# ge water heater



## ap plumbing (Nov 9, 2010)

gotta a question I ran into a ge water heater today, pilot turns off when you light it ..so I change out thermal coupling .. water heater is only 3 yrs old.. and it still wont light I was told there is a safety switch or reset button inside of water heater .. that needs to be removed or set or something I couldn't figure it out .... Has any 1 heard of this ? if so it would help me out alot 4 next time:thumbup: thx


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Sounds like the air inlet is clogged with lint and dust...
When this happens the flame gets a bit taller and trips the water heater out like an FVIR event would...

GE Gas water heaters are made by Rheem and use a glass vial filled with peanut oil that breaks closing the inlet damper and shutting the unit down...

Call GE and see what they say.
You might be able to see some broken glass and an oil stain through the sight glass...


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## ap plumbing (Nov 9, 2010)

Redwood said:


> Sounds like the air inlet is clogged with lint and dust...
> When this happens the flame gets a bit taller and trips the water heater out like an FVIR event would...
> 
> GE Gas water heaters are made by Rheem and use a glass vial filled with peanut oil that breaks closing the inlet damper and shutting the unit down...
> ...


 ur right the window looked burnt.. but whats the solution or the next step


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Call the GE Phone Number on the water heater and see what they say...

Rheem has been sending out new glass vials when called but who knows what GE is doing with their labeled water heaters....


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

From what I know once the glass vial breaks they tell you to replace the water heater because they assume the heat exchange overheated.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

When you call the number on the tank you will get Rheem. they will ask if you opened the chamber and checked the vial. If it is indeed the vial then they will send one to your customer's address within a day or two. simple fix. make sure you blow out the flame arrestor while you have it open and make sure the customer understands that they shouldn't use paint thinner, oil base paint etc. near the heater. The vial will come with directions.


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## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

don't just blow out the screen,
use a brush on it also..
like a dryer vent brush


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

Plumber Jim said:


> When you call the number on the tank you will get Rheem. they will ask if you opened the chamber and checked the vial. If it is indeed the vial then they will send one to your customer's address within a day or two. simple fix. make sure you blow out the flame arrestor while you have it open and make sure the customer understands that they shouldn't use paint thinner, oil base paint etc. near the heater. The vial will come with directions.


Is that something new they never offered to send the vial out to us. They also said when you open the heat exchange you have to replace the seal on the burner cover.


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

A compressor or wet vac will work for blowing out the air intake to the heat exchange.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

cityplumbing said:


> Is that something new they never offered to send the vial out to us. They also said when you open the heat exchange you have to replace the seal on the burner cover.


They have been doing it about a year now. and the kit came with a new gasket


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## ap plumbing (Nov 9, 2010)

whats the vial and where is it? also why are water heaters look diffrent inside there is no burners they look like a square screen:blink:


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

The vial will be in the center of the chamber and look black. if you don't see it and only see a metal pin then that is your problem. as for the burner looking like a screen, Sounds like you have a low nox heater.


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## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

Plumber Jim said:


> The vial will be in the center of the chamber and look black. if you don't see it and only see a metal pin then that is your problem. as for the burner looking like a screen, Sounds like you have a low nox heater.


in So Cal...probably ultra lo-nox


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Got 20 bucks on the safety being broken in the heater, pull the burner assembly and look straight back. With no glass there you are going to see a small 3/8 round steel rod sticking up that you can push down. If the glass was still there, it looks similar to the mercury vial in a thermostat. I have only had one customer able to get that part. The part number is SP20246B for the glass, interchangeable with the rheem safety device. Good luck getting the new part, without it you will have to replace the heater.

Edit: didn't read entire thread, the part number is in my post for it.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

ap plumbing said:


> gotta a question I ran into a ge water heater today, pilot turns off when you light it ..so I change out thermal coupling .. water heater is only 3 yrs old.. and it still wont light I was told there is a safety switch or reset button inside of water heater .. that needs to be removed or set or something I couldn't figure it out .... Has any 1 heard of this ? if so it would help me out alot 4 next time:thumbup: thx


Was there no device on the thermocouple line, or another line? Did you verify that the thermocouple is working properly. Seems I watched a video on how to check them, turned it into a drinking game, every-time the guy said thermocouple I took a shot. I lost a few days. 

