The automatic gas water heater does not turn on. DIY repair

The gas water heater does not turn on: reasons

The failure of the gas water heater can be associated with both external factors (for example, mechanical damage), and with disruptions in the operation of individual components of the column. The most common problem faced by the owners of gas water heating equipment is the refusal of the device to work when the water is turned on. Why doesn't the speaker turn on? There may be several reasons.

So, the gas water heater may not turn on when water is supplied due to:

Low water pressure. This is the most common reason. You can check the pressure by opening any cold water supply tap.
Clogged pipeline. Low water pressure can be caused by blockages in the pipes. In order to fix the problem, you should contact the ZhEK. It is the ZhEK who must monitor the health of the water supply lines.
Malfunctions of the water intake unit of the gas equipment. We are talking here about a mesh filter and a membrane, which are located at the inlet of the water unit. The filter can be both mechanically damaged and clogged with lime deposits.

In addition, the ignition of the column may not turn on due to insufficient ventilation draft. This can be caused by both a clogged air duct and a ventilation duct. The first malfunction can be eliminated by hand. To do this, you need to dismantle and clean the chimney. The second problem can only be eliminated by specialists.

What to do if the speaker does not turn on

If the failure of the column from work is caused by a low head in the water supply system, then it should be determined whether this is a temporary phenomenon or the pressure in the pipeline decreases systematically.

If the pressure drops in the system are frequent, then you can install a pump in the apartment that increases the water pressure or replace the column with a model that is more suitable for the performance of the water supply system.

There are also models of gas water heaters with a water pressure control lever. Such a model will be useful if the pressure in the tap is good, but not sufficient for the normal functioning of the column. With the help of the lever it will be possible to “adjust” the column to the existing head. Which option to choose depends on the financial capabilities of the owner of the apartment.

The membrane often deforms after 2-3 years of equipment operation. Change the part if it has mechanical damage (for example, breaks), stretched in shape in one direction. The condition of the membrane can be inspected by removing the cover from the water intake unit. It is better to change the rubber membrane to a silicone one: the second one has a longer service life.

To understand how clogged the filter is, you need:

Remove the water intake unit from the equipment case;
Disassemble the block by unscrewing the nuts;
Inspect the filter cells for contamination.

The filter can be cleaned with a strong pressure of water. Before carrying out any repair work, shut off the water and gas supply to the equipment.

The automatic gas water heater does not turn on: troubleshooting

An automatic gas water heater is an equipment in which ignition occurs automatically when the water is turned on. Such speakers work from built-in batteries (batteries, accumulator).

The most common reason for a column to go out of service is a depleted nutrient.

Contrary to the claims of the manufacturers, the life of the nutrients rarely reaches a year: the batteries have to be changed more often. This can be done easily with your own hands.In order to make sure that the batteries or the battery are discharged, you should check the on / off button for serviceability. When choosing batteries, it is better to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

To replace the batteries you need:

Remove the battery container (often located in the lower right side of the speaker) by moving the lower lever and prying the container with your fingers;
Remove the batteries and replace them with new ones, observing the polarity;
Insert the container in its proper place (press in until a characteristic click is obtained);
Return the lever to the same position.

Gas pressure

If the gas column does not ignite when the water is turned on, the reason for this situation may be problems with gas pressure or a complete lack of gas in the system.

In this situation, usually the water pressure is correct, and the piezoelectric element gives a spark. The first thing to do is to check for the presence of gas in the gas pipeline, for this you need to try to turn on the gas stove. If the stove does not turn on either in manual or automatic mode, and the characteristic hiss of the flowing gas is inaudible from the burner, then with a high probability it can be argued that there is no gas in the gas pipeline.

The option when gas does not flow in the gas column in the presence of normal gas flow to other devices and when there is a spark on the piezoelectric element indicates a malfunction of the gas equipment or a clogged gas filter. When the gas column does not ignite when the water is turned on and the ignition system is triggered, it is imperative to check the condition of the gas filter installed in front of the device.

The fact is that the composition of natural gas, the presence of impurities and gas condensate can clog the gas purification filter. As a result, the gas pressure decreases, the igniter does not burn, or the gas safety valve turns off. One of the symptoms of filter contamination may be cases when the device does not light up immediately, or if it turns on, it starts working intermittently at first, and then after a few minutes it picks up the desired mode.

What to do if the gas column does not ignite at low gas pressure or clogged filter? First of all, you need to close the gas supply valve and open the vents for ventilation. Further, you need to inform the gas service about the problem and if this is not a centralized gas shutdown, then call the gas service technician.

The main thing in this case is not to try to make repairs yourself and wait for the arrival of specialists.

