJINTF]

ronspradley

I have had spider webs in there as well - a shot with compressed air has always fixed the problem very quickly

How is the snow in Yellowstone area?
Up north here we have well over 150% of the snow pack left to be melted

[ronspradley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJINTF ronspradley I have had spider webs in there as well - a shot with compressed air has always fixed the problem very quickly How is the snow in Yellowstone area? Up north here we have well over 150% of the snow pack left to be melted

All major roads were open. We left Saturday morning 6/4/11. We were staying outside north entrance in Gardiner. It was snowing Thursday when we drove up to see Old Faithful. Indeed a beautiful place.........ronspradley