# Richmond powervent waterheater problem???



## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

i tried searching for a answer no luck or dont know how to use search function good.. House is 2005.. lady has gone through 3 water heaters i put the third one in 2 weeks ago.. one i took out wasnt heating, it would be hot for few minutes then luke warm...they only noticed it on there 2 delta tub and shower valves.. they have one moen posi temp shower they dont use.. i called richmond they said drain it and flush out,i did that and not really any sediment. they said check for cross connection didnt see anything. they sent out new thermostat for the waterheater. didnt install it instead homeowner thought it would be better to go to menards and see if they would warranty it. they did so i put new one in... 4 days later they had no hot water it was flashing a code he couldnt explain it over the phone.. its a 2 inch vent im going to measure the length later this week. what i can see is one 90 elbow above WH and 2 60 elbow.. there is a long turn 90 on the outlet outside with no screen.. im going to put a screen on it. and install a 45 ive never seen it with a 90...do you think something got into the vent??? that what im thinking im going to snake the vent... also a hack did the plumbing and since its kind of like same problem as others wondering if the vent was installed wrong... sorry so long but wanted to be as detailed as possible.. what do you guys think??? i reallly want to get this figured out cause the customer is a real good one.. thanks you all


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## Pipe Dreams (Feb 10, 2011)

HuskyMurph said:


> i tried searching for a answer no luck or dont know how to use search function good.. House is 2005.. lady has gone through 3 water heaters i put the third one in 2 weeks ago.. one i took out wasnt heating, it would be hot for few minutes then luke warm...they only noticed it on there 2 delta tub and shower valves.. they have one moen posi temp shower they dont use.. i called richmond they said drain it and flush out,i did that and not really any sediment. they said check for cross connection didnt see anything. they sent out new thermostat for the waterheater. didnt install it instead homeowner thought it would be better to go to menards and see if they would warranty it. they did so i put new one in... 4 days later they had no hot water it was flashing a code he couldnt explain it over the phone.. its a 2 inch vent im going to measure the length later this week. what i can see is one 90 elbow above WH and 2 60 elbow.. there is a long turn 90 on the outlet outside with no screen.. im going to put a screen on it. and install a 45 ive never seen it with a 90...do you think something got into the vent??? that what im thinking im going to snake the vent... also a hack did the plumbing and since its kind of like same problem as others wondering if the vent was installed wrong... sorry so long but wanted to be as detailed as possible.. what do you guys think??? i reallly want to get this figured out cause the customer is a real good one.. thanks you all


Depending on the make of the heater the vent may need to be 3". The easiest way to tell if it's the vent is to disconnect it from the top of the tank and see if the heater fires and the code doesn't show up. (Obviously don't leave the vent disconnected)


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## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

Pipe Dreams said:


> Depending on the make of the heater the vent may need to be 3". The easiest way to tell if it's the vent is to disconnect it from the top of the tank and see if the heater fires and the code doesn't show up. (Obviously don't leave the vent disconnected)


 it shouldnt have to be its only a 40 gallon sorry i didnt mention that... im going to check the manual i know if the vent is over so many feet with to many fittings you can make it a 3 inch vent to be good. it probably goes 20 to 25 feet horizontal. and 4 feet straight up from water heater.. any other thoughs guys or gals. I know there has to be some water heater pros... or anything you think i should try.. i still think its got to be vent reliated cause the powervents on the other ones sounded like the burnt out..


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## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

it does fire but after little bit like couple days they wont have hot water. if they unplug it.. and plug back in it will work for few days.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Flame sensor?


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## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

maybe but its new.. and it seems this was same thing going on with other heaters... so i think it has to be some canected with other ones... which would be the vent... ill go see what codes it was flashing, snake the vent, cut 90 off, and see if there are other fitting that i cant see in the cealing.. if i cut both ends it should be a straight shot so should be able to see light through it.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

See if the vent is sloped properly, if the vent isn't and has water pooling in one section, then it won't stay fired


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## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

ill see if i can check that out.. 20 feet or so is concealed in the ceiling. i know when we do em we slope them out water drains out of it... or if slope back condeinsation line.


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## Plumber patt (Jan 26, 2011)

Ya exactly but if there is a belly somewhere then it won't stay fired


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*rheem power vents*

You are probably spinning your wheels..

