Why the gas column does not ignite

Removing a clogged burner

Unfortunately, the burners in the gas water heaters Neva and Oasis (as in many others) are prone to blockages. Most often, this picture is observed in models with piezoelectric ignition. The cause of clogging is the accumulation of soot. It must be removed, for which the column is disassembled and the burner itself is removed from it. For cleaning, any improvised tools are used. After cleaning, the burner should be installed in place and checked.If necessary, you can immediately clean the heat exchanger - its clogging leads to a loss of traction and a deterioration in heating.

If your geyser does not light up, and you decide to clean it, do it on the balcony or in the open air. Otherwise, soot flying into the air will surely stain the entire room in which the column is installed.

No ignition

If for some reason the column does not ignite at all, the first thing to check is the battery that powers all the electronics (including the piezo ignition system).

When the water heater is powered by a built-in generator, you should make sure that the piezoelectric element is in good condition, as well as that there is no break in the supply wires. In addition, it is necessary to inspect the electrode (wick) for damage.

The same actions are performed when the power supply is working. If it turns out that the battery has run down or leaked, you just need to replace it. In the absence of clearly visible external damage, check the condition of the ignition elements with a multimeter. With it, you should ring the lead wires and the start button. If they are in good condition, an audible signal will sound, if there is an open circuit, the device will show an infinitely large resistance.

The same device, included in the voltage measurement mode, checks its presence at the input contacts of the ignition element. The presence of a certain potential on them indicates that all parts are in good order, except for the piezoelectric element.

Identification of the reason why the geyser does not ignite and troubleshooting

To determine the reason for the absence of a flame in the column wick, it is necessary:

• Open the front panel of the instrument.
• Check the condition of the nozzle and air suction holes, gas supply pipes to the igniter. If there is soot, dirt: remove it from the wick.

Ignition system for semi-automatic gas water heaters.

Examine the piezoelectric element for spark generation. If it is absent, inspect the wires, terminals for mechanical and other damage. Oxides on the contacts must be removed, damage repaired.

The location of the elements of a semi-automatic geyser responsible for ignition.

• Determine the thermocouple voltage. To test the heat generator, unscrew the special plug of the electric valve. Carefully remove the special cable that comes from the thermocouple. Using a multimeter in DC voltage test mode, connect one probe through the crocodile clip to the outer sheath, lean the other against the center contact. Since the placement height between the contacts is small, make sure that the probes do not touch each other. Heat the working end of the thermocouple with a lighter. If the voltmeter readings correspond to 15 - 30 mV, the part is in good condition, with other values ​​\u200b\u200bthe generator must be replaced. If the special wire is not suitable for further use, replace the entire thermocouple.
• Examine the valve inductor. In the valve connector, which was released when checking the thermocouple, insert one end of the probe into the middle of the connector, the other into its body. Tester in ohmmeter mode. The coil resistance should be in the range of 10-15 ohms. If the circuit is open or closed, the ohmmeter will record the value 1 or 0, respectively. The coil changes modularly, together with the stem and valve.

Measuring the resistance of the coil of the solenoid valve of the geyser.

Check the correctness of the control sensors. At room temperature, the control contacts of the sensor are in the closed state. Using a multimeter, in diode test mode, examine the two sensor leads for continuity. The tester reading with a working sensor will be 0, in other situations, when the values ​​\u200b\u200bcorrespond to 1 or a resistance of 1 - 600 Ohms, it must be removed, and a serviceable one should be installed in its place.

The location of the water temperature sensor and the gas column chimney sensor.

Check the condition of wires and connections. Wires with sensor contacts are connected by soft soldering, with a special plug to an electromagnet and a thermocouple. Carefully inspect the wires, soldering points, plug-in connection. Sometimes microcracks form at the soldering points, due to which the integrity of the entire chain is violated.

After each eliminated remark, it is advisable to check whether the column lights up or not.

What else can interfere with the heating of water?

If the diagnostics showed that there are no malfunctions in the operation of the gas heater, and the column still does not heat or heats the water poorly, you should heed the recommendations of professionals.

