Water heater burn up.

[Joehvac25]

Found this one today, pretty nice. Not exactly sure how it happened, I'm guessing it back fired. Also the idiots had it plumbed backwards.

Attachment 276501

[dandyme]

D@MN

[edbrown]

It did not "backfire" - you would have soot around the top of the burner opening.

there looked to be a leak at one of the connections at the gas valve or the gas valve itself.

We had a gas valve awhile back that was leaking out of the a seam in the aluminium casting - if conditions were right it would have ignited.

[Joehvac25]

It did not "backfire" - you would have soot around the top of the burner opening.

there looked to be a leak at one of the connections at the gas valve or the gas valve itself.

We had a gas valve awhile back that was leaking out of the a seam in the aluminium casting - if conditions were right it would have ignited.

I was thinking more along the lines of it backing up to the gas valve not out of chamber.

[SFhvacguy]

wow

[meplumber]

It did not "backfire" - you would have soot around the top of the burner opening.

there looked to be a leak at one of the connections at the gas valve or the gas valve itself.

We had a gas valve awhile back that was leaking out of the a seam in the aluminium casting - if conditions were right it would have ignited.

I agree with Ed on this one. There was a leak at the gas valve that ignited. Not a backfire.

[Joehvac25]

Ya I guess that makes more sense, first time I've seen this but judging by the soot it must have been.

[pacnw]

Mobilehome, right, and outside access?

[Toddbrewster]

I changed out a "Leaking" water heater yesterday, went to attach my garden hose to the drain, the drain fell off in my hand, found their "Leak" Luckily there was so much sediment in the thing that the hole was plugged and didnt spray me as the drain fell off. I have seen a few with markings similar to yours, I have had some which the gas control itself was leaking, lucky nothing else caught on fire!

[Joehvac25]

Mobilehome, right, and outside access?

Yep trailer. It was a sad install hot was plumbed in on the cold, it had a concentric vent, this heater wasn't setup for that, the 3" vent pipe was to short so they slid the 4" over the vent instead. Just embarrassing.

[KEFCOPRES]

I have seen this a couple of times before. One was leaking at the Baso because it was loose and the other was leaking around the temp setting stem. More often I've found the burner tube nut loose, but I've never had one of those ignite.

[hearthman]

Any pics of the water piping? I see it is a bottom feeder. That means there must be a vacuum breaker at the top.

Looks like a leak at the valve. Was the insurance contacted on this?

What about venting?

[Joehvac25]

They didnt have a vacuum breaker, I put a top feed in after. The venting was not done correct either, the exaust was to short so they ran the 4" combustion air pipe over the 3" ex. The ins wasn't called it was a rental with no insurance I bet. It was by far the worst install I have seen, i know it's hard in that small area but damn it was bad.

[pacnw]

Any pics of the water piping? I see it is a bottom feeder. That means there must be a vacuum breaker at the top.

I have never seen a vacuum breaker on one, nor have I installed one or been dinged on inspection for not having one. We have a lot of MH in my area!!

I get the idea for a garden hose, but what do they look like for this situation and could it be someplace other than at the WH itself?

[hearthman]

When you feed the cold in from the bottom code requires a vacuum breaker at the top discharge to prevent siphoning.
2009 IRC P2803.7 Vacuum Relief valve. Bottom fed tank-type water heaters and bottom fed tanks connected to water heaters shall have a vacuum relief installed that complies with ANSI Z21.22.

HTH

[Joehvac25]

Maybe that's why they feed it from the top and discharged from the bottom ha ha.