Rheem Power Vent Water Heater Troubleshooting

Rheem has a consistent track of receiving top ratings and awards for their products. The company is also one of the best-selling brands when it comes to water heaters in America. Their Power Vent model has a range of features that include a Guardian System (an air/fuel shut-off system that offers double protection and is maintenance free), a Flammable Vapor Detection Sensor (a protective control system that disables the heater when it senses flammable vapor accumulation) and others such as being environmentally friendly, high altitude compliant and cost saving.

Although Rheem products are built with quality and stability in mind, this doesn’t mean owning one will leave you problem free. Even the most expensive brands in the water heater market are prone to minor issues. This is what this article is all about: addressing all the issues you might encounter with your Rheem Power Vent water heater. This way, you know just what to do when you’re faced with a specific problem.

Knowing How To Troubleshoot Your Rheem Power Vent Water Heater

You can save time and money when you know how to fix simple issues with your Rheem Power Vent water heater. Yes, you can always call a professional for help but simple issues like the water not being too hot can be resolved without having to place a call for professional services. Knowing how to fix common issues with the Rheem Power Vent saves you money that you can use for more important needs.

Important Reminders Before Troubleshooting

Make sure to turn the water heater off when you need to remove protective cover.

Make sure to label all wires so that you won’t run into any trouble when servicing controls. Errors in wiring can lead to improper and dangerous operation. Although you’ve labeled the wires, always make sure to verify proper operation after servicing.

Never try to attempt repair of gas piping, gas control, burners, vent connectors or any other safety devices. The repair of these devices should always be done by a qualified service personnel.

Common Issues And Their Solutions

1: You hear a rumbling noise.
This can be caused by scale and sediment. To see if this is the case, drain the water heater so you can remove scale and sediment from the tank. Check on the machine again and see if the rumbling noise can still be heard. If not, the issue was really with the scale and sediment. If it wasn’t, that’s when you call a professional to see what else may be causing your heater to rumble.

2: The relief valve is making a popping noise or is draining.
The buildup of pressure caused by the thermal expansion to a closed system is the likely cause for this issue. This is one of those problems where you need to call in assistance straightaway because this is not an acceptable condition for your heater to be in. If this is the problem you’re facing, get in touch with a water supplier or plumbing contractor so they can correct the issue. Also, don’t plug the relief valve outlet.

3: There isn’t enough hot water or there is no hot water at all.
There can be so many reasons for this happening and the most likely ones are listed below along with their solutions:

The water usage has exceeded the capacity of the water heater. When this happens, try and wait for the heater to recover. The machine may have experienced an abnormal demand and is no longer functioning as designed. Allowing it to rest for a bit can restore it back to its original strength.

There is low gas pressure. Try to check your gas supply pressure and manifold pressure.

The gas control may be set too low. Take a look at your thermostat to see if the water temperature setting of your heater is not set too low. Try adjusting it to see if that solves the problem.

There are leaking or open hot water faucets. Make sure that all the faucets are closed.

There are check valve error codes. Your Rheem Power Vent water heater comes with a manual and in it are gas valve LED codes that you can refer to. Take note of the error code displayed and check what it means on your manual. From there, you will know what the probable cause of the error code is and how to fix it.

The switch may have been turned off. Sometimes, the reason for the problem might be very simple: the switch for the heater has been turned off. Whether by accident or someone simply forgot to turn it back on, these things happen. This is why you should exhaust all possible causes before calling in help because you never know that a problem could be as easy to fix as this. So if you find that the switch is off, simply turn it on again and see if the hot water supply is back to its normal delivery.

The blower is unplugged. Plug the blower back in then verify power supply (this is 120VAC).

The Combustion Shutoff System has been tripped. This is an issue that is best solved by a professional. So when this is the case, call in a Qualified Service Technician to deal with the issue.

4: The water is too hot.
There are two likely reasons for this happening and they are outlined below along with their solutions.

The gas control is set too high. The solution to this problem might be as simple as changing the water temperature settings on your heater. Try doing that to see if the heat level of the water is to your liking. If not, you may have to call in a technician to sort out the problem.

The gas control is defective. When the gas control is defective, you should immediately call a qualified service technician to get the thermostat replaced.

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