Whirlpool Flame Lock water heaters, reviews, troubleshooting, repair and support.

[Hackney plumbing]

Probably because it saves about $600-800 on a crap shoot with a new unit and plumber. (Flip a coin as to which one of the two is the worse gamble.) As long as it can be DIY repaired for free and the frequency is less than once a year, it is manageable, though a PITA when it happens. Honestly, I don't want to have to buy ANY new water heater for a few years because of the control problems that ALL of them are having.

At this point I'm curious as to how long this Unitrol Robert Shaw Valve will last before it fails. For all of the finger pointing about the FVIR's design flaws, that wasn't the problem for me, nor for many/most of the others I've read about in the past year. Instead it was a component shared by most water heater vendors.

Their are differences in fvir design and some are better than others but its best they have a clean air envirrment and thats just not the case most of the time in the real world. This lack of air causes the heater's combustion chamber to over heat and the heater shuts down. Here is my solution to the problem if the heater is installed in its own dedicated closet. I cut an A.C filter grill into the door and install a filter then weather strip the door. yes its a PITA to change the filter but its reliable protection in dirty air enviroments for the new heaters. Lint will cause them all to fail.

[Redwood]

Are you talking about the time and inconvenience of waiting around for a plumber and the follow up inspection? Because I generally can do a repair far more quickly and conveniently, and a hell of a lot cheaper than a plumber can. There are things I have to call a plumber for, and I dread the waste of time, cost, and inconvenience when that happens. ;)

No I'm taking about the time that someone spent:

driving to Lowes to buy a water heater
trying to find a smockman for help
waiting for smock man to close the aisle and take one down off the rack
waiting in a checkout line
driving home with it
moving it into the house
installing it
wondering why they don't have hot water
Trying to relight the water heater
going to Lowes for a left handed thermocouple
find out that they don't have any
go home and call 1-800-Racshids India Help Line
Order the burner enhancement kit
wait for the kit to arrive
install the kit when it arrived
be very greatful that you have hot water again after almost a week of putzing around
oops spoke to early its out again
call Rashid again
order the gas valve
wait for the gas valve
install the gas valve when it arrives
hope to hell it works
every morning wake up and wonder "Is the water heater still working"


All this because some dumbazz incompetent engineer can't design a good product...

[Hackney plumbing]

When I get a cold tank call I ask the brand and if its gas fired or electric. If gas I ask the make,model and serial number. If its a whirlpool theres no worry as I have a case of the left handed thermocouples and that will get them by until we can get the proper parts delivered under the warranty. So I make two service calls out of the deal and the customer gets HOT WATER again with little wait. Sure it costs them money but i didn't install it so its not my fault. I know plenty of people who will gamble with repair a few times before they shell out 1,000 for a new one. I always advise that whirlpool has had problems and I believe they are inferior to a couple other brands but none of them are perfect. Bradford does have a large screen but I have seen them fail also in dirty enviroments.

[master plumber mark]

you need to add to that long list of reasons..

another good reason.....

sitting on line waiting to get to talk to someone over in INDIA about your problems.... and getting the parts to repair them sent to your home in 4 days...


...

[Hillbilly Man]

Hot Dang!
This is gittin ta be like the good ol times when my cousin Southern Man useta hang out here.
He wuz an enginear too.

[curlysir]

you need to add to that long list of reasons..

another good reason.....

sitting on line waiting to get to talk to someone over in INDIA about your problems.... and getting the parts to repair them sent to your home in 4 days...


...


I got my parts overnight at no cost. I would not have bought the water heater if I I known the problems. But, now that I have it I am not going to throw it away because it is not the best WH around. It worked for almost 18 months without a problem and is working now with the new parts.

I will replace it when it is out of warranty or when it starts failing more often.

I could afford a new WH but I don't like to waste money either.

[Hackney plumbing]

I got my parts overnight at no cost. I would not have bought the water heater if I I known the problems. But, now that I have it I am not going to throw it away because it is not the best WH around. It worked for almost 18 months without a problem and is working now with the new parts.

I will replace it when it is out of warranty or when it starts failing more often.

I could afford a new WH but I don't like to waste money either.

make sure you clean the metal screen in the bottom out very well. Also make sure you install the filter around the bottom and clean it often depending on how dirty it gets. the replacement part has a resetable limit switch. Goodluck!

[curlysir]

make sure you clean the metal screen in the bottom out very well. Also make sure you install the filter around the bottom and clean it often depending on how dirty it gets. the replacement part has a resetable limit switch. Goodluck!

The screen was clean. And the filter around the bottom did not have a lot of crud on it. I am not defending the Water Heater. It has design problems for sure, but I also am not going to throw money away either. When it does become a major pain in the rear it will be gone for sure. I like hot water and will not spend a lot of money on a bad design. I also have the old gas valve from my previous heater in case I need it.

[Torry]

f you have a Whirlpool Flame Lock Water heater (like model FG1F4040S3NOV I own) you are no doubt aware of the class action suit (Bowen, et al v. Whirlpool Corp., et al) whose deadline just passed. If you went to www.waterheatersettlement.com, downloaded, printed, filled out and mailed in the claim from - I think there’s a better way!

My thermocouple (the part that needed repeated replacement and probably the reason for the lawsuit) just burned out recently and its about the 6th time. But this time when I went out to buy a new one guess what? They don’t sell them any more! So I called Whirlpool’s toll-free number and the recording mentioned www.flamelocksupport.com where you can request that they ship you the flame lock replacement kit (Whirlpool calls it a “Flame Lock Enhancement Kit“) for free. Yes, I said FREE! If you don’t need it right away UPS Ground is even FREE! Those of you that want it shipped faster they offer UPS 2nd Day and UPS Next Day shipping, and you only pay for the shipping.

Parking Sensor (http://www.backup-sensor.com)

I'm finding it hilarious that neither website is active... I've received and installed my second free conversion kit from Lowes... saving up for a Rheem.

[Torry]

I've learned to immediately demand the "Recall Replacement Kit" to get my free new assembly from Lowes but I have no idea how to go about getting this replacement/auxilary'add-on filter that I'm supposed to wrap around the bottom of this dog.

[Torry]

I'm on my second free kit and am saving up for a real water heater. I have to agree that it is rather ridiculous that a manufacturer of a gas-fueled product is so casual about rank amateurs installing these replacement kits. ... it doesn't help that their provided connectors will not stand up to the repeated installations.

[Torry]

I have read this thread from front-to-back and want to thank everyone for all their info and input.

There will NOT be another Whirlpool water heater in my home .... as soon as I save up for the replacement...

