Maintenance - Rheem GHE 119-500 Use & Care Manual

Properly maintained, this water heater will provide years
of dependable, trouble free service. It is strongly sug-
gested that a regular routine maintenance program be
established and followed by the owner. It is further rec-
ommended that a periodic inspection of the relief valve
and venting system should be made by service techni-
cians qualified in gas appliance repair.
1. ROUTINE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
A. PRESSURE SWITCH — Inspect the inlet to the pressure
switch and the tubing for debris or blockage. Clean out
the tubing periodically to prevent buildup of debris.
B COLLECTOR PAN —Remove any particles.
C. CONDENSATE TRAP — Check for blockages.
CAUTION
!
D. ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS — Periodic inspection
of all electrical connections and wiring conditions.
Label all wires prior to disconnection when servicing controls.
Wiring errors can cause improper and dangerous operation.
CAUTION
!
VERIFY PROPER OPERATION AFTER SERVICING !
Make certain all power to the water heater is turned
"OFF" before performing any maintenance or inspec-
tion work on this water heater.
Before manually operating the relief valve, make certain
no one will be exposed to the danger of coming in contact
with the hot water released by this valve. The water may be
hot enough to create a SCALD hazard. The water released
should be directed to a suitable drain to prevent injury or
damage.
NOTICE: If the temperature and pressure relief
valve on the water heater discharges periodically,
this may be due to thermal expansion in a "closed"
water system. Contact the water supplier or local
plumbing inspector on how to correct this. DO NOT
plug the relief valve outlet.
E. TANK— Good maintenance requires that the tank
be cleaned of deposits. Unless the water supply is
soft (0 to 5 grains hardness), scale or lime deposits
will accumulate in the tank. Hard water scale is de-
posited at an increasingly high rate in proportion to
increased water temperature. Accumulation of these
deposits may reduce efficiency, and shorten the life
of the water heater. Any new installation should have
a tank inspection program set up initially for frequent
inspection. The first inspection should be within a six
month period. Once the scaling tendencies have been
established, the inspection program can be modified
to suit the water conditions. Cleaning should be per-
formed if the scale has accumulated above the drain
valve opening.
A wet-dry shop vac with a nozzle fashioned from 1"

Maintenance

and/or 3/4" polyethylene pipe makes a good tool for
scraping and removing scale.
TO CLEAN OR INSPECT TANK:
1. Shut off gas valve and drain tank.
2. Remove tank clean-out cover on jacket and with
pocket knife cut and remove a circular plug of in-
sulation the full size of jacket opening.
3. Loosen bolts and remove plate and gasket.
4. Remove as much built-up scale from flue tubes
and tank bottom as practical. DO NOT attempt to
clean so thoroughly that the tool used damages
the glass lining.
5. Clean the seal plate and install a new gasket. Wipe
clean the interior surface of the tank that contacts
the gasket. Reinstall the seal plate and tighten in
position. Fill tank with water and check for leaks.
If no leaks are found, install insulation plug and
clean-out cover on jacket and re-light the water
heater.
If chemical lime dissolving cleaners are preferred,
cautiously follow the instructions supplied with the
cleaner. DO NOT use a muriatic or hydrochloric acid
(HCl) base cleaner.
2. ANODE INSPECTION — The water supply in certain
areas contains very aggressive elements. In these
areas, periodic inspection of the anode is recom-
mended to determine if replacement is necessary.
The anode(s) supplied in this water heater is slowly
consumed, thereby eliminating or minimizing corro-
sion and protecting the glass lined tank. The anode(s)
should be replaced when more than 6 inches (15 cm)
of core wire is exposed at either end.
3. SEASONAL OPERATION - If the water heater is to
remain idle for an extended period (60 days or more)
the heater should be turned off. The water heater and
piping should be drained if they might be subjected
to freezing temperatures. It is recommended that the
water heater's operation is thoroughly checked (by a
qualified service technician) before it is placed back
in service.
NOTICE: Refer to the Hydrogen Gas caution notation
on page 23.
F. VENTING SYSTEM — Inspect venting system at least
yearly to make certain the passageways are free and
unobstructed, and that the vent connector from the
water heater's blower assembly is properly positioned
and securely attached. Remove any obstructions in
vent connector or vent terminal.
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