# AO Smith hot water tanks



## textbook (Mar 13, 2011)

are these things even serviceable, and is it true that they make there own specific thermocouple. has anyone anything good to say about these water heaters????????????????????????????????????


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Yes they are serviceable and have a push button igniter with the pilot and thermo couple attached. I've worked on a lot of a.o. Heaters Didn't see your intro......


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Look in your TextBook and see what it says...

You really need to post an Intro before we start talking...

Are you a contractor that reads a TextBook and tries to be a plumber? :laughing:

Seriously You've been Asked for the Intro Before.... :yes:

Read This! http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/why-post-intro-11368/









Then Click Here and Post Your Intro


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Snazzy graphics there RW.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

SlickRick said:


> Snazzy graphics there RW.


Someone else here used them...

I think it might have been Airgap but I'm not sure....

I liked them and thought that it would be perfect in getting someones attention...

If he resists after that you'l have to spank him into submission.... :laughing:


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

They are no more difficult to work on than any other water heater and in my experience, no more prone to trouble.







Paul


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## robwilliams (May 6, 2011)

We used to install A.O. Smith, a few problems with thermocouples, nothing major. One problem I remember was the igniter button wouldn't spark. But now, it is Bradford White all the way for us.

Rob


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I truly believe AO Smith and American/Whirlpool waterheaters will pay for my youngest son's college education


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

A.O. Smith makes a quality water heater in my opinion. I have no complaints.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

PlungerJockey said:


> I truly believe AO Smith and American/Whirlpool waterheaters will pay for my youngest son's college education


They are building my retirement fund and my kids inheritance fund....

The newer ones with the Honeywell gas valve use a thermopile which generates a voltage to operate the valve electronics....


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*retirement fund....*

that is a good idea...

I should charge a dollar or two for every call I get from around the 
USA from people wanting advice on how to repair
their Whirlpool heaters..... I have had 3 this weekend.

but they are too cheap to want anything but free advice.....


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## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

I recall working on a water heater about 4-5 years back that had a reverse threaded thermocouple...


Sorry,I don't remember if it was an AO (snuffy) Smith.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

HOMER said:


> I recall working on a water heater about 4-5 years back that had a reverse threaded thermocouple...
> 
> 
> Sorry,I don't remember if it was an AO (snuffy) Smith.


 




Same here, one time I replaced a thermocouple that was left-hand thread. I cannot recall the make or model of heater though.


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

The first batch of American water heaters w/ FVIR had left hand threads.


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

Up north here John wood used left hand threaded thermocouple from 2003-2007 before they got wise again.

As to the question at hand I install and service the commercial tanks never had an issue with them that the others don't have normally the module or flame sensor/ sparker.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I don't get near as many calls on the cheese-heads anymore. It seemed like everyone that checked out had a leaking tank before. I've had a couple of calls on the new models, but both times the problems were installation related. Too many elbows on the exhaust and intake lines.


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## Graysonplumber (Sep 14, 2011)

Hello, has anyone in texas been having problems with ao smith water heater flame going out after 10 min of burning. I have installed new theracouplen/pilot assembly and new gas control valve, cleaned air intake,ck vent for proper draw. Any other ideas would be helpful and yes good gas flow. ty


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

The "Hammer" will be here soon to answer your questions. 

Wait for it....


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

He sounds legit...he just needs to post us an intro.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

The "Hammer" still asks for an intro though.


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## Graysonplumber (Sep 14, 2011)

ok intro plumbing 15 years, journeyman from TX J-43389. first time on this site worked in tons water heater just AO makes me wanna beat my head on wall.


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

I've installed 4.3 million AO Smiths without a single issue. Gotta be installer error.

Welcome to the zone.


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## Graysonplumber (Sep 14, 2011)

ya me 3 other companys all installer errors ao gives u run around on ambiant temp not to exceed 115f or thermacouplen fails ya, need real responce ty


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

You need to clean the crappy ceramic vent in the bottom of the unit better. For the ao smiths I use compressed air. If it hads alot of scale it is undersized and should be repplaced with a bigger shiner water heater. Also check to see if it is venting properly.


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## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

PlungerJockey said:


> You need to clean the crappy ceramic vent in the bottom of the unit better. For the ao smiths I use compressed air. If it hads alot of scale it is undersized and should be repplaced with a bigger shiner water heater. Also check to see if it is venting properly.


My guy at supply house gave me a vacuum attachment that is made to fit under the A.O. Where the plastic mesh screen is.... I take off thermocouple/ignitor/pilot panel and vacuum in ther also then put the hose on the outlet of the shop vac and blow it in flue and in very bottom then vacuum once more .


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

Graysonplumber said:


> ya me 3 other companys all installer errors ao gives u run around on ambiant temp not to exceed 115f or thermacouplen fails ya, need real responce ty


 Where is the placement of the water heater? Closet, small mechanical room? What is the water column at start up, during ignition, and how long does it take to get back to the original water column after the unit is at full fire? Does the house itself have a negative or positive pressure?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*exactly how old ???*

If the unit is less than 3 years old,
you are basically fighting a whilrpool heater
with the Smith thermocoupling on it.....

The idiots at A.O.Smith have somehow got it into their minds that
the air intake on a whirlpool heater is the best 
design on the market, cause they went to useing
that design about two years ago.. 
this picture was taken in 2010..:blink::blink:

 smith 40 gal gas


the only way to win is to simply remove the
looking glass and see if it fires up and stays lit from 
there.... 

 its probably just clogged up underneath the unit
and their is no way to clean it properly......


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Master Mark said:


> If the unit is less than 3 years old,
> you are basically fighting a whilrpool heater
> with the Smith thermocoupling on it.....
> 
> ...


Don't you just love how they made it so you can't vacuum it out anymore without cutting the filter and removing some steel?


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

My self I carry nitrogen on board, makes for damn easy cleaning with compressed air...plus it's inert.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*you just gotta love them....*



Plumber Jim said:


> Don't you just love how they made it so you can't vacuum it out anymore without cutting the filter and removing some steel?


The people at Smith 
must be some how slow or retarted..
to adapt their water heaters to a design that has 
already had a class action law suit slapped on it..

they seem to last longer before failure, only because they are useing that special thermocoupling... but eventually they will have enough complaints to warrant a class action lawsuit on them........

...

the only thing I guess that is good about tis whole debacle is they are gonna make a lot of service work for everyone.....:yes::yes:


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## #1 n the #2 Biz (Sep 22, 2011)

If you are in tx and during the summer when it is 115* outside just think of what it is in the attic it simply could be that it is getting to hot and suffocating it's air intake to test this simply crack the attic access and let it run if this does solve the problem then you need to add a exhaust fan with a small duct running to a soffet in the roof and place by the bottom of the heater for fresh air intake 

Hope this helps


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