Until then, I will be haunting Lowes to demand a SPARE replacement kit so that I will have one on hand for the next failure. It took visits and calls to three stores to track one kit down and I supposedly got their last remaining kit.

[curlysir]

I have read this thread from front-to-back and want to thank everyone for all their info and input.

There will NOT be another Whirlpool water heater in my home .... as soon as I save up for the replacement...

Until then, I will be haunting Lowes to demand a SPARE replacement kit so that I will have one on hand for the next failure. It took visits and calls to three stores to track one kit down and I supposedly got their last remaining kit.

It is not just Whirlpool, It is also American Standard, U.S. Craftmaster and several others brands made by the same company. Same Water Heater just with different names on them.

[Superdave]

Just battled my first, amazingly got it to start back up.

the bottom screen wasn't too dirty but i cleaned it anyways, main problem is that the pilot light went out and wouldn't re-light.


I'm not even going to mess with repairs at this point, just going to pick up a new 50 gallon at Home Depot. What brand do you guys suggest?


BTW, my model number was FG1HS040T3NV. It's a shame because it looks amazingly new. (purchased in 2002 by previous home owner). It always sounded like water was leaking on the burner when it ran though.. i just hoped it was condensation. :)

[Tim in Fort Worth]

Since it was my e-mail to Terry that launched this thread I feel an obligation to inform everyone that Water Heater Zero assumed room temperature a few months ago. The pilot light went out and I ended up going through my entire stash of replacement TCs that Whirlpool sent me free of charge including shipping because I refused to pay. Since it's not likely that a new TC is bad, let alone several of them I think it supports the theory that there are multiple causes of failure for this water heater. I looked for a Bradford White replacement but soon discovered that they were only available through plumbers. I ended up getting a GE from HD because I'm pretty much a DIY guy and couldn't justify the cost to have a plumber install it. So far so good. We'll see how it goes.

But I have to say, Terry, this thread has been one hell of a ride! 100,000+ views and counting. I've never seen a thread with that many views. All the posts that begin along the lines of, "If I had only read this thread before..." are only half the story. No telling how many people you never heard from who read the thread first and were saved the hassle and frustration. Not to mention the other professional plumbers who found it and hopefully put a kid through college because of it. Or the lawyers who used it at a resource for their cases. And even the Whirlpool people who cringed at the thought of this thread but followed it anyway because the just couldn't look away. This place is probably the number one resource on the Internet about the Whirlpool flamelock water heater. You might even have enough material here for a book. And don't sell the movie rights cheap. I'm even beginning to think it will be a bitter-sweet day when the last Whirlpool flamelock water heater in existence gets tossed onto the lawn of Whirlpool's CEO. One of them should probably be saved for a museum exhibit. Again, Terry great job with this thread. You've done a great service for a lot of people, and it will probably be useful for several more years.

[Superdave]

Mine was replaced yesterday with a nice new 12yr GE unit from Home Depot.


I flipped my old one on it's side just to verify that the screen wasn't clogged and it was as clean as can be. There was a decent amount of sediment in the tank, it actually had a hard time draining. I did make sure to yank out the igniter for use in a potato cannon at a later date. :)


Oh well, it's on it's way to be recycled and my wife and kids have nothing to complain about for a while.




Thanks for all the info guys

[vtxdude]

I was in Lowes tonight and one thing that caught my eye is that they are promoting that the water heaters now come with a standard right turn thermo coupling?

[Verhouze]

Please tell me it isn't so. I had one installed yesterday and this thread is freaking me out. Are some models less likely to have the problems? My model number is American Proline UG6150T403N

[Redwood]

Well the newer ones won't have the one time thermocouple problem but....

You have the California special Low-NOx version somehow I don't anticipate good things but it is different than most of the ones in this thread.

[Verhouze]

Well, your answer is some relief. I just want to know at this point it is not dangerous. I am no spring chicken and can't run fast. LOL. Not funny really. The fact it doesn't have the same thermocouple is a relief but it does have the same filter underneath.

Do you know what kind of problems go wrong with this model?

[Redwood]

Basically it just shuts of and doesn't turn on again.

[Verhouze]

Thanks! Do you know about this particular model?

[jimbo]

You have the California special Low-NOx version somehow I don't anticipate good things but it is different than most of the ones in this thread.

To the best of my knowledge, residential heaters up to 50 gallon are produced as a 50 state model, in other they ALL are low nox compliant. Commercial water heaters are still made in "regular" and "lo nox".

NOW, if you are in certain counties in CA ( SCAQMD and BAAQMD air quality management districts) you must get the ULTRA LOW NOX version, and pay heavy premium price for those puppies~!

[Redwood]

Jimbo, the one he has is the SCAQMD and BAAQMD air quality management districts approved version. It's still got the same air inlet on the bottom that is susceptible to clogging with lint and dust among the other problems the BFG units face.

[Verhouze]

Do you happen to know what the "among other problems" are?

[Building Chief]

I have 432 apartments with gas water heaters and American Water heaters are by far the worst. Although Rheem/Richmond are becoming a clear second. Contrary to what some are posting they are not much better as we have had some fail after only 2 - 3 years. The safety device inside them is a small temperture sensitive burst vial which Rheem does not consider a replaceable part if it fails they want you to return the water heater to them so they can see why. After having to pull a couple of these It's easy to see why. The screen is smaller than an American's and is only accessable from the inside of the unit which makes it hard to clean properly as all of the accumulated dirt and lint is under the screen and unreachable. To make matters worse the screen is covered in the oil they use when they stamp the screen and acts as an effective dust magnet. We have had conversations with Rheem regarding this and they think there's no problem with it. We have started cleaning the screens with solvents prior to installation to see if this will extend the life of these heaters. Only time will tell...

[Redwood]

I have 432 apartments with gas water heaters and American Water heaters are by far the worst. Although Rheem/Richmond are becoming a clear second. Contrary to what some are posting they are not much better as we have had some fail after only 2 - 3 years. The safety device inside them is a small temperture sensitive burst vial which Rheem does not consider a replaceable part if it fails they want you to return the water heater to them so they can see why. After having to pull a couple of these It's easy to see why. The screen is smaller than an American's and is only accessable from the inside of the unit which makes it hard to clean properly as all of the accumulated dirt and lint is under the screen and unreachable. To make matters worse the screen is covered in the oil they use when they stamp the screen and acts as an effective dust magnet. We have had conversations with Rheem regarding this and they think there's no problem with it. We have started cleaning the screens with solvents prior to installation to see if this will extend the life of these heaters. Only time will tell...

That's why I say Bradford White...

[Redwood]

Do you happen to know what the "among other problems" are?

