# AO Smith Water Heaters



## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Has anyone here come across problems with the series 100 residential gas water heaters? I ran into one a week ago the flame arestor was all plugged with lint, What a pain in the ass to clean. I found out AO Smith is now giving away a vacuum attachement they made to help you clean it. dang pilot kept going out due to a lack or air.


Plumber Jim


----------



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I don't care for AO Smith, I don't install then and won't recommend them, Bradford White is far better then AO Smith.


----------



## WestCoastPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

I had this same problem about a week ago, the pilot would go out and the customer kept having to relite it.

I cleaned out all the crap in the filter and works like new.

I am a Bradford White man myself, don't care for anything else.


----------



## super plumber (Oct 19, 2008)

I have repaired/cleaned several of these units as well. Bradford White for me also.


----------



## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

i've been cleaning these for years with a length of 1/2" pvc that i glued a 90 to. wrap one end with enough pipe wrap tape to make it fit in the shop vac hose and then cut the other hub off of the 90 so it's more like a cup. it'll fit right in the openings and does a great job of cleaning the filter. i didn't mind the last incarnation of AO Smith heaters but i don't like the current ones.





paul


----------



## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

There's a recent problem with the PowerVents. 


The wiring to the Intelli-vents are shorting out, disconnecting within the jackets and causing the unit to error code out. 



Now you know why I let my customers buy everything. 


There's only 1 bradford-white distributor in my area and the last time I was standing in front of owner at the counter in his shop, I almost took a swing at him. So no BW's for me.


Years ago I ordered a dome for a tub/shower unit from this place, took 3 months to get it which cost me a $4400 bathroom remodel.

Good referral that went horrible wrong, but in the end?

The people lost their home because they bought on contingency, and the old man sucked the value out of the property while he was dying in the hospital. 

They should of never been spending that kind of money on a property that wasn't truly theirs.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I've had that same call twice in the past month.



Plumber Jim said:


> Has anyone here come across problems with the series 100 residential gas water heaters? I ran into one a week ago the flame arestor was all plugged with lint, What a pain in the ass to clean. I found out AO Smith is now giving away a vacuum attachement they made to help you clean it. dang pilot kept going out due to a lack or air.
> 
> 
> Plumber Jim


----------



## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Yea, the guy at one of the supply houses that sell the ao smiths says he get like 2 calls a day on this problem. the new ones they are making today have the exact same design as the american water heaters since they went away from them left hand thermo couples. I prefer bradfords myself but service whatever the customer has. AO smith, State and American are all the same heaters so at least repair parts for the 3 will be the same.

Plumber Jim


----------