The Dion gas column does not ignite: we determine the shortcomings

Both the comfort and the safety of all residents of the house depend on the correct operation of gas equipment. One of the most common causes of fire hazardous situations is the lack of ignition in the column. At the same time, the equipment can turn on, but go out after 2-3 minutes of proper operation. In this case, the problem is most often associated with a lack of sufficient traction.

In addition, the column may not light up if:

The cold water pressure is higher than the hot water pressure. In this case, it will be enough to adjust the thrust force.
Broken ionization sensor. In this case, the column will work after turning on for only a few seconds. At the same time, ignition sparks will go quite often. If the Dion column does not ignite for this reason, the electrode will need to be cleaned.
During operation, the solenoid valve or servomotor has worn out. This breakdown will be signaled by “claps” when the column is turned on. If the column does not start for this reason, then the elements will need to be replaced. You should first clean the ignition wick: the problem may lie in its clogging.

Application and working principle

The main working elements of the gas column are:

gas-burner;
the heat exchanger located above it is a long coiled tube in which the water flowing through it is heated.

Auxiliary units of the gas column include:

Ignition device: it can be electronic (generates a spark in one way or another) or it can be in the form of a pilot burner (igniter or wick), which burns constantly. In old columns, the igniter had to be lit with a match. In modern ones, a piezoelectric element is installed for this, which the user activates by pressing a special button.
Water-gas unit: consists of a membrane connected to each other (installed in the water supply system) and a gas valve (installed in the gas path). As soon as the user opens the tap and water begins to flow through the column, the membrane flexes and opens the gas valve, thus supplying gas to the burner.
Safety automation: consists of several sensors and a special solenoid valve in the gas path to which these sensors are mechanically or electrically connected. If there are deviations in the operation of the column, the corresponding sensor will close the valve, thereby turning off the device. In columns with an igniter, a thermocouple is also connected to this valve, heated by the igniter flame. It is triggered when the pilot burner goes out.

In the "advanced" columns there is also an electronic control module.

What to do if the gas water heater does not turn on when you turn on the water (video)

A gas water heater is a popular water heater, which, like any other, is prone to breakdown. The reasons for the refusal to operate gas water heating equipment are often associated with the wear of the elements of the water intake unit of the column, weak pressure in the water supply system, and the discharge of nutrients. Most of these problems can be eliminated without the involvement of specialists. The main thing is to correctly identify the malfunction and carry out any repair work, having previously turned off the water and gas supply.

Attention, only TODAY!

A flow-through gas heater solves the problem of obtaining warm water both in a city apartment and in a private house. However, like other equipment, the speaker can break. Sometimes it does not light up at all, and the owner should figure out whether it is possible to fix such a breakdown with his own hands or whether it is necessary to contact a specialist.

Why does not it light up

A possible reason for such a malfunction is:

Full discharge of batteries. This problem occurs only with speakers with automatic ignition.
Failure of the piezoelectric element in columns with this type of ignition.
Oxidation of contacts or electrodes in an automatic ignition system.
Lack of draft in the ventilation shaft.
Insufficient water pressure in the water supply system.
Damage to the membrane in the water unit.
Lack of gas supply.

User's manual

Before turning on the gas water heater and starting to use it, you must carefully read the rules for using the device and safety precautions:

When operating gas equipment, only the type of gas recommended by the manufacturer should be used.
When turning on the appliance for the first time, remember that air can accumulate in the pipes, and therefore the burner may not ignite immediately. Therefore, ignition should be performed twice with a short interval between attempts.
Heating parameters are set by turning the regulator located on the device body. At the initial start-up, set the lever to the minimum value and perform a test heating. After it becomes clear that the device is working correctly, you can start testing different temperature regimes incrementally.
In the process of further use, do not forget to change the electric ignition batteries in time and periodically clean the column from scale, carbon deposits and dust.
If there is no draft in the chimney, you cannot turn on the device.
Unlike gas boilers with a closed combustion chamber, the column cannot be left unattended for a long time. This is dictated by fire safety rules and the design features of open-type burners.
Unauthorized disassembly of the device and installation of third-party spare parts is prohibited. Only a service center master or a gas service specialist can repair the columns.

What to do?

Check the condition of the batteries and replace if necessary.
Perform a draft test with a lit match. If there is no flame movement, call the masters to clean the well.
Make sure that the water entering the column has sufficient head. To do this, you need to open the cold water tap, and if the pressure is higher than that from the hot water tap, then the problem is not in the pressure in the water supply. If the water is flowing equally poorly, contact your utility, rinse the filters and clean the pipes.
Check the condition of the membrane by disassembling the water unit. If deformations or cracks are found, replace this part with a new one.
If the column does not ignite because gas does not flow to it, contact the gas service.

The following video outlines one of the reasons why the column may not light up, as well as methods for eliminating this problem.

A gas water heater is a fairly reliable water heating installation. In principle, the column is quite unpretentious in operation and, if handled correctly, works without interruption for a long period.