36 Pages of reading right here...

[dteed4094]

Based on my observations, disconnecting the switch will not affect the normal operation of the water heater. The problem is that you are back to the original problem of low air flow and burning out the thermocouple. If you have the switch connected, it should prevent the thermocouple from burning out. Since the thermal switch is resettable it seems preferable to let it pop instead of replacing a thermocouple that is now about $15.



I haven't tried keeping the manifold door loose, because I don't want the entire assembly to be able to rattle around. Probably wouldn't hurt anything, but since I am working with natural gas I don't want to risk doing something that might cause the connections to start leaking. Since the switch is nothing more than a fuse for a fuse, there is no reason to bypass it until it craps out and Whirlpool wants to sell you a new manifold door assembly. If you bypass it, you are back to replacing the thermocouple on a regular basis.

The thermocouple adapter is the key to the whole operation here. I have never bought a thermocouple before I got this water heater, so I don't know how many different ones there are. But I remember the first time I went to Lowe's after it burned out the first time they pointed me to a "standard" thermocouple that had standard threads before I told them it was a Whirlpool Flame Lock water heater. I don't know how much cheaper, if at all a standard thermocouple is. But if it's just a few bucks then it's still cheaper than paying shipping for a new manifold assembly or $15 for the reverse threaded thermocouple.

In regards to the window, as I stated earlier the window is larger and lets in a lot more air. The flow is so strong that the pilot light really flickers. I was worried it might go out so I put some folded metal window screen over it and that calmed down the pilot flame.



That was my theory when I popped out the smaller, round glass a year and a half ago. At that time I also considered attaching a hose to the hole and running it under the house where there is a constant draft that would feed air into the space under the water heater. The square hole is too big for that.



I'm not a licensed plumber, and I wouldn't advise anyone to do it, either. But trust me. "Someone" has popped that glass out and made it more like the old style gas heaters. That's the only reason I think I got a year and a half out of the last thermocouple. Based on everything I have read about the problems associated with the Whirlpool Flame Lock system, it seems that a lot of people are replacing them every few months. If this one lasts a year and a half before popping that resettable switch the new manifold assembly should be good until the warranty expires. I've got 5 years left on the warranty, so using 1.5 years as the guide the thermal switch should pop 3 times before the warranty expires.

I can understand the concern with flammable vapors in proximity to gas water heaters, especially for those installed in garages where paints, solvents and gasoline are also stored. But my water heater is in the house, in it's own closet. The only flammable vaporous liquid in the house is a couple of bottles of rubbing alcohol, and they are 20' away from the water heater. I've got a keg of Blue Dot Smokeless Powder that is closer to the water heater than the alcohol (yes, it's in a different room and stored properly).

Edit: On a whim I Googled these heaters to find out about the class action law suit that is in the works. Here's the link to the search results. There are four returns, including one to this thread:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22class+action%22%2C%22against+whirlpool%22%2C% 22flame+lock%22&btnG=Google+Search

I read the Consumer Affairs articles, and noticing that one of the people quoted lived near me I called him. It seems that he figured out the trick about removing the viewing window, too. He also told me something that was very interesting because it conflicts with the advice being given by Whirlpool about cleaning the filters. The city where he lives has a code requirement that when you replace a water heater you have to put a catch pan under it. The catch pan is about 3" deep, which makes cleaning the bottom of the screen impossible unless you disconnect every single connection on the water heater and lift it out of the pan for cleaning. He also told me that he asked a manager at Lowes how many of the thermocouples they had sold. The manager told him that they sold 40 of them in 3 months. One store. He calculated it out for that store for a year, then for the number of stores in Texas, then for all the Lowes in the United States. The $$ figure he got was in the neighborhood of $10,000,000 at $15 per part.

For those interested, the class action lawsuit against Whirlpool and AWHC in California is set for August of this year. If it succeeds it will spread across the country.

I've done everything including connecting the thermo switch wires. I have also tested the thermocouples and they aren't fried. Pounding on the control valve with my hand seems to extend the time between re lights which I have done (relight) 6 times in as many hours. Sometimes I can get it to stay lit 3 or 4 days. I've been doing this pretty much since the tank was new. This is why I replaced the tank in the first place. They have sent me a new control valve but from everything I've read that is a waste of time also. Maybe the best thing to do is just sue as an individual. There has to be some compensation for all the parts and work I've done on these POS heaters for the past 10 years not to mention the inconvenience of myself and my family. going to try leaving the sensor end of the coupler outside and heat it with a bunsen burner. Just for giggles.

[Verhouze]

Yes, thank you. I read about all I could read.

I am just going to have to trust my plumber. I am not in a position to make changes now.

[whdettmer]

A three month old whirpool flame lock water heater has developed the shut off problem. I installed a new control valve sent out by whirlpool. I then replaced the thermocouple. I noticed that the galvanized steel part that holds the thermocouple appeared to be damaged. It looked like the zinc plating on the nut and the bracket has been burnt off. If the base of the thermocouple gets hot, like hot enough to damage the zinc coating on the part that holds the base of the thermocouple, could that heat at the base reduce the temperature differential between the top and bottom of the thermocouple and temporarily reduce the output which would cause shut down? Has anyone measured thermocouple output during heating cycle when shut down occurs? My guess is that the combustion chamber is too hot around the base of the thermocouple.
Also is there a test to determine if the filter is clean enough? Thanks

[JimD]

Thanks Terry, Redwood, etc. You saved me from becoming another victim. I have a tip for you pro's. (This is not for the inexperienced).
I used a 1.5v battery and 1 or 2 diodes in series (1N4000, 1N4001 1amp are about .65v to .7v at 100mA). So 1.5v - .7v = .8v etc.
I touched the lead for about 1/2 sec to the valve and could here it "click" .Good. Then like you, I checked the voltage and current output
from the hot thermocouple. At that point I was confident that everything would work, so put it all back together. It has worked ok for 20
years. This was a furnace burner but similar to your HW burner. Hope this helps you.
Thanks again for your priceless information.

[DIYGurl]

I got a new gas water heater installed last night. They quoted a Rheem, but when the installer came out he said the quoter thought it was a tankless and he suggested a Whirlpool. I've had good luck with Whirlpool appliances in the past, so I said OK. But I woke up in the middle of the night nervous about the way it happened and wanted to check on rebate and tax credit potential... I googled the model number ( Whirlpool UG1H5040T3NV ) -- needless to say, I was horrified!

Finally at 4am after searching, I decided that I would cancel the check this morning and ask for a different water heater. I called the plumber to discuss and and he was emphatic that this is a very good water heater and he stands by it. I mentioned the law suit and he said he remembered the problem a couple of years ago (was even contracted for the mass repair work by Whirlpool), but that Whirlpool redesigned the unit to now use a "burner assembly" which is like a coil, not a flame (is this true?) and that he hasn't had a problem with them any longer. He offered to double his labor warranty (to 2 years) and said that if I have any problems with it he'll swap it for a unit of my choosing.

