# Rheem 91 gallon gas heater



## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

To start with, this is a standing pilot with a damper, currently the damper has been bypassed by a plumber before me. I need a thermalcouple for this heater but rheem says they are on back order and no one in this city has one. Part number is sp8242j, does anyone know of a website that may carry some stock or know of another 30 milli-volt thermalcouple I could use for this heater? Also, it's in a restaurant and it's mardi gras season so they are super packed and in need of hot water asap.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

You down in New Orleans? Im in Monroe. You can try LCR up here I think they have a store in Alexandria maybe further south. They deal strictly Rheem. I can give you their number if you like.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> You down in New Orleans? Im in Monroe. You can try LCR up here I think they have a store in Alexandria maybe further south. They deal strictly Rheem. I can give you their number if you like.


We have an Lcr, they don't have any in stock nor do the reps, or johnstone supply. This place may be screwed.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

I found one on www.patriot-supply.com but the lead time is 1-3 weeks though, that's terrible


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> I found one on www.patriot-supply.com but the lead time is 1-3 weeks


May be due to them being back ordered from rheem. Don't happen to know if ao smith/state might have a similar setup would you?


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

What model heater?


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> What model heater?



Can't be positive but I believe RB200, it's from 94. I think I may have found a light at the end of the tunnel: 

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0458548

Now I just need to find out if that has the same specs as rheems (seems as though it should.)


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Being that old of a model I would be willing to bet that one would work.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> Being that old of a model I would be willing to bet that one would work.



Hey, wait a minute... You aren't the guy that was at continuing education with his journeyman number tattoo'd on his arm were you?


I am hoping that fastenal has them in stock, will be calling them in the morning.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

504Plumber said:


> Hey, wait a minute... You aren't the guy that was at continuing education with his journeyman number tattoo'd on his arm were you?
> 
> I am hoping that fastenal has them in stock, will be calling them in the morning.


Lol, unless you were in Monroe at Local 659 for continuing Ed then no. I don't have my JP number tattooed on me. I do have my sobriety date in a tattoo though.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> Lol, unless you were in Monroe at Local 659 for continuing Ed then no. I don't have my JP number tattooed on me. I do have my sobriety date in a tattoo though.



That's good man.

Looks like fastenal is a bust but honeywell lists them on their site... Have to order 10 at a time though.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

How much a pop?


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> How much a pop?


9, I'm starting to wonder if the guy on tech support was yanking my chain though... He told me regular thermocouples are 13mV and this sp8242 was 30mV. The more I read the more doubtful I am that getting the correct one is going to solve this heaters problem.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

504Plumber said:


> 9, I'm starting to wonder if the guy on tech support was yanking my chain though... He told me regular thermocouples are 13mV and this sp8242 was 30mV. The more I read the more doubtful I am that getting the correct one is going to solve this heaters problem.


So it's not the thermocouple?


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> So it's not the thermocouple?


Acts like it is, but even when I moved the thermocouple around a bunch trying to get it in the right spot the pilot went out immediately after letting off the gas valve. All the sites I'm looking at though list mV the same as rheem told me theirs was...


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

504Plumber said:


> Acts like it is, but even when I moved the thermocouple around a bunch trying to get it in the right spot the pilot went out immediately after letting off the gas valve. All the sites I'm looking at though list mV the same as rheem told me theirs was...


http://www.famousdiscountwarehouse.com/. They have Same day shipping. Have a number at top of page you might want to call and see if the are legit. Type in the part number on the top left hand search menu.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Any success?


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

You guys are kidding right? 
It's a standard 30mv thermocouple, 24"

Unit below available at all distributors that have gas heating products, and probably home depot too. 

Honeywell CQ100A-1013 24 Universal Thermocouple Kits- about $7 or less wholesale

Universal ThermocoupleGas pilot safety control for use with gas furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and room heaters. Universal adapter fits screw-in, clamp-in, and push-in pilot burners. 30 millivolt.No. CQ100A1021: 18"No. CQ100A1013: 24"No. CQ100A1039: 30"No. CQ100A1005: 36"

(old H/W part # was Q340-something)


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

If you scroll back to post 8 I told him that the one he found on fastenal would work and it was a honeywell.


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

Plumberman said:


> If you scroll back to post 8 I told him that the one he found on fastenal would work and it was a honeywell.


Why would you order one online when hundreds of outlets some perhaps 5 miles away sell them everyday?

Would you hold a job up for three days to wait for a 4" fernco to arrive that you ordered from plumbingfittings.com? Same thing 

18" and 24" thermocouples are the main service item on water tanks for like 35 years. Makes me thing you guys haven't seen a standard tank before those stupid flamelock units came around, giving away your age.

Most service plumbers carry a thermocouple tester, and there would be no guessing, but for a $6 part not a bad risk to change.

But to leave a restaurant down without hot water for a common $6 part is strange. Perhaps by now a handihack has already installed one, as a restaurant owner I wouldn't wait. Chasing OEM parts such as this which may have been made by Honeywell anyways is crazy.


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

I had called to get a thermocouple for this heater, rheem told me it was on back order. Rheem also told me it was in different spec from another heater, I took their word for it as the last standing pilot heater like this one DID NOT work with a universal thermocouple. Parts are coming in today and heater will be working again. For what it's worth, they called a handyman first and he hacked around with it for a week before we hot there.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

504Plumber said:


> I had called to get a thermocouple for this heater, rheem told me it was on back order. Rheem also told me it was in different spec from another heater, I took their word for it as the last standing pilot heater like this one DID NOT work with a universal thermocouple. Parts are coming in today and heater will be working again. For what it's worth, they called a handyman first and he hacked around with it for a week before we hot there.


Good deal. 

But I guess I'm too young to understand what I'm talking about.


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

Plumberman said:


> Good deal.
> 
> But I guess I'm too young to understand what I'm talking about.


Darn whippersnappers!


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Guess I should just sell my millivolt tester then.... 


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

504Plumber said:


> I had called to get a thermocouple for this heater, rheem told me it was on back order. Rheum also told me it was in different spec from another heater, I took their word for it as the last standing pilot heater like this one DID NOT work with a universal thermocouple. Parts are coming in today and heater will be working again. For what it's worth, they called a handyman first and he hacked around with it for a week before we hot there.


Great to hear, I'm sure you will be disappointed once you see it and realize you were misled by Rheem


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

ZL700 said:


> Great to hear, I'm sure you will be disappointed once you see it and realize you were misled by Rheem


I don't think I was misled as far as the actual design of the thermocouple, the millivolts, yes. Finally got it in yesterday, haven't heard back from them yet ( normal thermocouple would go out after the burner kicked off. )


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## timplmbr (Mar 16, 2011)

*thermocoupler*

:thumbsup:i have had luck to temporarily clean the tip with a sand cloth and re install till new one can be ordered


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

timplmbr said:


> :thumbsup:i have had luck to temporarily clean the tip with a sand cloth and re install till new one can be ordered


Yeah, their handyman threw the old one away.


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