Rheem cannot make a good power vent water heater..
I cannot afford to put them in for all the troubles they have right out of the box....
and the box they come in looks like its big enough for a double wide freezer..


all thieir other products are great but they keep trying new
gas thermostat valves and cannot ever seem to get it right.


richmond is also a step down and made cheaper than the Rheem 
models for the crappy hardware stores..


you are going to work your butt off trying to figure this out
and its all going to be a matter of installing another gas valve, 


I have a few gas valves on my shelf in mothballs from other
 attempts and power vent series they have come up with over the years.
..


another good way to get out of all this trouble is to tell her to take
 the peice of junk heaater back to menards and get a refund...

then go out and get a Bradford White... that should solve your issues once and for all....:yes::yes:


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Master Mark said:


> You are probably spinning your wheels..
> 
> Rheem cannot make a good power vent water heater..
> I cannot afford to put them in for all the troubles they have right out of the box....
> ...





............that will...........

so long as the vent is properly installed.................:yes:


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## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

well ill check the vent and make sure.... so it good be the control valve??? i had one sent for the one i took out. i didnt install it in the heater... i figured they were junk.. i just cant belive 3 heaters...she got the last 2 warrantied so i dont think they will give her a refund.. the heater was installed 12 of 07 or 1 of 08... the heater i tookout had the better contral valve like the rheems have that have arrow bottons and like 6 lights that light up as you make the temp hotter.... so other then taking it out what you guys think.... make sure its vented good.. and see if the contral valve will fit on this one..?? a really appreciate the help.. one way to check the vent is disconnect it and see if it fires and runs good open windows.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

HuskyMurph said:


> well ill check the vent and make sure.... so it good be the control valve??? i had one sent for the one i took out. i didnt install it in the heater... i figured they were junk.. i just cant belive 3 heaters...she got the last 2 warrantied so i dont think they will give her a refund.. the heater was installed 12 of 07 or 1 of 08... the heater i tookout had the better contral valve like the rheems have that have arrow bottons and like 6 lights that light up as you make the temp hotter.... so other then taking it out what you guys think.... make sure its vented good.. and see if the contral valve will fit on this one..?? a really appreciate the help.. one way to check the vent is disconnect it and see if it fires and runs good open windows.




I'm not 100% sure of that. I think Bradford has some minimums on the venting. You may need a certain amount of backpressure. Best look into that before you create a problem you don't have.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*dont mix the control valves*



HuskyMurph said:


> well ill check the vent and make sure.... so it good be the control valve??? i had one sent for the one i took out. i didnt install it in the heater... i figured they were junk.. i just cant belive 3 heaters...she got the last 2 warrantied so i dont think they will give her a refund.. the heater was installed 12 of 07 or 1 of 08... the heater i tookout had the better contral valve like the rheems have that have arrow bottons and like 6 lights that light up as you make the temp hotter.... so other then taking it out what you guys think.... make sure its vented good.. and see if the contral valve will fit on this one..?? a really appreciate the help.. one way to check the vent is disconnect it and see if it fires and runs good open windows.


 
I would not recommend anything but a new control valve that is sent from the factory Rheem--richmond..

I get the feeling that this lady is a glutton for punishment, and she might try to drag you through the muck too if you are not careful..... 

 you might get to know menards too well before this is over...:laughing::laughing: .


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## 1703 (Jul 21, 2009)

Had a BW that would intermittently work/ not work.

I put a magnehelic on the port for the pressure switch. With the heater on the reading hovered right at the switch's rating. 

BW said it was a bad switch. Put Cam down the vent from the outside, found kids had filled it with landscaping rocks. Cleaned out the rocks and vacuum reading pulled the switch closed with out any doubt.

Gotta stop guessing and examine every aspect of the heater.


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## HuskyMurph (Dec 13, 2010)

its fixed. i did take out one fitting in the vent. with know luck called manufacter and talked to them very nicely. they then figured it was pressure switch. they agreed to warranty everything.. they sent out there own tech. and paid for my bills to the customer.. shes done.. now homeowner wants a softner.. hope that goes way better.. thanks for the help and will never touch or install another richmond powervent... ive installed lots of rheems with know problems..


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## Mpls Jay (Jan 1, 2011)

3 tanks in just a few years is horrible.Sound to be in need of a conditioner.
The Rheem standard gas vent tanks are great.Their powervent has been a turd for some time but I had hope the current models had ironed that mess out.


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## incarnatopnh (Feb 1, 2011)

Yup, only ever put in one Richmond... never again. Even though the suppy house is lower on them than every other around. Bradford White is my personal favorite, never had a single problem. I will do AO Smith but only if the customer demands it. And as for that one Richmond, I pulled it out 6 months later and put in a Bradford White! Would only get a minute or two of hot water, then went luke warm. Had to replace bad fill tube 3 times then had enough!


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