I was worried that I got some old inventory, but I checked and they are still selling this model at Lowes.

I feel like I have a "time bomb of hassle" ticking in my house... Next time I will do my research beforehand now that I know about terrylove.com.

I will wave some chicken bones over the warranty registration form before I send it in...

Any other guidance welcome. Thanks for this thread. Too bad I didn't see it sooner.

[bigbuck576]

Hey I'm a plumber in Shreveport, La and from experience i can say that the air intake screen should be cleaned but does the heater have the black filter screen that goes around the heater??

[Runs with bison]

Whirledpooh still working fine well over a year after replacing the gas control valve/thermostat...for free. The real culprit on many of these is the gas control valve/thermostat. (See Curlysir's document about this manufacturer's defect earlier in the thread.) Unfortunately, other manufacturers often share the same Unitrol Robert Shaw valve arrangement (hecho en Mexico) and it has been problematic. So while you can get a better combustion air intake design from a competitor, you might still be saddled with the same poorly manufactured controls.

[curlysir]

This thread just will not fade away. Haven't been here in a while but it is still alive. I still have the old control valve from my old hot water installed and running in my hot water heater. Has been a year since the original control valve failed, have the replacement they sent me but can't really see the need to replace it as the old control valve just keeps on working. The valve was in service about 10 years before I replaced the heater and stripped it for parts, usually don't do that but am glad I did. I know I lose the "safety feature" of the heat sensor but it is not any worse then what it was with the old heater and it was a direct screw in replacement, no modification required. This does lend some credibility to the control valve/thermostat being a big part of the problem.

[junkzoo]

Well, add me to the long list of unhappy Whirlpool Flamelocker's. Tho i suppose i was lucky and had this beast for only 4 yrs b4 the infamous pilot loss problem appeared .Tho i DID have to return the first one i bought,, after lugging it downstairs only to find it musta got dropped from 10 feet and left a huge dent in the tank's body,, with no sign of any such damage on the outer cardboard box, and lug it back up the stairs, drive another hrs roundtrip , to find they did not have a replacement and had to wait 3-4 days to make the run back to get it.

Noticed hot water waning yesterday, and checked it out,, found the pilot out, and relit it,, thought it might have been a one time thing(or a t-couple acting up) and checked on it through the evening. Yup, it went out a few more times, removed the silly lil dust ring from the bottom, and since the new ones are sealed up pretty well (compared to the old school ones) i went along with the thinking that maybe combustion air might be part or all of the problem. left the ring off over night, and found i had hot water (and the pilot still it) in the am. So that sorta confirmed my thinking (I'm a industrial electrical tech, so t-shooting is kind of my forte') Thinking i was on the right track, i assumed(you all know what happens when that is done) my wife would have hot water when she goe home from working midnites as a ER nurse this morning. Well, she had "sorta" hot water, and of course the pilot went out since i checked a few hrs prior. Got all needed info off the heater and starting my search online for a new t-couple(It's a LP use one, so i figured my only chance of finding one would be either at my local hardware store, and not "up north" where LP is not the norm.) And during my search i find all the sites regarding this water heater, and happy and sad when i learned of many many problems like mine. For whatever reason , i lucked out since this is the first time w/ a problem in 4-5 yrs of having this unit. I DID try to blow out the screen from below (on the floor w/ no blocks to raise it higher) and relit, but that did not help at all. So,,, looks like cleaning the screen/flame trap is my next move,,and then what? dunno. if that does not fix things, then a t-couple is probably the next action. You folks think /know that i would have much luck finding a replacement t-couple at my local True Value type stores, or am i stuck with going online to the e-stores that carry parts and/or Whirlpool itself? Of course in this situation, you want it fixed NOW , vs. when you have to order one and wait for the brown truck to bring it x amount of days later.

Also, do i have any recourse with maybe getting money reimbursed from Whirlpool over this, even after the class action lawsuit is long over?

Glad i found this forum, and like i said happy AND sad i found a direct discussion regarding this problem,

Thanks you guys!(and gals i guess)

[junkzoo]

Hey I'm a plumber in Shreveport, La and from experience i can say that the air intake screen should be cleaned but does the heater have the black filter screen that goes around the heater??

As stated in my 1st post above this one, i removed the black "filter" ring (would prob only stop the biggest of dust bunnies IMO) last evening and the pilot stayed on overnite, longer than prev attempts prior to doing so. BUT it DID go out (with ring removed) after i confirmed in the morning it was stil lit, a few hrs later.
IMO, it does not appear to be the kind of filter to do a real good job it trapping anything since it's not much of a filter ,so to speak it's prob just a kneejerk reaction to Whirlpool's problem with this unit back when it first came out. Do i re-install it? likely. do i hold any faith that it does any good? NOPE.

Well, other than looking up a new t-couple , i guees i better get busy pulling the combustion ring unit, and get to cleaning/blowing thing out b4 i commit to getting/trying a new t-couple.

[junkzoo]

Well, did a good blow out/vacuum/clean of the Flame Lock screen, (was not covered or clogged at all, but i'm assuming there might have been some stuff in the openings) and nothing much else more to it.
The pilot has been on now for 6-7 hrs since, but that is not saying i'm out of the woods yet:rolleyes:

I'm hoping i was just one of the lucky ones (probably a small group, right? ;) ) that got lucky with a screen cleaning (but like i said, there was probably very little there) and i might be good to go, and will need to clean/check this a few times a yrs from now on.

Since it's been running w/out a problem since 2-15-06 til yesterday, even one more flame out of the pilot is gonna put me back in my bad :mad: mood, and back in the larger club of hating and regretting they bought this tub of crap.

[curlysir]

Well, did a good blow out/vacuum/clean of the Flame Lock screen, (was not covered or clogged at all, but i'm assuming there might have been some stuff in the openings) and nothing much else more to it.
The pilot has been on now for 6-7 hrs since, but that is not saying i'm out of the woods yet:rolleyes:

I'm hoping i was just one of the lucky ones (probably a small group, right? ;) ) that got lucky with a screen cleaning (but like i said, there was probably very little there) and i might be good to go, and will need to clean/check this a few times a yrs from now on.

Since it's been running w/out a problem since 2-15-06 til yesterday, even one more flame out of the pilot is gonna put me back in my bad :mad: mood, and back in the larger club of hating and regretting they bought this tub of crap.