However, the gas water heater can sometimes fail and the reasons can be very different. They can be associated both with malfunctions in the operation of the components of the gas column itself, and with external factors that are in no way related to the problems of the column. The most common manifestation of problems is the inability to ignite the column. So, if the gas column does not light up, this may be due to the following reasons.

Typical situations and reasons

Lack of traction is the most common reason a speaker won't ignite. The most common reason in this case is that the airway is clogged with something. It is very simple to check the presence of a draft - a lighted match is brought to the socket of the air duct, while the flame should clearly deviate in the direction of the air flow. The air ducts can only be cleaned mechanically.

Insufficient traction can occur due to tightly closed windows. As a result, the natural flow of air is interrupted. In this regard, the protective relay, which is installed in some models of speakers, overheats, and the overheating protection is triggered. In this situation, the column turns off immediately after several minutes of operation. In this case, it is necessary to open a window in ventilation mode or open a window.

Insufficient water pressure is another common cause that occurs most frequently. Moreover, insufficient pressure in the water supply system can be caused by the nature of the system, as such. It's just that the pressure is insufficient by itself, and this situation can be corrected only by replacing the column with a model that is capable of working with low water pressure.

But if the gas column does not ignite due to insufficient water pressure, the reason may be due to a malfunction of the water unit of the device. For example, a metal mesh filter that stands on the pipe in front of the water block of the gas column may become clogged.

The strainer becomes clogged due to limescale deposits that accumulate on the strainer during the flow of water. You can simply unscrew the nuts and see how much the filter cells are clogged. Then there are two ways: to clean the old filter (this is not very difficult) or just buy a new filter.

The problem may lie in a defect in the membrane, which is located inside the water block. This can only be determined by removing the cover from the unit.You only need to unscrew a few screws that hold the cover. There is a rubber membrane under the cover, which must be free of tears and visible deformations.

If the membrane is intact, but stretched in one direction, it is almost certainly the reason for the malfunctioning of the column. The membrane is removed and replaced with a new one. It is possible, if there was a rubber membrane, to change it to a membrane made on the basis of silicone. The service life of a silicone membrane is much longer than that of a rubber one.

It is important to put the membrane correctly in place so as not to deform it during installation. To do this, the fastening screws are not tightened in order, but the opposite screws are tightened, gradually squeezing the cover of the water block.

If the gas water heater with automatic ignition does not ignite, the reason may be completely trivial - the batteries simply sat down, which provide an electrical impulse to ignite the column. Moreover, the batteries may run out earlier than prescribed in the instructions.

In this case, it is enough just to change the batteries. But with dead batteries, nothing will happen initially. But it so happens that the wick burns, and then either nothing happens at all or the column starts to work, and immediately goes into the wick operation mode.

Some reasons have already been voiced, but there may be other malfunctions that prevent the column from starting. For example, there may be problems with safety valves, gas supply valves, clogged heat exchanger tubes, carbon deposits on various nozzles.

Of course, you can cope with such problems on your own, but any gas equipment requires a professional approach. Therefore, if the gas column does not ignite, and the reason is not clear, you should call specialists from the gas service.

Also interesting

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Gas instantaneous water heaters made with proper use and proper care can work for a very long time. After a certain time, difficulties may arise, fail, require cleaning some parts. If the column is under warranty, it is more correct to invite a specialist. He will perform an inspection, replace the broken parts that are under warranty. In the case of no warranty service, it is cheaper to fix minor breakdowns on your own. Let's consider some reasons and solutions when detecting non-ignition of a water heater.

No pressure

The difference in pressure between the inlet and outlet of the water heater must be. The change in pressure is due to the fact that water passes through a water reducer, a heat exchanger. Small fluctuations in pressure are normal. A difference of more than 2 times indicates a boiler malfunction.

Low pressure when hot water leaves a gas water heater does not always indicate a breakdown, often a decrease in pressure is associated with the internal structure of the boiler and is considered the norm.

If the water pressure dropped gradually, the reason is likely to be litter due to poor quality and hard water. If an old pipeline runs through the house, rust particles are likely to enter the column. In this case, the water pressure will change instantly.

Poor water pressure through the gas column indicates several breakdowns:

Scale in the heat exchanger - when the water is heated, calcium deposits settle on the inner walls of the radiator.A high-quality water treatment system somewhat slows down the process of overgrowing of radiator pipes, but is not able to cope with it completely. After several years of operation, the pressure at the DHW outlet is expected to drop. Flushing the heat exchanger will help to cope with the malfunction.
Debris can accumulate inside the water regulator, which will affect the response speed of the column, and also affect the DHW pressure at the outlet.

After servicing, the pressure required for the operation of the instantaneous boiler will be restored.