Among them are the following:

1. If the water was always hot, and then its temperature became insufficient, it is worth checking the pressure of the gas coming from the pipeline or cylinder. It is not recommended to do this on your own, it is better to call representatives of the gas service.
2. The water may remain cool if the faucet does not work properly, mixing cold water with hot water. It is easy to check this by touching the pipe through which water flows from the column to the tap.If the pipeline is hot and the water from the tap is slightly warm, it is worth repairing the mixer or correcting its operation.
3. When the temperature of the water supplied from the tap changes dramatically, the gas heater is periodically turned off, it is worth checking the filters in the water heating system, in the mixer.

To increase the temperature of the water at the outlet of the column, it is worth opening the gas supply valve as much as possible, and open the valve responsible for the flow of cold water only halfway. At maximum burner power, the flow of cold water will decrease. This will provide better heating.

Gas Block Diaphragm

Another reason why the column does not turn on may be damage to the diaphragm of the gas block. The diaphragm of the gas block regulates the flow of gas into the burner depending on the pressure of the water. Entering the housing, water presses on the elastic diaphragm - behind which is the gas valve stem. The higher the pressure, the more the valve opens and the more gas enters the burner.

If the diaphragm has mechanical through damage and water enters the stem cavity, then the pressure on both sides is equalized, and the valve stem remains in place without movement. This is one of the reasons why the gas burner does not light up. You can solve the problem by removing the block and replacing the diaphragm with a new one.

After replacing the diaphragm, it is recommended to revise the threaded connections of the column, replacing all gaskets and seals in the valve group.

Traction violation

One of the reasons why the Neva gas column does not light up is a violation of draft in the duct.Most often, the ingress of a third-party object into the air duct causes the operation of the automatic protection of columns with an open combustion chamber.

Under normal conditions, when the natural air circulation is disturbed, the protective relay reacts to a sharp increase in temperature in the outlet duct and turns off the gas supply. In this case, the device starts to work normally, but does not work for a long time. Devices with a closed combustion chamber work similarly, for example, vektor lux eco often does not ignite because even one of the channels is blocked - either air supply to the combustion chamber, or removal of combustion residues.

Solving the problem of why the geyser does not work in this case is quite simple - clean the air duct and ensure normal air circulation in the room. By the way, one of the reasons for the violation of the natural circulation of air in the house and the draft in the ventilation duct can be metal-plastic windows and tightly closing entrance doors.

Weak water or gas pressure

You can find out the whole truth about the conspiracy related to the selection, operation and maintenance of gas water heaters (instantaneous water heaters) of all manufacturers and models.

The water heater may not ignite due to low water pressure.

There may be several reasons:

• The inlet filter is clogged. From time to time, you should clean or change the filter that is on the pipe through which cold water enters the column.
• Weak water pressure. If the water pressure is weak, the water heater will not work either. This could be due to line failures, old pipes, or the time of day. You can check this by turning on the cold water tap. If there is a weak pressure, you need to call the utilities.An additional installation of a pump that increases the pressure in the pipes can solve the problem.

  In modern speakers, such as Electrolux GWH 265 ERN, Astra JSD20-10A, Oasis 20OG, there is a pressure regulator in the column. By setting it to a minimum, you can ensure that the water heater turns on even with a weak pressure of water.

The gas pressure is checked by turning on the gas stove.

Troubleshooting

Temporary. To lower the temperature in the room, you can slightly open the window. At the same time, due to a decrease in temperature, the relay protection against overheating will stop turning on and the water heater will not go out.

Final. You can completely get rid of the problem only by replacing a bad relay.

Ignition system malfunction.

One type of ignition system for gas water heaters is a pilot burner. But more modern models are equipped with an electronic ignition system to turn on. To create a spark, there are two options: using batteries (batteries); using a piezoelectric element, which is turned on by a device in the form of a turbine placed in a water system.

water heater

If batteries are used to generate a spark, then perhaps they should simply be replaced. Despite manufacturers' assurances that the batteries will last for a long time, experience shows that they have to be replaced approximately every year.

Weak or completely absent cold water pressure.

To start the geyser, sufficient pressure of the cold water entering its system is required. When the pressure of cold water decreases, the Oasis heater will simply go out. The protection will work, turning off the column, as in the case of closing the tap and the column will go out. In this case, you should find out the cause of the problem.Open any cold water faucet:

1. If the water pressure is weak there too, then you will not be able to do anything, since such pressure comes from the city system.
2. If the water from the tap is normal, then the filter will probably need to be cleaned or replaced. If the problem is not in the filter, then you will have to clean the radiator of the geyser.