If you will go back and read most of this thread you will see that it is more then likely not your thermocouple causing the problem, it is the control valve assembly. What you describe are the classic symptoms of the valve failing. You may be able to limp alone for a short period by replacing the thermocouple and the other things but the control valve will fail shortly. The manufacture should replace it under warranty, they even paid the freight for me and would have sent someone out to install it if I wanted it.

[junkzoo]

If you will go back and read most of this thread you will see that it is more then likely not your thermocouple causing the problem, it is the control valve assembly. What you describe are the classic symptoms of the valve failing. You may be able to limp alone for a short period by replacing the thermocouple and the other things but the control valve will fail shortly. The manufacture should replace it under warranty, they even paid the freight for me and would have sent someone out to install it if I wanted it.
Thanks,
Looks like things are NOT ok with my problems, since i just 5 minutes ago checked on it (after i ran a load of clothes in the washer) and the pilot was out , but the hot water lines were pretty warm, so it just must have gone out. So i looks like i'll be needing a control valve replacement. I'll call the number listed on the unit in the morning ,unless you folks know of a "better" number to call to help things along (No i don't mean a different maker of water heater LOL ,, well , maybe not right now but perhaps later :rolleyes: , if this does not take care of things)

Thanks for all your help here, i REALLY appreciate it! :D

[junkzoo]

Latest and not surpising to you here, I called Whirlpools' number and shockingly did not get India, but a nice sounding Southern gal, who did ok with helping me out. Well , sorta. Told my short story, told her i wanted a new control valve sent out to me, since it was determined by the consenus here, and by a "professional" i fibbed and told her i called. Was on hold for only a surprising 5 minutes, and she came back telling me , with what i told her, it sounded like i needed a new "improved" burner assembly etc, w/ resetable overtemp. bla bla bla. Mentioned i RATHER cut out the waste of time for both of us, and get a control valve but i soon shut up and went along playing the game here. So it'll be here overnite,and prob means i install it, find out it did not solve anything , get back on the phone w/ Swirlpool, chew them out sorta nicely , get a control valve sent to me and hopefully get things moving b4 i lose a few days with the weekend coming up around then since i don't think i'll be getting anything overnited during the weekend, but i dunno.

I had done a few things outdoors today, and figured i needed to assume the position laying down @ the water heater and babysit it a few cycles of relighting the pilot and laying there until the flame/burner shuts off and repeat a few times to get enough 1/2 way warm water to possibly take a quick/warm shower. Did so, but after about the 4th short cycle of flame, i could not get the pilot to "seal" in... was this maybe due to a overtemp condition? or is the dang thing just failing worse? Ended up taking a birdbath over the basement laundry tub, so i got a lil cleaned up after the outside chores here.

It went from maybe getting 6-7 hrs overnight staying lit/heated up, to maybe 5 minutes of burner time to the end of me trying just now, to not getting the pilot to stay on.

Is this still a sign of a bad control valve?
Also got the wheels rolling w/ the wife in telling her what might happen here is we cut our losses and time spent messing with this tube of crud,and look for a new one (and RESEARCH it b4 we buy one) if a burner or a control valve maybe after the burner does not fix things.

Thanks

[Rcutlass70]

I'm am new to this forum and have read most of the thread here on Whirlpool. I do have a question based on what I have read.

I am in need of a new water heater. Currently mine is 16 years old and the dip tube is starting to deteriorate. Rather than replace it, I think it would probably be wise to just replace the water heater. According to this thread and several others, Bradford White seems to be the heater of choice. The problem is that it is not available in my area. Most plumbers in the area install State water heaters. My question is: Is State a reliable brand heater or does it fall into the same category as Whirlpool, Kenmore?

[Redwood]

Here is the water heater "Hall of Shame"

Water Heater Hall of Shame Click Here To Enter (http://www.aosmith.com/OperatingUnits/Detail.aspx?id=138)

[curlysir]

I'm am new to this forum and have read most of the thread here on Whirlpool. I do have a question based on what I have read.

I am in need of a new water heater. Currently mine is 16 years old and the dip tube is starting to deteriorate. Rather than replace it, I think it would probably be wise to just replace the water heater. According to this thread and several others, Bradford White seems to be the heater of choice. The problem is that it is not available in my area. Most plumbers in the area install State water heaters. My question is: Is State a reliable brand heater or does it fall into the same category as Whirlpool, Kenmore?

Bradford White is probably the best, but it does appear as if the problem has quieted down quiet a bit lately. The problem was with a part on the control valve that failed over time. It may be that the problem is somewhat resolved with an updated conrol valve. I am currently running mine with the old contol valve out of the hot water heater I replaced. It had been in service for 10 years or more, so at one time they did use good control valves.

State is made by the same company as Whirpool, American and others.

[MACPLUMB 777]

I got a call from a friend of mine from work last night his american pro-line water heater

stopped heating going over on sat. When his new parts come in to retro fit his

water heater and see if i can get him back up and running

[cmcramer]

Thanks to all for this very informative discussion. To summarize my sad story... pilot light won't stay lit; installed free thermocouple kit from Lowes; pilot lit still won't stay lit; free Gas Valve on the way from Whilpool help line. Hope this fixes it. I had two difficulties installing replacement thermocouple kit. 1) manifold tube-to-to gas valve is left handed, thermocouple-to-gas valve is left handed. orifice-to-manifold door assembly is left handed, but pilot tube-to-gas valve is right handed ! YIKES! Carelessly, I stripped the thermocouple-to-gas valve pretty good - up inside the gas valve itself - so now I'm not getting a good firm, tight connection with the replacement thermocouple. I realize this may have prevented new thermocouple from functioning properly.....but I asked for a new gas valve anyway... I'll be more careful with installing the new TC and its left-to-right adapter. Second issue is unresolved and I could use some advice: The one piece, 'break-away' ferrule/nut for installing pilot tube to gas valve did not clamp down firm enough - gas leak! I tightened ferrule/nut so tight I was stripping its outer hex part - had the proper open end wrench, too! An earlier post here suggests that I jammed pilot tube TOO TIGHT up into ferrule/nut, leaving no space for expansion of tube as nut tightened onto it. Remedy was to hold back pilot tube 1/16" to provide some slack. Since I don't want to ruin this unique looking ferrule/nut....and I don't know how many times it can be re-tightened - Does this remedy make sense to you more experienced plumber-types? Many thanks.

[JessiB2010]

Although I agree that these heaters are total junk, the Flame Lock system (with the filter on the bottom) Is actually a safety mechanism. If there was to be a fire caused by flammable vapors, that vent prevents it from spreading, hence the name "Flame Lock". And just like your car, obviously, if you don't keep your air filter clean, this product is not going to be able to function properly. It's in the manual. And like any man made machine, something is going to fail. It's inevitable. There are only two working parts to these machines to begin with, and I mean really, I know what it's like to be without hot water, it sucks, but people act like it's the end of the world. It could definitely be worse.

