Common Faults - Rheem 52S160 Service Instructions Manual

Flash Steam - This is when water under pressure is heated to temperatures above 100ºC,
and then the pressure is suddenly reduced (by opening a hot tap) allowing the excess heat
to be converted to steam. This steam requires 1689 times more space than water and
fights inside the system to get out, resulting in a rumbling noise commonly referred to as
"elephants on the roof" by customers. The steam is dissipated when it reaches the large
volume of water in the storage tank and condenses.
Freezing of water - Water cooled below 4ºC expands insignificantly until it reaches the
point of its changing state into ice, at which time it expands by 1/11
contracts on further cooling. Damage to solar collectors occurs when:
1. Water trapped between two plugs of ice is compressed by the ice expansion to a point
where the pressure results in a failure of the copper tube.
2. An ice plug forms in a tee or elbow and the expansion cannot be relieved resulting in a
split fitting.

Common Faults

When a complaint is lodged about the performance of a hot water system there are a
number of causes that should be checked and eliminated. In an attempt to pinpoint the
most likely cause it is important to discuss with the customer their reasons for the
complaint, the duration of the problem, any change in circumstances or usage and recent
weather conditions. This information in conjunction with the following listed common
complaints will assist you in locating the most likely cause. All procedures assume there is
water flowing through the water heater.
Insufficient Hot Water - The complaints of insufficient hot water and no hot water can on
many occasions be attributed to hot water usage exceeding the capacity of the water
heater to provide hot water.
When first attending a call of this nature it is essential to establish the probable hot water
usage by querying the usage habits of the household and compare this with the potential
delivery of the model water heater installed. It can then be established if the usage is
within or outside the capacity of the model. The areas to look at for excessive usage are:
1. Automatic washing machines.
2. Showers exceeding 11 litres/minute for mixed water and 5 minutes in duration.
3. Two or more showers operating at the same time.
4. Change of occupancy or number of persons increased.
5. High water pressure area. (Excessive T&PR discharge)
6. Plumbing leaks.
Discoloured water
1. This may be the result of discoloured water entering from the cold water mains. Check
if the cold water is also discoloured.
2. Brown coloured water will generally indicate that the anode has been depleted or the
water heater is near the end of its useful life.
3. Milky coloured water is generally air in suspension and will disperse of its own accord.
In very hard water areas where anode gassing occurs, milky water may be evident. The
use of a blue anode should overcome this problem.
TM005 Rheem Solar Hiline Service Instructions REV D
D.O.I 20/02/2009
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of its volume. Ice