One of the common reasons for low water pressure at the outlet of the column. The coarse filter is located on the supply pipe of the water reducer. It looks like a grid. With a high pressure of water, the filter can bend and tighten into the pipe.

If the column worked normally, but over time, the outlet pressure dropped significantly, you should first check the grid and clean it. The filter is washed under running water. Stubborn dirt can be removed by soaking the mesh in an acetic acid solution.

The weak water pressure in the column depends not only on the malfunction of the water heater itself, but also on littering or breakdowns of the mixer and hot water taps. There are two common causes of malfunctions:

Mixer mesh - at the end of the "jib" there is a jet divider with a metal mesh. Debris does not pass through this unit, which leads to contamination of the outlet and, as a result, a decrease in the water pressure. If the pressure in the kitchen is normal, but in the bathroom it is weak and vice versa, the reason most likely lies in the contamination of the mesh.
Gasket - when heated strongly, the rubber deforms and blocks the water flow, reducing the pressure. The malfunction is mainly observed when using storage water heaters, but with reduced water pressure, leading to excessive heating, it is theoretically possible in the case of flow columns.

A breakdown of the water tap may require replacing the mixer or gaskets. If the water quality is poor, the jib net should be cleaned every 2-3 months.

With a poor pressure, the column simply will not work. The permissible minimum water pressure for gas instantaneous water heaters differs depending on the selected model and ranges from 0.1 to 0.3 bar. The parameters are indicated in the technical passport.

If there is not enough water pressure for the geyser and the burner refuses to turn on when the DHW tap is opened, the following equipment settings and system modifications can be made:

Pressure regulator - there is a lever on the body of the automatic dispensers that is responsible for adjusting the burner operation when the hot water tap is opened. With a small pressure, if you adjust the column to a low water pressure, (twisted to a minimum), you can make it turn on.
Boost pump - even low-power 100W equipment will provide adequate head for a comfortable hot shower. The pump is installed for cold water supply. For higher heads, a 300 W booster pump can be used.

In order for the geyser to work at low water pressure, the boiler is reconfigured to the minimum pressure using the control unit. At the same time, the gas supply is changed, having achieved a comfortable heating temperature at the outlet.

If a decision is made to install a pump to increase the water pressure in front of the gas water heater, several nuances must be taken into account:

A pump that is too powerful is not needed, only if you do not plan to take a shower with a hydromassage. The boiler has a throughput or volume of heated water for min. By passing more liquid, it will not warm up and will remain cold.
By installing a booster pump, you can reduce the water pressure of your neighbors. If the pressure on the house as a whole is normal, then after installation the cold water parameters practically do not change.With a small pressure in the central pipeline, when the pump is turned on, the neighbors' water will disappear completely, or flow in a thin stream.

In houses of the 60-70s, due to old risers and design flaws, the cold water pressure is initially weak. A small pressure of water also occurs in private houses, especially when providing water supply not with the help of a station, but through a pressure column (a column with a container at the top).

In such situations, you should select a water heater that operates at a minimum water pressure. Below are several models of flow-through gas boilers that are capable of operating at a low pressure in the pipeline:

Zanussi GWH 10 Fonte - minimum pressure 0.15 bar. The power of the burner is manually adjusted from 50-100%. There is a display on the case indicating the heating temperature. Powered by batteries.
BOSCH WR 10-2P is an atmospheric water heater that turns on at a pressure of 0.15 bar. Ignition is carried out using a piezoelectric element. Differs in high productivity.
Zanussi GWH 12 Fonte - flow column with electric ignition. Minimum pressure 0.15 bar. Powered by batteries.
Neva 4510 is a domestic automatic dispenser designed to operate on liquefied and natural gas. Powered by batteries.
Gorenje GWH 10 NNBW is another popular column that works with low water pressure from 0.15 bar. There is a display showing the heating temperature. Powered by batteries. Heats water stably with a small cold water pressure.

The described models, despite the high build quality, differ in budgetary affordable cost, ranging from 8-12 thousand rubles.

If the geyser does not ignite automatically when the water tap is opened, then a lack of pressure in the water supply will be a possible reason here. In order to make sure that the reason is precisely this, you need to open a cold water tap.

The absence of a normal pressure indicates that the water heater is in good working order, and the blocking is triggered because low pressure in the system will lead to overheating of the device and its breakdown. The situation can be corrected by cleaning the general filter for the water supply system of the apartment and the salt filter for water preparation.

It is another matter if the gas water heater does not ignite when the hot water tap is open, while a normal pressure is coming from the cold water tap. Here you need to clean the mesh filter installed in front of the membrane of the water block. It turns out that with a normal pressure in the system, the filter reduces the pressure in the device itself, preventing the gas valve from opening. The elimination method is simple - remove the nut and clean the brass mesh.