[JessiB2010]

Whirlpool's lawsuit was settled in their favor. The unit was found to be functioning as it should, and the court papers stated that they were not to provide free shpping or labor to have it installed. Call Whirlpool and ask. :)

[WYGK]

I was told by a saleman at Lowes that the Whirlpool was a "piece of shit" (his words, not mine), but that they had done a major redesign and claimed the flaws were fixed. He said, unfortunately, they didn't have any data on the new model, and of course the bad reviews for the older models will be around for years.

Does anyone know anything about the supposed redesign?

[Techjunkie]

I have an FG************ model American Water Heater Company Flame Guard 50 gallon heater, installed by Keyspan in 2004. From what I've read here (I'll admit to not reading all 37 pages of this thread) AMC makes the despised Whirlpool unit this thread is about and the similarities between my unit and the one discussed here are enough that for the sake of argument, we can assume my unit is the same as the Whirlpool.

Several days ago, my family woke up to no hot water. I was able to relight the pilot and the unit started up but failed again later that evening. After several days and increasingly frequent restarts, I called the manufacturer today and they're sending me a new thermocouple. In the meantime, my family would like to avoid cold showers tomorrow morning and in researching the problem, I found this thread.

In prep for the thermocouple replacement, I scrubbed the vent thing at the bottom from inside and out with a toothbrush, but did not find it to be clogged. (Surprising, considering it's been 7 years without a cleaning.) I reassembled the unit with the original thermocouple in place and started it again. It shut off, pilot and all rather quickly.

When I lit the pilot and started it again, I noticed through the view port that the large flame from the burner was engulfing the pilot, starter, and thermocouple. I had never looked before, so I don't know if that's normal or not.

It seems counterintuitive to me to design it that way intentionally, but maybe the tolerances of the thermocouple are so great that being constantly submerged in normal burner flame is not hot enough for it to trip the safety shut off, but out-of-control heat/flame is.

To the point of this post... Using the gas control valve outside the heater, I restricted flow to the heater's control valve by turning the supply valve to half-off while looking through the viewport. This reduced the diameter of the burner flame to about 80% or normal to the effect of the thermocouple no longer being submerged in flame. Since then, the burner has cycled on and off properly several times, the pilot staying lit each time. We've had two showers and run the dishwasher and everything appears to be operating as usual.

Most importantly, is this interim solution safe?

Secondary to that, is the thermocouple the source of the problem as I was advised by AWC, or is the burner flame as I described it not in normal operation, in which case I can expect to burn out another thermocouple? (Meaning the thermocouple is doing it's job as intended 'cause the burner is running too hot.)

Does the flame engulfing the thermocouple, pilot and starter indicate that a gas pressure regulator needs to be replaced, or is that normal?

Thanks!

[MACPLUMB 777]

the gas regulater is built into the gas valve,
so the whole gas valve needs to be changed
the thermocouple is there to prove pilot flame so you don't have the main gas valve open unless there is a pilot there to light it !

[delta2185]

I have owned a Flame Lock (flame Guard) FG model since 2005. shortly after purchasing the water heater, I had to replace one thermocouple with the LH thread and thermal fuse. Fixed the problem. Flawless for almost six years(surprising after reading other owners testimonials). Just a short while ago, the second thermocouple finally went. I did some research, only to find nothing but trash talk about my water heater from every source on the planet. It was a bit disheartening. I also learned of the class action suit, and of the enhancement kit. I went to the whirlpool water heater site, and filled out the online contact form, and explained my problem followed by Serial number, product number, and model number. I received a response by the next morning, and here it is copied and pasted straight from my email.

Thank you for your email. We do however regret to hear that you have had
some problems with the pilot light on your hot water heater.
A new enhancement kit has been shipped to you via UPS and you will
receive the parts on Monday if UPS runs in your area on Monday. A
tracking number will be sent to your email as well.
There is a website you can go to for a video on how to install the kit.
It is www.hotwater101.com. If you have any questions please fell free to
contact us by phone at 1-877-817-6750. We do not pay any labor to
install the parts.

I was never asked to pay for anything, not even the shipping, they just sent it out to me. I was a bit surprised, especially after reading about so much heartache and headache associated with this problem. So, from my personal experience, I believe that whirlpool wants to help fix models with their name on it. I am sorry that others have not been helped the same as I have though, and thus leading to a horrible experience with their heaters and with whirlpool.

[Joe Hafford]

I have a Whirlpool Model. No. FG1F404053PV LP 40Gal. heater. Was made aware of the thermo couple problem via US mail after settlement of the lawsuit and got a replacement resetable thermo couple. It failed this afternoon as my daughter was taking a shower and the unlighted heater proceeded to fill the house with gas. When I got through to Whirlpool to tell them about the failure, the lady proceeded to tell me that I should call the local gas company about it. I asked her if the proper thing to do was to stand back, call the local propane dealer and watch my house blow up. Didn't faze her. I said put yourself in my place. What if it was your house? Nothing. I will replace this dangerous piece of crap at my own expence, but I will be the first to sign on to any suits regarding this. Someone is going to die or has died because of this calous attitude. Property is going to be lost. I pray that the record of my call is kept intact. It will prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that Whirlpool is negligent.

[master plumber mark]

I have a Whirlpool Model. No. FG1F404053PV LP 40Gal. heater. Was made aware of the thermo couple problem via US mail after settlement of the lawsuit and got a replacement resetable thermo couple. It failed this afternoon as my daughter was taking a shower and the unlighted heater proceeded to fill the house with gas. When I got through to Whirlpool to tell them about the failure, the lady proceeded to tell me that I should call the local gas company about it. I asked her if the proper thing to do was to stand back, call the local propane dealer and watch my house blow up. Didn't faze her. I said put yourself in my place. What if it was your house? Nothing. I will replace this dangerous piece of crap at my own expence, but I will be the first to sign on to any suits regarding this. Someone is going to die or has died because of this calous attitude. Property is going to be lost. I pray that the record of my call is kept intact. It will prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that Whirlpool is negligent.


You are 100% correct about this and you are lucky that something very , very ...bad did not happen......

Did Whirlpool actually sent you out parts to repair your PROPANE gas heater?? And did you do the change outs on your heater or did you have a plumber do the change over for you.???
I ask this because the Plumber should have known better...


You should NEVER let anyone mess with an older Propane gas water heater.... it is just too dangerous if the old gas valve acts up...

we never fool with them, and when someone wants us to repair some older unit...you cannot even buy the replacement gas valves for a decent price. they dont even wnt to sell them to us and most places dont even keep them in stock....
....so we attempt to sell them a new one.