In all seriousness, did the pilot light, or stay lit? 

How did you change the thermo, and not inspect the other stuff? Weird that you cannot light the pilot. Is the gas on? Did they not pay their bill? Data, data, data. - Sherlock Holmes(2010)


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## ap plumbing (Nov 9, 2010)

Indie said:


> Was there no device on the thermocouple line, or another line? Did you verify that the thermocouple is working properly. Seems I watched a video on how to check them, turned it into a drinking game, every-time the guy said thermocouple I took a shot. I lost a few days.
> 
> In all seriousness, did the pilot light, or stay lit?
> 
> How did you change the thermo, and not inspect the other stuff? Weird that you cannot light the pilot. Is the gas on? Did they not pay their bill? Data, data, data. - Sherlock Holmes(2010)


 When I first got there it did light but burned out when I let go of button. I don't have a tool to check thermalcoupling but usually I change it out it works but now the newer water heaters have vials and safety devices etc. so Its all new to me.


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## [email protected] (Apr 10, 2011)

About a year and a half ago we drove out to the boonies to service a ge with the same issue. Called tech support from customer's land line. They said only qualified, trained, authorized providers could change the part. We lost the repair and weren't feeling good at all. Customer called the next day, though, and wanted us to replace it with something else without a mouse trap. Loved it!


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> About a year and a half ago we drove out to the boonies to service a ge with the same issue. Called tech support from customer's land line. They said only qualified, trained, authorized providers could change the part. We lost the repair and weren't feeling good at all. Customer called the next day, though, and wanted us to replace it with something else without a mouse trap. Loved it!


Hopefully you lined them up with a Bradford White...

No doubt the best FVIR design on the market...:thumbup:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

504Plumber said:


> Got 20 bucks on the safety being broken in the heater


A very safe bet... :laughing:


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*a GE and Rheem experimnet*

I had this happen to me last satruday...on a 30 gallon Rheem buried behind a gas line and squezed into a slot 
next to the furnace.....

they did not have a pot to piss in, so I fooled with it for a minute or two just to see what would happen.. this was a free-bee sat morning call..on the way to another call. (charity work).

the glass vial was broken out, so I took out the looking glass and pushed in the rubber grommet that 
holds the thremocoupling in place to get it more air...

the unit did fire up and worked ok , but it flamed up pretty badly. makeing me think it best to walk away...... their already had been a fire in the unit to break that vial....... 

I was not going to be held liable for the heater or any future fires, so I just shut it down at the gas valve and left them... 


they would get back to me for a replacement when they had the money...ok


you could actually stick a piece of 1/2 copper into the unit to hold up the air intake trip spring in the bottom of the unit if you were so inclined and it probably would come on... I am sure it has already been done 

just not by me.... 


no good deed ever goes unpunished...:no::no:


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Master Mark said:


> I had this happen to me last satruday...on a 30 gallon Rheem buried behind a gas line and squezed into a slot
> next to the furnace.....
> 
> they did not have a pot to piss in, so I fooled with it for a minute or two just to see what would happen.. this was a free-bee sat morning call..on the way to another call. (charity work).
> ...


You would almost need to solder a cap onto the piece of copper to get it to work right, we have tried Jerry rigging one in the past just to get it by for a couple of days and it didn't work.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

I have two backup vials I have taken from leakers. :thumbup:


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*too much time on your hands*



Plumber Jim said:


> I have two backup vials I have taken from leakers. :thumbup:


this means you got way too much time on your hands...:laughing:


I just dont think its a good idea to jerry rig them, or even replace those vials.... cause their had to be a good reason they blew ....


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Master Mark said:


> cause their had to be a good reason they blew ....


Bad design, I believe they pop when they get a little too hot, dirty screen and what not.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*design is ok*



504Plumber said:


> Bad design, I believe they pop when they get a little too hot, dirty screen and what not.


