American Water Heater Company - Craftmaster - Whirlpool Water Heater - DEFECTIVE - Page 3 - Plumbing Zone

DUNBAR PLUMBING · 11-14-2009, 06:18 PM

HIRE A LICENSED PLUMBING CONTRACTOR TO WORK ON FVIR RATED WATER HEATERS

Here's a crucial statement involving those bottom fed air intakes:

When have you ever seen a water heater lay completely flat on a concrete surface? Even though they put that skirting around the unit, when that screen begins to clog it will automatically pull from the uneven surface the water heater is sitting on.

I cannot begin to count how many water heaters I had to shim to get plumb and level, just for the professionalism point of view. I always use flat copper shims made from copper pipe.

If that floor is 3/8" out from left to right, that intake screen is useless. An instant reason for the water heater mfg. to throw blame to another situation that would hinder its ability to perform.

However, why would any water heater mfg. take that risk, losing thousands in product (parts) knowing this probability can happen when it isn't their fault. Meaning, they made the water heater, not the crooked floor it sits on.

I can see the safety benefit of FVIR but why isn't anyone saying a word about a gas dryer in the same room, hot surface ignitor serving as a source of ignition and no one is saying a word about it? Something is flawed with that because it also serves as a source of ignition.

Pipedoc · 11-14-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plumber Jim

I have not had a problem with teh bradfords clogging but believe it's a matter of time. How do you go about cleaning the bradford white flame arrestors?

Compressed air. But I don't believe it is blowing it all out of the space in the bottom of the heater through the vent openings in the jacket. I don't know for sure 'cause I can't see the bottom of the arrestor.

Pipedoc · 11-14-2009, 07:50 PM

One other thing I'd like to add to all of this.

I fully expect to see further changes from every manufacturer out there. Yes, some systems are better than others but they all have their own pros and cons and I don't believe any brand out there today has a system that will stand the test of time. Tooling and assembly production changes along with all of the r&d that proceeds it is very costly and doesn't just happen overnight. Look at how long it took to get 1.6 gallon toilets that flushed worth a damn.

Protech · 11-18-2009, 12:27 AM

I don't know about you but most of my gas heaters sit in a pan that is pretty flat. I've not had any problems with the screens on the American heaters I'm putting in. I've been installing that brand for a little over 2 years now and haven't had any callbacks on them (I have warranties on them and my magnet is stuck in a conspicuous location on the heater)

Here are some pics of an install I did today with one

Quote:

Originally Posted by DUNBAR PLUMBING

HIRE A LICENSED PLUMBING CONTRACTOR TO WORK ON FVIR RATED WATER HEATERS

Here's a crucial statement involving those bottom fed air intakes:

When have you ever seen a water heater lay completely flat on a concrete surface? Even though they put that skirting around the unit, when that screen begins to clog it will automatically pull from the uneven surface the water heater is sitting on.

I cannot begin to count how many water heaters I had to shim to get plumb and level, just for the professionalism point of view. I always use flat copper shims made from copper pipe.

If that floor is 3/8" out from left to right, that intake screen is useless. An instant reason for the water heater mfg. to throw blame to another situation that would hinder its ability to perform.

However, why would any water heater mfg. take that risk, losing thousands in product (parts) knowing this probability can happen when it isn't their fault. Meaning, they made the water heater, not the crooked floor it sits on.

I can see the safety benefit of FVIR but why isn't anyone saying a word about a gas dryer in the same room, hot surface ignitor serving as a source of ignition and no one is saying a word about it? Something is flawed with that because it also serves as a source of ignition.

TheMaster · 11-18-2009, 12:46 AM

The dryer doesn't turn on by itself and they do not have a standing pilot anymore.

TheMaster · 11-18-2009, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

I don't know about you but most of my gas heaters sit in a pan that is pretty flat. I've not had any problems with the screens on the American heaters I'm putting in. I've been installing that brand for a little over 2 years now and haven't had any callbacks on them (I have warranties on them and my magnet is stuck in a conspicuous location on the heater)

Here are some pics of an install I did today with one

That water heater looks just like a whirlpool.

Protech · 11-18-2009, 12:47 AM

uhh, what? were did that come from??

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMaster

The dryer doesn't turn on by itself and they do not have a standing pilot anymore.

TheMaster · 11-18-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

uhh, what? were did that come from??

Dont you read the posts you quote? Read dunbars post you quoted,last paragraph.

I like that homemade vent pipe too!

Protech · 11-18-2009, 12:56 AM

Oh, ok. I see what you mean about the dryer thing now.
Homemade vent pipe? It's a type b swivel elbow wrapped in aluminum tape. How is that "homemade"?

TheMaster · 11-18-2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

Oh, ok. I see what you mean about the dryer thing now.
Homemade vent pipe? It's a type b swivel elbow wrapped in aluminum tape. How is that "homemade"?

Why would you wrap it with tape? Are you sure its not single wall?

11-14-2009, 06:18 PM	#21
DUNBAR PLUMBING www.DunbarPlumbing.com Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NORTHERN KENTUCKY - GREATER CINCINNATI AREA Posts: 4,495 My Photos	HIRE A LICENSED PLUMBING CONTRACTOR TO WORK ON FVIR RATED WATER HEATERS Here's a crucial statement involving those bottom fed air intakes: When have you ever seen a water heater lay completely flat on a concrete surface? Even though they put that skirting around the unit, when that screen begins to clog it will automatically pull from the uneven surface the water heater is sitting on. I cannot begin to count how many water heaters I had to shim to get plumb and level, just for the professionalism point of view. I always use flat copper shims made from copper pipe. If that floor is 3/8" out from left to right, that intake screen is useless. An instant reason for the water heater mfg. to throw blame to another situation that would hinder its ability to perform. However, why would any water heater mfg. take that risk, losing thousands in product (parts) knowing this probability can happen when it isn't their fault. Meaning, they made the water heater, not the crooked floor it sits on. I can see the safety benefit of FVIR but why isn't anyone saying a word about a gas dryer in the same room, hot surface ignitor serving as a source of ignition and no one is saying a word about it? Something is flawed with that because it also serves as a source of ignition. __________________ Northern Kentucky Plumbers *\|YOUTUBE VIDEOS\| Twitter Feed \| DUNBAR PLUMBING FAN PAGE*

11-14-2009, 07:50 PM	#23
Pipedoc Trust me. I'm a doctor. Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 929 My Photos	One other thing I'd like to add to all of this. I fully expect to see further changes from every manufacturer out there. Yes, some systems are better than others but they all have their own pros and cons and I don't believe any brand out there today has a system that will stand the test of time. Tooling and assembly production changes along with all of the r&d that proceeds it is very costly and doesn't just happen overnight. Look at how long it took to get 1.6 gallon toilets that flushed worth a damn. __________________ My proposal for a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution. "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States."

11-18-2009, 12:56 AM	#29
Protech ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Polk County, Florida Posts: 7,167 My Photos	Oh, ok. I see what you mean about the dryer thing now. Homemade vent pipe? It's a type b swivel elbow wrapped in aluminum tape. How is that "homemade"? __________________ Plumber, Repiping, Replumbing, Leak Detection, Solar Water Heater, Drain Cleaner, Pipe Leak, Polk County Plumber, Lakeland Plumber, Winter Haven Plumber, Haines City Plumber, Bartow Plumber

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11-18-2009, 12:46 AM	#25
TheMaster Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 6,437 My Photos	The dryer doesn't turn on by itself and they do not have a standing pilot anymore.