Whirlpool will have blood on their hands eventually sending out replacement parts directly to home owners to install themselves.... .. .


get that junk out of your home before you really have something to cry over.....


whirlpoolwaterheaterrepair.com

[jadnashua]

For those that may not know, the way propane and natural gas react when leaking are quite different and present different problems. Natural gas normally has no odor, so they put that distinctive one in it so you can smell it if it does leak. Then, natural gas is (at room temperature) normally a gas that is lighter than air, so it rises. If you have a leak, it will rise up to the highest point and then, if it can't escape, fill from the top down.

But, propane is normally stored at high pressure and is generally a liquid until it is released and the pressure drops. And, it is heavier than air. When it leaks, it will fill a room from the bottom up. So, say your water heater was in the basement - the entire basement could be full of propane gas, and none of it would have yet reached the upper levels, so you may not know it. Give it a spark at the right concentrations and the basement blows up, taking the house with it.

Not to say that natural gas isn't dangerous too, but because it rises, you are more likely to smell it and take corrective action. But, if the house IS tight, and it filled from the top down, since most spark sources (like a pilot light, or furnace or other device with a pilot or an ignitor) are likely in the basement or at least on the lower floor, you may have more of the house full of gas before it ignites. Instead of blowing the basement up and taking the house with it, it blows the roof off and the walls out. I guess, neither is likely to allow the house to still stand.

FYI, similar to a smoke detector, there are gas detectors available that can warn you at the first signs of a gas leak. Something to consider when you have gas appliances in the home. First, you're not always home, and then, depending on the type, you may not notice until it has reached a dangerous level.

[master plumber mark]

dont know how many of you have seen the new version of this old pig yet... I had to go out and re-pipe the unit in for a customer this morning....

they have incorporated a honeywell--icon gas valve on the new unit... I do not know whether it is identicle to the ICON valve or not.... I actually like the valve better than what Bradford has on their product becasue the instructions are clearly on the unit...
but I feel that this is going to turn into a service mans worst nightmare...

they still have the same hi-limit switch,
it appears they are useing a larger piolit light tube than bradford does,

the one thing that they have failed to change is the air intake underneath the unit,,,
you can see it through the glass of this picture...
I think the screen wrapped around the bottom of it is totally retarted...

well, have they improved the unit or not?? http://onsmartpages.com/weilhammerplumbingco/nss-folder/pictures/Photo460.jpg
I dont think so, but even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while....

[master plumber mark]

http://onsmartpages.com/weilhammerplumbingco/nss-folder/pictures/Photo460.jpg

[Reese]

I have a model# ND40T62-403 Flame Lock purchased 7-10-11 and it has the same problem with not staying lighted. After seeing numerous posts on the internet about the same problem, I calle Whirlpool today and was told that this model didn't have that problem and that he would be glad to explain to me the misinformation that was on the internet regarding these units! I need no explanation. It's the same problem. Can you suggest to me a quality LP hot water heater that won't break my bank account? Thank you and I'm am enjoying your website. So informative.

[Terry]

I normally go with either Bradford White or Rheem.

I notice the picture of the Whirlpool above has a plastic drain. I don't see that with the heaters I'm installing.

[Whirlpoolwaterheaterhelp]

I would love to help you get back into hot water. Can you contact me directly so I can help?
www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/help
Thanks ~ Chris
American Water Heater, authorized licensee for Whirlpool Water Heaters

[Reese]

In reading the posts and on the net, it says that the heaters sold in the big box stores are of a lower quality than would be sold elsewhere. If that's true then I should purchase either of the 2 you suggested through a plumber? Is that how you would suggest I go? You are after all the expert and I just want to get the hot water flowing continually.

[Reese]

Thank you for your offer to help but honestly, I think it's time to pack this one out of the house and move another brand in but thank you again for your offer to help.

[Texian]

MP Mark,
Thanks for your info about the screen. I replaced the thermocouple (for about the 8th time), pilot would not stay on. Cleaned the screen (after calling Whirlpool, again, and giving them another piece of my mind...not a whole lot left to give) after reading your very good advice and the pilot stayed on. Wife happy and I'm proud to know that you guys are out there.
PS We bought this water heater in 09/2002 after having hardly any trouble with our original 30 gallon water heater manufactured in circa 1960. I agree with you about the morons and the hazards of this unit.

[master plumber mark]

I would love to help you get back into hot water. Can you contact me directly so I can help?
www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/help (http://www.whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/help)
Thanks ~ Chris
American Water Heater, authorized licensee for Whirlpool Water Heaters

looks like the " Dummies at Whirlpool"
have finally taken notice of this thread..

I doubt this fellows name is Chris...
better odds its some indian name like Rahma.. or Bagwan

I am getting a few calls a week from all over the USA on this junk..

the new one they have made looks very nice but I would wager that they
did not put any R+D into the design before they massed produced it and dumped it on
the consumers in this country........ I would give teh new unit about a year
and all hell with start breaking loose ...again......

To the folks at Whilrpool... R+D stands for "research and development"
...you are supposed to test your product for long time in real world situations
before you sell the product....to the public.......

you are supposed to pass UL rateings and antsi standards which I highly doubt
you have done with this new product......
IMHO. you probably "bought a waiver" from the government and they let you slide
on passing the UL and antsi regualtions... ..

dont worry Whirlpool,
we have been repairing this junk and dealing with your screw-ups since 2001.

I dont mind doing it for another decade because its pretty good money..
so keep up the good work....
;);)

[Runs with bison]

It has been nearly two and a half years since I replaced the gas valve/thermostat and thermocouple on mine (fully reimbursed by Lowe's) and it is still running. Reports of the problem have faded away so it looks like the Unitrol/Robert Shaw gas valve manufacturing problem has been resolved. (Note that this same gas valve was on the Rheem's at the time and I saw some reports of the same problem developing with them.) Thanks to Curlysir for providing the documentation that confirmed my suspicions about the source of the problem.

[master plumber mark]

It has been nearly two and a half years since I replaced the gas valve/thermostat and thermocouple on mine (fully reimbursed by Lowe's) and it is still running. Reports of the problem have faded away so it looks like the Unitrol/Robert Shaw gas valve manufacturing problem has been resolved. (Note that this same gas valve was on the Rheem's at the time and I saw some reports of the same problem developing with them.) Thanks to Curlysir for providing the documentation that confirmed my suspicions about the source of the problem.

I disagree with you about this.....
we are still getting on average about 2 calls a week on
whirlpool water heaters in Indiaiapolis... most are 2008-10 units....

