lotust
Long Island NY
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Hey guys, Is this smell normal? It makes a funny hard to describe smell. There is a deacent amount of rust on the inlet and outlet pips too.
Also how long should the flame be? Mine looks to be 5-6 inches long with a yellow tail on it. Should it be pure blue?
- 2000 23' Flagstaff forest River Ultra light.
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Rv`ing Prospector
Blackwell, oklahoma
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looked at the pictures an didn`t any air clip on intake pipe. did you clean the burn chamber out before lighting it?
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lotust
Long Island NY
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Rv`ing Prospector wrote:looked at the pictures an didn`t any air clip on intake pipe. did you clean the burn chamber out before lighting it?
What does "didn`t any air clip on intake pipe" mean?
I will looking into cleaning the burn chamber. Do you have a link on how to? Im going to search now. Thanks.
EDit: ok the burn chamber. I blew it all out with compressed air a few weeks ago. I guess it could be that it was not used in 1 year and is burning off some residew or something.
* This post was
edited 03/30/08 08:13pm by lotust *
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javaseuf
Southern Cal
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Some water heaters don't use an air shutter. My two new Suburbans don't have them.
You may have a spider web or other obstruction in the flash-tube. It can be blown out with compressed air. There should be no yellow and you should hear a "whooshing" sound when the main burner is on. No whoosh or yellow color means a soft flame which is no good.
Rust doesn't matter. The smell is most likely a poor air/fuel mixture.
* This post was
edited 03/30/08 08:48pm by javaseuf *
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Victor Benz
Stony Plain, AB
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At the start of each season I inspect and blow out all flash tubes (hot water heater, BBQ, etc)
I have had insect type creatures set up in the flash tube (the section from the propane/air mixing point to the burner within the heater). What i have done is taken a piece of metal window screening about 1" x 3", pulled out the extra 1" lengths at both ends, crimped over the 3" sides, wrapped it around the air inlet, and twisted the ends tightly together to create an anti-insect screen.
This seems to take care of most problems.
Vic
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My2500HDTruck
Contra Costa County
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I had this too when I first purchased my trailer. When my water heater would go on (propane), I would smell 'gas'. As it was new, the dealer replaced the whole unit and the problem was fixed. I'm hoping that your 'smell' is something different then leaking propane.
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lotust
Long Island NY
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its not gas I smell. Its comming from inside the cabinet that the heater is mounted in. Its not a Burning smell but rather a sour kind of smell.
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cabanaman
middleburg florida
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The tank has soured(got bad water)it needs flushed with vinegar or at least bleach.My new heater did the same thing after some bad water at a campground.
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Bonefish
Midland, TX
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The yellow flame to me just looks yellow because it is hitting the thermal couple because the other side looks blue. If it was poor mixture the whole flame would be yellowish.
If there is a very very small leak in the fire tube you could have some moisture collecting between uses and cause some moldy sour smells. It should burn off. But if it is a leak you probably need to start saving up for a new water heater. One way to check for a leak in the burner tube is to just pressure up the water system and not fire up the burner. See if some moisture collects in the bottom of the burner tube. You may have to leave it pressured up for a day or so with out the burner to see.
One additional thing I noticed is that your pop off valve looks rusty (top of tank with blue ring and flip lever). You need to lift the lever on it to make sure it moves freely and not sticking. Water should come out the drain.
Hope this helps.
Bonefish
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rayhough
Cairo, NY, USA
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You didn't say is the smell from the H2O? You have a Suburban so you are suppose to have an anode rod, they will smell if they in need of replacement.
Life is like a roll of toilet paper
the closer you get to the end the faster it goes.
Enjoy it what's left.
Happy traveling, Ray 
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