The procedure is as follows:

• Close the gas supply valve;
• We unscrew the pipes;
• We remove the water heater from the hinges;
• Turn upside down and, in this position, place on the table;
• We collect the washing liquid previously purchased from a specialized store into a syringe and inject it into the column;
• We leave in this state for two to three hours;
• After that, drain the liquid, rinse with water and mount in the reverse order.

Some models are equipped with a special handle that regulates the amount of water passing through. If the water pressure in the tap is good, but it is not enough to start the column, then the handle is moved to the extreme left position and moved to the right until the water heater turns on. As a rule, it is necessary to adjust the flow once during start-up.

Membrane damage.

One of the reasons why the geyser does not ignite is a malfunction of the membrane. If it has mechanical damage or has lost elasticity, then normal operation of the column becomes impossible.

This malfunction belongs to the category of a more complex category. To determine the malfunction of the membrane, it must be disassembled, remembering the location of all parts. To do this, you need to remove the water block from the water heater, dismantling which you will remove the membrane.When buying a new membrane, it is worth opting for the silicone option, since such parts have a longer service life.

The gas stove does not ignite

Reason 1. Not enough traction

The problem may be caused by a foreign object or soot in the chimney. At the same time, the draft decreases, and the protection system works in the water heater: the gas automatically shuts off.

It is easy to check the assumption: open the window, put your palm on the chimney hole or light a match near it. If the draft is good, a breath will be felt, and the light will noticeably deviate to the side.

Solution: The ventilation duct needs to be cleaned. You won't be able to do it on your own. You should call the management company and call the chimney sweeps.

Reason 2. The power supply elements are discharged

This happens with gas water heaters with automatic ignition from batteries: batteries or generators. As a rule, this happens 8-16 months after the start of operation.

1. Check the speaker key.
2. Replace dead batteries with new ones.

Reason 3. Weak water pressure

You can check the pressure by opening a cold water tap. If cold water flows as badly as hot water, then the problem is in the plumbing. If the pressure of cold water is much stronger than hot, then the point is in the water column of the column. Perhaps the filters are clogged in it or the membrane is deformed. Or maybe the hot water pipes themselves or the filters in the installed deep cleaning system are clogged.

1. Call the municipal service: they can give an answer if there are problems in the entire water supply network.
2. Rinse the water purification filters or change the filter in the faucet.
3. Clean the column from soot and soot.
4. Replace the column water assembly membrane.
5. Leave a request at the utility service for flushing hot water pipes.

Reason 4. No gas supply

Usually, when the column is ignited, you can hear a characteristic sound and feel a slight smell of incoming gas. If there is no sound or smell, then the gas is not flowing.

1. Call the utility service to find out if repairs are being carried out on your site: the gas could have been turned off centrally.
2. Check if they paid for gas: it could be turned off for non-payment.
3. Call a gas specialist.

The burner goes out, the water does not heat up

In the absence of water heating, the reason may be due to weak gas pressure. In this case, you need to increase its flow using a special regulator located on the front panel. If the burner goes out for no reason after activation, check the flue duct. If there is debris in the chimney, the protective system is automatically turned on, which leads to shutting off the gas supply. If the problem is a clogged chimney, you will have to call specialists, since it is problematic to eliminate the cause on your own.

Important: burner shutdown can be caused by low pressure in the pipeline. If the general water supply network is working normally, the compression in it is at least 1.5 bar, you need to check a similar parameter in an apartment or house

This will require a threaded pressure gauge that is screwed onto a faucet or instead of a shower. If the pressure in the apartment is low, but normal elsewhere, this indicates a clogged water filter, which is usually installed in front of the meter.

Repair of the gas block and membrane

To replace the membrane, remove the column water block. Having disassembled it, you will get to the membrane.

Sometimes the geyser does not ignite due to damage to the membrane - it reacts to water pressure and controls further ignition. If it is torn, then further operation of the gas column will be impossible. Difficulties in repair will be caused by the fact that it is difficult to find a suitable membrane - they are rare on sale, and their prices bite. In addition to the membrane, you need to check the entire gas block, as there are a lot of parts that can fail.

For disassembly and repair of the gas unit, detailed instructions may be required - they can be found on our website or on the Internet.

There is no draft in the chimney - that's why the geyser does not light up

If any construction debris has entered your chimney, or a large amount of soot has settled on its walls, carbon monoxide gases will not be able to freely escape and will move in the opposite direction.

