Community Forums

Keith Warm · 11-02-2024, 01:22 AM

It's the Atwood type GCH6A-10E, GC6AA-10E, GC10A-4E (I forget exactly which one). The water heater had been working normally for a month then it wouldn't ignite. I hadn't been looking at it closely before but saw that there was soot at the top of the exhaust door and up the outside wall. I'd seen this last year and adjusted the air mix tube. Today, I got it started again and could see the dark smoke and a pretty strong smell. It was also quieter than usual. This is what it sounded like when the soot was there before. I liked how quiet it was but, after adjusting that air/gas tube it got noisier but stopped putting out the soot. I wonder if there could be other things making the smell and soot? Thanks

MFL · 11-02-2024, 05:30 AM

Your description indicates a possible obstruction in the air tube, or jet. It does not take much, a bug, spider web, or dust/dirt. Try cleaning these, being careful not to damage jet.
Make sure the exhaust chamber is clear too, by using a wire, with attached rag to pull through.

You may need to readjust air setting, once everything is clean/clear.

Old-Biscuit · 11-02-2024, 12:09 PM

Definitely need to do some cleaning and remove that soot
*Thermal fuse blew due to flame blow back. Blows when exposed to 190*F temps and is a one shot safety device to minimize fire due to dirty burner assembly

*Remove the spark electrode........clean the soot/carbon off tip using emery cloth
*Remove burner tube....clean using a small bottle brush/check that spreader plate is parallel with end of tube
*Remove orifice from gas valve......soak in alcohol then air dry/no poking anything thru it or high pressure air (just blow on it)
*Run a wire up thru combustion chamber and out the Exhaust....tie a rag to the wire then pull it back thru do a 'chimney sweep'

Reinstall/reassemble
Set air shuttler a 1/4 open

Fire up WH on gas.......check flame/should be BLUE with a slight roar
*adjust air shutter if needed

Keith Warm · 11-03-2024, 02:04 AM

Just seeing these posts and they are appreciated. Before that I had cleaned out the burner area and exhaust with a shop vac on blow and cleaned the tip of the gas jet with 99% alcohol. Later I turned it on and it was just burning but not really putting out the heat and very quiet and dark smoke. Luckily a friend, with more experience than me, happened by and thought it seemed like it wasn't getting enough gas. I have this regulator where you connect 2 tanks. I had the arrow down the middle but one tank was pretty low (but not empty) and the other pretty full. I turned off the low tank and switched the arrow to the full one and after that the water heater was back to normal. So, I guess something is strange with that regulator (which I bought last year). Anyway was very pleased at that as my friend was wondering about the whole unit which feeds the gas. Thanks!

Old-Biscuit · 11-03-2024, 09:17 AM

Lever should point to cylinder that is in service..........then when cylinder goes empty (roughly 10 psi) the reg auto swaps to other cylinder, Indicator turns RED.
Valve out empty cylinder, move lever to point to in service cylinder, Indicator turns GREEN

Disconnect empty cylinder, go get it filled, reinstall and open OPD placing it in standby

REPEAT as necessary

You still should go thru and CLEAN to remove all of that soot/carbon especially inside the combustion/exhaust 'U' tube and the spark electrode tip......also new thermal fuse

AS for which model you have
GCH6A-10E, GC6AA-10E,
Both are 6 gal versions and the 'H' model has motoraid (engine coolant lines to a heat exchanger tube on backside of WH Tank)

GC10A-4E is a 10 gal model

Keith Warm · 11-05-2024, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Lever should point to cylinder that is in service..........then when cylinder goes empty (roughly 10 psi) the reg auto swaps to other cylinder, Indicator turns RED.
Valve out empty cylinder, move lever to point to in service cylinder, Indicator turns GREEN

Disconnect empty cylinder, go get it filled, reinstall and open OPD placing it in standby

REPEAT as necessary

You still should go thru and CLEAN to remove all of that soot/carbon especially inside the combustion/exhaust 'U' tube and the spark electrode tip......also new thermal fuse

AS for which model you have
GCH6A-10E, GC6AA-10E,
Both are 6 gal versions and the 'H' model has motoraid (engine coolant lines to a heat exchanger tube on backside of WH Tank)

GC10A-4E is a 10 gal model

Good to know! I'll plan on doing more cleaning. My propane regulator doesn't have any lights. Once I took off the low tank I thought it might well be pretty much empty. So, you're saying I should leave the arrow pointing to one or the other rather than in the middle or leave in middle and it auto swaps when one is empty? Thanks

Old-Biscuit · 11-06-2024, 07:56 PM

Should be a RED or GREEN Indicator below the lever
Point lever to 1st cylinder valved in for service Indicator shows GREEN)
Then valve in other cylinder (in stand by)

When 1st cylinder valved in goes empty (indicator turns RED) & regulator will auto swap to Stand By ....
Move lever so it points to Stand by...Indicator should go Green

Valve out empty cylinder, disconnect, get refilled
Install, valve in ---it is now standby

Repeat..........
Lever should point to cylinder in service NOT the middle

https://s33463.pcdn.co/wp-content/up...User-Guide.pdf

Keith Warm · 11-07-2024, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Should be a RED or GREEN Indicator below the lever
Point lever to 1st cylinder valved in for service Indicator shows GREEN)
Then valve in other cylinder (in stand by)

When 1st cylinder valved in goes empty (indicator turns RED) & regulator will auto swap to Stand By ....
Move lever so it points to Stand by...Indicator should go Green

Valve out empty cylinder, disconnect, get refilled
Install, valve in ---it is now standby

Repeat..........
Lever should point to cylinder in service NOT the middle

https://s33463.pcdn.co/wp-content/up...User-Guide.pdf

Aha! That's good info! It turned out that regulator was facing towards the RV where I couldn't see that little window. Thanks for the link to the manual. I did clean out the chamber. It wasn't as dirty as some of the ones I saw on Youtube where people were cleaning out theirs but definitely needed cleaning.I used a wire with rag like you said and as I was blowing out stuff I saw my shop-vac hose fit in and went all the way through. It's ridges helped do some scraping too. I also had an old pool noodle around and got the idea to hot glue some sand paper on it and it helped too. I got a kit with thermal fuses that also had a spark unit so I put it on. I made this video to show how the flame looked https://youtu.be/UfYmLOdYUus . I was trying to get an angle showing the sparker. The angle I had was touching the flame and glowing because of that. Is that normal? Can't see it too well but it does show what the flame and the spacing of the gas tube looks like. Does that color look right? It seemed pretty blue and didn't see any smoke. Thanks!

Keith Warm · 11-07-2024, 12:50 PM

Oops! It was still kind of hard to see but with the camera I can see it's showing red even though the arrow is pointing to a nearly full tank. I guess that means something's wrong with the regulator? It's 10 months old. Was it supposed to have a cover protecting it from the rain? Thanks.

MFL · 11-07-2024, 01:07 PM

Tank valve should show green, if tank is filled, and if tank top valve is turned open.

Keith Warm · 11-07-2024, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MFL

Tank valve should show green, if tank is filled, and if tank top valve is turned open.

OK, good to know. I just went out and switched the arrow to point to the other full tank but it's still showing red. Both tanks are in open position. Gas flow to the WH seems good and on the stove/oven as well. I guess that shows the regulator has problems. If have to buy a new one, is it pretty simple to use the hoses I have or is it better to buy one with the hoses already on it? Thanks.