I get a lot of folks call me from all over the usa for free advice...
when they do a search they find whirlpoolwaterheaterrepair.com...
on average the heaters range from 1-3 years old when they break down..

the new unit with the honeywell thermostat is going to be the next hurdle
and I am wondering how long they will work ??

any one wanting to make a wager?

[Runs with bison]

I would expect those calls, since the gas valve problem was resolved in the 2009 timeframe. So factor in that "new" units with the old thermostat would probably still be installed as late as 2010 even, and the reality that many of them would run a year or more before failing. And the Rheems had the same gas valve other than a different color knob on the gas valve.

The significant change is that the replacement gas valves from mid-2009 on for the Unitrol/Robert Shaw appear to be holding up. Although frustrating as the failure is, the parts can be had for free and it is a DIY level job.

Don't know on the Honeywell. Only time will tell.

[hj]

If you are referring to the ""I-Con" control, it has to be the biggest POS ever made. My Bradford White dealer cannot keep enough parts on hand to handle all the warranty parts needed on a daily basis. There are four parts that can cause problems and you often have to replace them one at a time until you find the problem. Often, the supply house will not have all four, and we have to shop his other branches to get all the parts, then spend a couple of hours servicing it.

[master plumber mark]

If you are referring to the ""I-Con" control, it has to be the biggest POS ever made. My Bradford White dealer cannot keep enough parts on hand to handle all the warranty parts needed on a daily basis. There are four parts that can cause problems and you often have to replace them one at a time until you find the problem. Often, the supply house will not have all four, and we have to shop his other branches to get all the parts, then spend a couple of hours servicing it.

HJ... so how are you doing??

It appears you have had the same difficulties that I have run into with the ICON valve.
perhaps even worse than me.... and now the Whirlpool has basically the same ICON honeywell
gas valve on their units.........

we do not like to install them because just to get them to light it is a crap shoot
and we have fought a few of them for 15 minutes..

I am keeping a complete valve assembly in my truck cause I know its just easier
to change out the whole valve and thermopile at one time over trying to trouble shoot
one of them for half a day.....


we only trust RHEEM ....
and they appear to be keeping things simple so far....

[master plumber mark]

Here is a new complaint from consumer affairs on the new styleWhirlpool water heater, its like the " honeywell icon one" I have pictured in a few post back it looks like the next wave of troubles is about to begin....

they are going to be pulling their hair out over in India trying to explain to the customer how to re-set this Icon valve and clean the burner assembly of lint,

....its hard enough for me to fool with the Honeywell ICON valve..let alone having a home owner attempt to replace one... the valve is nothing but trouble waiting to happen

I think that this is gonna be another huge disaster...... once their are about half a million of them out there going bad.


this is gonna be fun to watch them scramble.....again.

I wonder if you can you have a second class action lawsuit on the same product

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/whirlpool_water_heaters.htmlI purchased a 50 Gal. Whirlpool gas water heater on Saturday, 12/31 to replace a 20-yr old unit that had failed. The unit was installed that day and it started right up but I noticed the burner had gone out about an hour later and the status light indicated FV Sensor Lockout. I tried calling Whirlpool but their customer service was closed. I tried troubleshooting myself using manuals and Internet forums without success. Everything I could find indicated that an FV Sensor failure could not be repaired and would require replacement parts. I called Lowe's and was told they could not help me and I would need to talk to Whirlpool.I called Whirlpool again Sunday, 1/1, but they were closed again for the Holiday. I called two plumbers and both told me that the Whirlpool units were problematic and that if they did come out, there would be little they could do except charge me a lot of money and recommend parts to order as Whirlpool does not let them stock parts. Both plumbers also suggested that I consider buying another brand.So I went to Home Depot and purchased another brand with similar specs. I installed it that day and it fired up right away and has been running fine ever since.I talked to Whirlpool on Monday, 1/2, and they told me they would not issue an RMA for a unit that they considered usable. They also told me there was an FV Sensor reset procedure that they would have walked me through had I been able to talk to them that would have bypassed the sensor until a replacement could be installed. I told them that if they would publish this procedure in their manuals or on the Internet, I would have certainly done that. I'm now fighting with both Whirlpool and Lowe's to get a resolution to this problem. I'm not sure about other Whirlpool products but their Water heaters seem to be very problematic.Ads by Google (http://www.google.com/url?ct=abg&q=https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/request.py%3Fcontact%3Dabg_afc%26url%3Dhttp://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/whirlpool_water_heaters.html%26hl%3Den%26client%3D ca-pub-0200629403145096%26adU%3DWhirlpool.JustAnswer.com% 26adT%3DAsk%2Ba%2BWhirlpool%2BTech.%26adU%3DShopCo mpare.net%26adT%3DTop%2B5%2BWater%2BHeater%26adU%3 Dwww.AngiesList.com%26adT%3DAngie%26%2339%3Bs%2BLi st%2BDoctors%26adU%3Dwww.ConsumerReports.org%26adT %3DBuying%2BA%2BMicrowave%2BOven%3F%26gl%3DUS&usg=AFQjCNHlhS8nJfN78aNXMjgfwCT2NftEkw)

[wibble]

The FG1F3030S3NOV that my father installed in August '04 finally conked out with the classic deep-fried thermocouple. Imagine my surprise and horror after googling the model number and finding this thread! I had no idea that the "Whirlpool" water heaters were (a) not really made by Whirlpool in the first place, and (b) were a true vortex of suck. It figures that it would have a bizarre, fused left-handed thermocouple, just to make things aggravating and turn a $7 thermocouple replacement into a $35+shipping manifold replacement.

Not wanting to replace the whole tank (knowing that he's planning to get a tankless unit when he returns this summer anyway), I went ahead and ordered the kit. As the tank is out of warranty, no free kit. At least my phone call didn't go to India - but they should either ditch the voice recognition or set it up so it can recognize touch tones so you can just key in the serial number. They provided a new burner orifice in the package, so I didn't have to wrestle with getting the old one out. I vacuumed out the screen with a brush attachment, and the installation went smoothly (though the thick rubber gasket and the tight quarters where the heater is installed made it tricky to get the bolts in).

Once I turned on the gas and double-checked for leaks, the pilot light fired right up and stayed lit. The burner lit up just fine once I turned it on, and additional triple-checking showed no leaks. Overall, it took me about an hour to get it going again.

Judging from the troubles people have been having with these units, I'm amazed we got over 7 years out of it before any problems occurred. I don't recall him ever vacuuming the flame screen, and I wasn't even aware of it until I got room-temperature water out of the tap. The only thing I can figure is that, since it was in an alcove off the kitchen instead of the laundry room, it was a bit less prone to clogging.