In this case, the following problems arise:

• The downward flow of air interspersed with carbon monoxide leads to the fact that the gas water heater does not turn on or goes out. In this case, the automation works, and the gas supply stops.
• If the intensity of the reverse draft is not high enough to extinguish the flame of the burner, carbon monoxide can enter the house. This situation is dangerous for the health and life of residents.

There are two possible solutions to the problem:

• Paradoxical as it may seem, the reason why the geyser does not work can be a satellite dish installed above the outlet of the ventilation duct. It blocks the flow of air from it and creates a reverse thrust.In this case, cleaning the chimney is not required - you just need to ask the neighbors to move the device to the side. Naturally, if you have a chimneyless geyser, this is not your case.
• If the geyser does not light up well due to a clogged chimney, then you will have to call the craftsmen to clean the ventilation ducts. The accumulation of soot or debris in the chimney becomes the main reason for the lack of draft if there are no obstacles for the exit of combustion products from the outside. Alternatively, you can do the cleaning yourself, but in this case there is a risk of damaging communications if you do not have the necessary experience.

External fault factors

What to do if the gas column does not light up? Failures in the operation of the gas column can be caused by circumstances beyond its control. Let's consider them in order:

Gas supply

There is nothing special to talk about here, and everything is clear: if the gas is turned off, the water heater will not work.

Just do not rush to immediately blame the gas workers for everything.

If there is a filter in the system, first make sure it is not clogged.

Water pipes

Here are some surprises that the water supply system can present:

Pipe connection failed

It is a likely reason, especially if an amateur takes up the installation of the column. If a newly installed water heater refuses to work, check the connection diagram again.

Insufficient pressure

Some of the gas water heaters are equipped with an ignition system, which is powered by a stream of water - it rotates an impeller connected to a piezoelectric element.

With a weak pressure, of course, such a system will be inoperative.

The opening of the gas valve is also carried out by water pressure - through the membrane, which was mentioned above.If the water is barely flowing, the valve will remain tightly closed.

Most often, pressure problems occur in rural areas.
When buying a column, their residents should definitely specify at what minimum pressure it can work.

However, even in urban conditions, the pressure in the pipe may turn out to be scanty. The reason is the clogging of the mesh filter installed in front of the column. To test this hypothesis, open a cold water faucet on the mixer. If the pressure here is normal, then the problem is really local in nature - you need to check the strainer or heat exchanger (more on that below).

The inlet water temperature has risen

Some users, out of inexperience, forget to take into account the fact that the water in the water supply becomes warmer with the beginning of the spring-summer season. If the speaker remains set to winter mode, it will constantly turn off due to overheating.

Smoke exhaust system

In the absence of draft in the chimney, protective automation, despite all your exhortations, will not allow you to use the column.

For example, if the chimney is clogged, the gas water heater will not ignite.

External causes that may worsen the outflow of combustion products include the following:

1. Chimney blockage:
   debris or birds can get into the chimney. In addition, over time, it becomes overgrown with soot, so it needs periodic cleaning.
2. Installation above the chimney head of large objects:
   in most cases, such an object becomes a television satellite dish. It prevents the free flow of gases, to which the draft sensor immediately reacts.
3. Lack of outside air intake:
   the user must not forget that for normal draft it is necessary to provide air supply to the room from the outside. During the operation of the column, at least the window must be open. In particular, this applies to sealed double-glazed windows in metal-plastic frames.
4. Adverse weather conditions:
   the column can also go out due to the fact that a strong wind or whirlwind worsens the draft or, on the contrary, sharply increases it, causing the flame to break off.

The presence of thrust is checked by bringing a paper sheet or a lit match to the “viewing window” of the column. If the smoke exhaust system is in proper condition, the flame will be drawn into the “window”, and the paper will be pressed against it.

The reasons

It is worth considering that breakdowns can be of a very different nature. For example:

• the flame did not ignite (it clicks, there is a spark, but it does not work or there is no reaction to switching on at all);
• goes out immediately or after a short time (both with automatic and manual ignition);
• the fire goes out when you try to turn on the water, increase the pressure or weaken it;
• the flame is lit, the water comes out a little warm, and then the column goes out;
• the column pops, cracks, mini-explosions appear when turned on;
• piezo ignition does not work;
• the piezo constantly works, but when ignited, the flame goes out;
• the automatic column does not burn, while there is a smell of gas;
• when the valve is opened, the DHW rod does not move.

