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

**clovis** · 01-31-2008, 03:11 AM

The reasons I originally chose the stupid Whirlpool:

1. Our local plumbing supply house was closed. They carried AO Smith at the time.
2. I remember thinking: "Well, if its got the Whirlpool name on it, it has to be a decent unit."
3. I was forced to borrow a truck to get the unit home, and Lowes was the closest.

I wish now that I would have waited 2 more days until the plumbers supply had opened.

Clove

MG · 01-31-2008, 04:32 AM

Well guess what...pilot light went out and won't stay lit again.

I'm guessing it is the crapola gas valve - I hope.

If it isn't I'll be putting in a new one from some other company.

**clovis** · 01-31-2008, 09:22 AM

I had the problem with water temps spiking.

Funny that they took my word for changing out the valve. As tough and misleading as they were, I am surprise that it was as easy as telling them on the phone.

I PM you with the rep I spoke to.

clove

MG · 01-31-2008, 10:03 AM

Spoke w/an actual person in America today...got a new gas valve installed and it fired right up. Now lets see if the damn pilot light stays lit after it finishes its initial heating cycle.

MG · 02-01-2008, 06:38 AM

So far so good...but it still bites that you end up replacing all the functional parts of the heater to get it to work.

I will have to get better with flushing it out - there was a bit of sediment build up and that is a problem for the probe on the gas valve assembly. It clogs up with sediment and doesn't read the temperature correctly.

**master plumber mark** · 02-01-2008, 07:24 AM

the only way to be sure it will survive is to
give it more air.....

how you do this is for you to figure out...

MG · 02-01-2008, 08:15 AM

When it is warmer here I'll likely take a day to disconnect it from the piping, put a pan underneath, and raise it up on blocks a few inches. The screen wasn't overly dirty like the ones you've posted pics of.

BTW - that gas valve is available at Low*s. The manifold kit however, is not.

The sign I wrote all over was replaced with a new one.

**clovis** · 02-01-2008, 10:51 AM

If you are going to that much trouble, why not try to get an RA for your unit, or kindly ask lowes to return it for a new one?
Clove

**master plumber mark** · 02-01-2008, 11:23 AM

no offence meant here, but
you got to be nuts to go to all that trouble...

all that heater is going to do is break your heart

if that thermostat is a left hand threaded to the threromcoupling, its just a matter of time before it
bites you in the butt again.......

I know,......

a guy has got to do ,
what a guy has got to do

good luck.....

MG · 02-01-2008, 12:13 PM

The thermocouple on the upgrade kit is a right hand thread that goes into the adapter (that is left hand threaded) which is connected to the reset switch.

Now whether this is bullshiznit or not I do not know, but the technical support guy I spoke with at WP told me yesterday that because they went to the right hand threaded ones you can replace them with a standard thermocouple. If that is the case those are available all over.

For now I have it working...and they ate the cost so that's going to have to do.

(I'm not trying to be argumentative - just passing along what I've learned).

Hey - what should I barbecue? I made some great chicken the other night that I put homemade mango / habanero jelly on after it was grilled. Sweet and spicy.

**Cass** · 02-01-2008, 01:55 PM

Not if it goes to a reset button because... standard thermocouples don't have reset buttons.

Maybe they have a replacement thermocouple for this "new and improved" one and that is what they were talking about.

Maybe you should stock up on thermocouples so you will be ready when it needs replacing.

**master plumber mark** · 02-01-2008, 05:25 PM

we have one of the new ones in my shop....

thenew problem with themis not the thermostat anymore,
or the thermocoupling....

it is the thermal re=set fuse you have to push
when it overheats...

and it does overheat when the flame does not get
enough air in the mixture to burn properly.

at Lowes, they dont sell the thermal fuses....

Technically yes --it is an improvement...

but anything is an improvemnt when you
are upgradeing on a piece of junk to begin with...

http://www.weilhammerplumbing.com/galleryiii/

**Bald Eagle** · 02-01-2008, 05:53 PM

The thermal resets can go bad I'll bet, do you know if they sell them at low*s?

**clovis** · 02-01-2008, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by MG

The thermocouple on the upgrade kit is a right hand thread that goes into the adapter (that is left hand threaded) which is connected to the reset switch.

Now whether this is bullshiznit or not I do not know, but the technical support guy I spoke with at WP told me yesterday that because they went to the right hand threaded ones you can replace them with a standard thermocouple. If that is the case those are available all over.

For now I have it working...and they ate the cost so that's going to have to do.

(I'm not trying to be argumentative - just passing along what I've learned).

Hey - what should I barbecue? I made some great chicken the other night that I put homemade mango / habanero jelly on after it was grilled. Sweet and spicy.

My experience shows that the tech reps will tell you anything, whether it is true or not.

They have lied again and again.

Personally, I would not believe anything they said.

Clove

**clovis** · 02-01-2008, 08:11 PM

Now this from my daughter, who says I need to send it to Whirpool:

To Whirlpool:

Liar, Liar.
Too bad your pilot won't hold fire.
Hanging customers from a telephone wire.

Clove