John Wood Power Vent (Non-ENERGY STAR qualified models) - Manual (Page 28)

V) OPERATION
Burner Flames
Inspect the burner flames through the viewport and com-
pare them to the drawings in Figure 26. A properly operat-
ing burner should produce a soft blue flame. Blue tips with
light blue inner cones are satisfactory. The tips of the flame
may have a slight yellow tint. The flame should not be all
yellow or have a sharp blue-orange colour. Contaminated
air may cause an orange coloured flame. Contact a qualified
service technician if the flame is not satisfactory.
Operational Conditions
Condensation
Moisture from the products of combustion condenses on the
tank surface and forms drops of water that may fall onto the
burner or other hot surfaces. This will produce a "sizzling" or
"frying" noise. This condensation is normal and should not
be confused with a leaking tank. Condensation may
increase or decrease at different times of the year. High effi-
cient energy saver water heaters will produce larger
amounts of condensation on initial start-up or when a large
amount of hot water is being used. Do not confuse this with
a "tank leak". Once the water reaches a temperature of
49°C (120°F) and the tank warms up (usually 1-2 hours),
the condensation will stop.
Important: It is always recommended that a suitable drain
pan be installed under the water heater to protect the area
from water damage resulting from condensation, a leaking
tank or piping connections. Refer to "Location
Requirements". Under no circumstances is the manufactur-
er to be held responsible for any water damage in connec-
tion with this water heater.
Water Heater Sounds
During the normal operation of the water heater, sounds or
noises may be heard. These noises are common and may
result from the following:
1.
Normal expansion and contraction of metal parts during
periods of heat-up and cool-down.
2. Condensation causes sizzling and popping within the
burner area and should be considered normal.
3. Sediment buildup in the tank bottom will create varying
amounts of noise and may cause premature tank fail-
ure. Drain and flush the tank as directed under
"Draining and Flushing".
Smoke/Odour
The water heater may give off a small amount of smoke and
odour during the initial start-up of the unit. This is due to the
burning off of oil from metal parts of a new unit and will dis-
appear after a few minutes of operation.
Anode Rod/Water Odour
Each water heater contains at least one anode rod, which
will slowly deplete while protecting the glass-lined tank from
corrosion and prolonging the life of the water heater. Once
the anode is depleted, the tank will start to corrode, eventu-
ally developing a leak. Certain water conditions will cause a
reaction between this rod and the water. The most common
complaint associated with the anode rod is a "rotten egg
smell" produced from the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas
dissolved in the water. Do not remove this rod perma-
nently as it will void any warranties, stated or implied. A
special anode can be ordered if water odour or discoloura-
tion occurs. This rod may reduce, if not eliminate, water
odour problems. The water supply system may require
special filtration equipment from water conditioning compa-
ny to successfully eliminate all water odour problems.
Artificially softened water is exceedingly corrosive because
the process substitutes sodium ions for magnesium and cal-
cium ions. The use of a water softener may decrease the life
of the water heater tank. The anode rod should be inspect-
ed every year. If the rod is more than 50% depleted, the
anode rod should be replaced. See “Anode Rod
Replacement” in the Maintenance section of this manual.
VI) MAINTENANCE
Draining and Flushing
It is recommended that the tank be drained and flushed
every 6 months to remove sediment that may build up dur-
ing operation. The water heater should be drained if being
shut down during freezing temperatures. To drain the tank,
perform the following steps:
1.
Turn off the gas to the water heater at the manual gas
shut-off valve.
2. Turn off the electrical supply to the water heater.
3. Close the cold-water inlet valve.
4. Open a nearby hot-water faucet.
5. Connect a hose to the drain valve and terminate it to an
adequate drain.
Note: The drain hose should be rated for at least 93°C
(200°F). If the drain hose does not have this rating, open the
cold-water inlet valve and a nearby hot-water faucet until
the water is no longer hot.
6.
Open the water heater drain valve and allow all the
water to drain from the tank. Flush the tank with water
as needed to remove sediment.
7. Close the drain valve, refill the tank, and restart the
heater as directed under "Water Heater Operation".
If the water heater is going to be shut down for an extended
period, the drain valve should be left open.
Important: Condensation may occur when refilling the tank
and should not be confused with a tank leak.
– 28 –
CORRECT FLAME
SOFT BLUE
INCORRECT
FLAME LAZY
YELLOW
Figure 26 Flame Characteristics
BLUE TIPS
LIGHT BLUE INNER
CONES ARE SATIS-
FACTORY