Column malfunctions can be divided into breakdowns caused by external factors, and purely internal ones.The former are not related to details within the unit itself and depend on additional details or external influences (for example, adding temperature).

External factors

External breakdowns are as follows.

• The most common situation is the lack of draft in the column chimney. If it is not cleaned, then it will become clogged with dust, dirt, and the combustion products will not find a drain and will extinguish the burner. Then, when the security system is triggered, the gas supply will be shut off.
• A foreign object could accidentally be in the chimney.
• The unit could simply run out of battery or batteries. This type of fault exists only if there is an ignition, which automatically operates on batteries.

• If the appliance does not work, after the first installation or due to repair work on the plumbing system, then there is a high probability that the hot water supply line was simply connected to the wrong place.
• Reduced water pressure. It is necessary to evaluate the water pressure (it will be weakened, water will flow in a thin stream). The ignition will stop working at low pressure, so the reason is no longer in the column, but in the water pipes. Although, it is likely that the filter itself, installed in front of the column, is clogged with something.
• A faulty faucet adding too much cold water, so the water in the column itself heats up too much and extinguishes it.
• Electronics. In modern columns there are a large number of control modules and sensors that control the operation of the entire unit. Their failures can lead to the fact that the gas will stop igniting.

Internal breakdowns

Internal factors are as follows.

• Incorrectly configured water heater.Due to the change of seasons, the water temperature also changes, so the column needs to be regulated, which is often forgotten to do.
• The membrane on the water unit has failed. If the membrane is many years old, then it could lose elasticity, crack, deform, become covered with lime deposits.
• Clogged filters or heat exchanger with soot and scale.
• Pilot or main burner is clogged with dirt.
• Problems with the gas outlet sensor.
• Popping or small explosions when trying to turn on the equipment may occur due to insufficient draft in the ventilation or blockages in various parts of the water heater.

Not enough charge

When you open the water, you observe a normal flow, when you turn it on, there is a characteristic click, a spark is formed and everything in general is visually good. But there is one noticeable point: the burner itself in the gas column does not ignite. If you look out the window, there is no flame. This is the reason why there is no hot water. The owner does not have hot water, because of this fact there is a lot of inconvenience. This cause must be eliminated as soon as possible.

The reason for the malfunction and lack of hot water lies in a completely simple phenomenon. When the batteries stop working, the column stops functioning. It does not heat up and therefore the hot water supply stops.

The charge of the battery in the last stages is only enough for the formation of a spark. Therefore, visually you observe a spark, there is also a noticeable click. But the energy of the battery is not enough to ignite the burner itself.

Replacing the batteries yourself is not difficult. To do this, open the box with batteries and pull them out. Next, you should replace with new high-quality powerful batteries.

More about batteries

Battery polarity matters. If you insert batteries without taking into account their polarity, the column will not light up. Batteries can sometimes get stuck in the box, so keep an eye on them.

Batteries are replaced with new functioning batteries subject to two main criteria:

• the polarity of the batteries must be taken into account;
• the closing of the box, which is intended for batteries, should be done until a characteristic click.

Batteries used in gas water heaters must be standard D (in other words, barrel batteries). Salt options are not suitable because they have the ability to quickly fail. In most cases, alkaline batteries are used for gas water heaters. In another way they are called alkaline batteries.

Often there are cases when a person purchases batteries, but they do not light the column. Here, too, several questions arise, why even new batteries cannot cope with their functions. At this stage, the owner may also be embarrassed and look for the cause in a completely different way. In order not to find yourself in such an unpleasant situation, you need to wisely approach the choice of batteries for the functioning of the gas column. A few tips to keep in mind..

Battery Tips

It is not advisable to choose too cheap. In this case, it is recommended to choose more expensive batteries (normal ones cost about 200 rubles). If you buy cheap ones, then they most likely will not work normally, which means that in the future you will need to overpay

Therefore, purchase initially good quality expensive batteries; Pay attention to the expiration date of the batteries; As for brands, Duracell and Energizer brands are preferred. The battery must be alkaline or lithium

It will be more informative to use a specific multimeter tester that accurately determines the charge. Everyone can use such a tester, it will not be difficult. This method is convenient and practical to use, and you can buy a battery tester at any store.

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