 
I think that bradford white had the best design before they switched to the Icon valve...


Actually , I have only run into maybe 2 or three of the Rheem heaters that actually self destructed in the last 7 years... that is not too bad...

at the moment I feel that the RHEEM design is superior 
to all the rest on the market.......:yes::yes:


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Master Mark said:


> I think that bradford white had the best design before they switched to the Icon valve...
> 
> 
> Actually , I have only run into maybe 2 or three of the Rheem heaters that actually self destructed in the last 7 years... that is not too bad...
> ...


Down here we were running into them quite often. I prefer the American/whirlpool system just because they could be reset. Don't have very many bradford white down here at all.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Master Mark said:


> this means you got way too much time on your hands...:laughing:
> 
> 
> I just dont think its a good idea to jerry rig them, or even replace those vials.... cause their had to be a good reason they blew ....



Na, I changed a pair for my sister on a weekend and took the vials. as far it being a bad idea replacing them because they blew for a reason i agree. before you change them or replace the heater you need to find out why they blew. no sense in installing another heater to only have the FVIR go off on it too.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*squirrel in the chimmney*



Plumber Jim said:


> Na, I changed a pair for my sister on a weekend and took the vials. as far it being a bad idea replacing them because they blew for a reason i agree. before you change them or replace the heater you need to find out why they blew. no sense in installing another heater to only have the FVIR go off on it too.


 
I agree....

the squirrell in the flu pipe should be removed
before installing that new vial, or new water heater:laughing:


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## Pro Plumber (Jun 16, 2010)

GE water heaters commonly have issues. I prefer Bradford any day.
GE Amercan and Wirlpool account for probably 80% of the repairs I do.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Master Mark said:


> I agree....
> 
> the squirrell in the flu pipe should be removed
> before installing that new vial, or new water heater:laughing:


wow.. hahaha... did you find that on one of your jobs or did you borrow that picture?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Old thread resurrection.

Went to G.E. Heater just before Christmas, pilot would not stay lit. Replace thermocouple, all good or so I thought. Few days later he says pilot goes out after after so many minutes. G.E. sends out new gas valve, H.O. installs himself. Pilot still goes out after so long. 

Went today, pilot lights after one click on piezo, set burner. Gas supply is good. Vent is tied in with furnace, checked draft with and without furnance going. Pilot stays light switching temp up and down to vacation setting. After heater gets to temperature, pilot goes out. Air intake was clean, vial still intact. Suspecting issue with burner or gas valve.

Any thoughts?


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## ap plumbing (Nov 9, 2010)

JK949 said:


> Old thread resurrection.
> 
> Went to G.E. Heater just before Christmas, pilot would not stay lit. Replace thermocouple, all good or so I thought. Few days later he says pilot goes out after after so many minutes. G.E. sends out new gas valve, H.O. installs himself. Pilot still goes out after so long.
> 
> ...


 check with the gas company .. to check meter


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

ap plumbing said:


> check with the gas company .. to check meter


Gas company was already out checking pressure and what not. Client is going to call G.E. and pursue some sort of credit. Would be nice if they gave back cash instead of a new heater, Then we could install something good.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

JK949 said:


> Gas company was already out checking pressure and what not. Client is going to call G.E. and pursue some sort of credit. Would be nice if they gave back cash instead of a new heater, Then we could install something good.


The only good thing is Home ghetto gives you the return on a gift card and usually for some reason there is ~$100 left on the card after the new heater.


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

Sounds like a leak when she gets hot


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## TPWinc (May 30, 2011)

I had one that acted similar. I cleaned the pilot orfice and it worked fine.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Pro Plumber said:


> GE water heaters commonly have issues. I prefer Bradford any day.
> GE Amercan and Wirlpool account for probably 80% of the repairs I do.


90% of my repairs are A.O smiths


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## user8031 (Dec 14, 2011)

HEY! I know exactly what your problem is!!!!!!!!!!

It's a freaking GE......That's the problem.


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