hot water problems can anyone offer advice

[kalika]

Hi i have got a problem with my instant gas water heater on my narrowboat and was wondering if anyone can help me figure out the problem ,the pilot light stays on and the water flows through although it is not flow right it kind of gulps the gas fires up although only half way even when the thermostat is right up so the water is just slightly warm then after about a minute sometimes less the gas goes out and i have the run out of my shower to puy the pilot on again and the turn it on again ,there is also a funny smell but it has been like that before this problem and it worked ok although for the last few weeks before this the flames inside were too big so i had to turn the thermo down now its the opposite there too small and then the whole things shuts out after a minute ,anyone got any ideas its not an empty water tank or flat batteries the cold water works fine and when the thermostat is down cold water runs through the heater fine any help or advice would be most welcome

[RobinJ]

it worked ok although for the last few weeks before this the flames inside were too big so i had to turn the thermo down now its the opposite there too small and then the whole things shuts out after a minute ,anyone got any ideas its not an empty water tank or flat batteries the cold water works fine and when the thermostat is down cold water runs through the heater fine any help or advice would be most welcome

You don't say what type of heater it is?

When was the thing last serviced, burner cleaned etc.?

It may just need a good overhaul, but sounds as though the gas valve may have been damaged by frost?

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

try turning the thermostat down. check the wiring to the temperature sensor on the chimney

[Arthur Marshall]

Sounds like the thermocouple's gone. Some of them have two sensors, one at the bottom to see if the pilot is alight and one at the top to see if it's overheating. If the top one's gone, the pilot stays on but the burner won't - I had this. Sometimes it's just dirty or slipped into the wrong place. You can fit them yourself but it's tricky...

[alan_fincher]

AS nobody has said it........

 

Please be aware that if it is not firing up properly, and particularly if you end up with flames that are anything other than mostly blue, and the hot gasses and fumes going out the roof, then it could be a major heath risk.

 

The "funny smell" thing is worrying, and should not be ignored m- although you can't actually smell carbon monoxide - the biggest risk, if not performing right.

 

Please note if it is a Morco, (or similar, I think), then neither of the controls on the front is actually a "thermostat", as you are describing it. The one that adjusts how hot the water is, does not in any way work a thermostat itself, it simply controls how long water is in the heat exchanger, by restricting the flow, to keep it there longer, or increasing the flow, so the water spends less time in the heat exchanger. So turned to one side you should get lots of water, but not that hot, to the other side, much hotter, but less of it - that's actually how they are supposed to work.

 

That control IMO, should not be affecting how big the flames are - they should remain "normal size", and only the rate of water flow should be changing.

 

My strong advice is that if it is burning wrong, or you get smells you shouldn't, get someone in to look at it. It could be not doing you a heap of good, in my view.

[claudia]

Sounds like you have a heat exchanger problem and its kicking out on the over heat stat.