# Butano Water Heater Woes



## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

We have had a strange few weeks and it's getting weird now.

Our water heater stopped working so we got it replaced, then, after a week or so, at around 6pm the new one stopped working, daily, seeing the old regulator and pipe I replaced that. 

All good for a week or so and then yesterday, 6pm, no hot water, it clicks to ignite but nothing. An hour later, it's working again.

The heater is outside but sits in a cover and gets the afternoon sun, there is a silver stop valve in the sun, is it likely to be this or something else? I have put a new butano on, but it makes no difference. 

Anyone seen something like this?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Yes we have had similar. Our problem was largely related to calcium build up. But if you can hear the boiler sparking and it doesn't light then that would indicate no gas is being supplied. Could be a faulty regulator even if it is new. Another issue could be the gas bottle as sometimes the connection you get when you put the regulator on isn't good. I think you probably need a boiler engineer to visit...


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

thrax said:


> Yes we have had similar. Our problem was largely related to calcium build up. But if you can hear the boiler sparking and it doesn't light then that would indicate no gas is being supplied. Could be a faulty regulator even if it is new. Another issue could be the gas bottle as sometimes the connection you get when you put the regulator on isn't good. I think you probably need a boiler engineer to visit...


Thanks for that, I will see how we go, I am shading the valve! If that doesn't work I will call the plumber back that installed it.


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## Costachick (Apr 22, 2016)

Could it be a drop in the water pressure during that hour?


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

Check that the flexible hose isn't kinked.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Make sure that the regulator is properly connected to the bottle - do a pull off test, you should be able to lift the bottle off the ground just by pulling up the regulator. I have found occasionally in the past that when SWMBO has changed the bottle she hasn't pushed the locking ring down hard enough so that it locks fully - she now does a pull-off test - no more problems.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

Last night I didn't touch anything and about 7pm it started working again, so this means the regulator and hose are connected and working OK. Water pressure is possible but because it tries to ignite suggests the water is activating the ignition. I covered some of the pipe to shade it but to no avail.
Thanks for the ideas!


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

From what you say its odds on the "silver stop valve" is getting to hot & tripping (never seen one fitted though)
Shade it again & this time cover the shade with silver foil.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

VFR said:


> From what you say its odds on the "silver stop valve" is getting to hot & tripping (never seen one fitted though)
> Shade it again & this time cover the shade with silver foil.


I have done this, hopefully it will work today!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

A thought that occurs to me is: have you checked the batteries? The click you hear is the switch changing over but that is operated by the water pressure. If your batteries have just about had it then the igniter will not work. I had a similar problem on ours at one time and changing the batteries fixed it.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

baldilocks said:


> A thought that occurs to me is: have you checked the batteries? The click you hear is the switch changing over but that is operated by the water pressure. If your batteries have just about had it then the igniter will not work. I had a similar problem on ours at one time and changing the batteries fixed it.


Thanks but the whole unit is brand new. My stumbling block is when it starts working later in the day without any changes or adjustment. I am hoping the foil shield works as that makes the most sense. I have just checked and I have hot water at 11:30. :fingerscrossed:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Simon22 said:


> Thanks but the whole unit is brand new. My stumbling block is when it starts working later in the day without any changes or adjustment. I am hoping the foil shield works as that makes the most sense. I have just checked and I have hot water at 11:30. :fingerscrossed:


Another thought is what is your ambient temperature? because Butane doesn't gas off very well below 5°C and for those temperatures you need Propane/o


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Simon22 said:


> Thanks but the whole unit is brand new. My stumbling block is when it starts working later in the day without any changes or adjustment. I am hoping the foil shield works as that makes the most sense. I have just checked and I have hot water at 11:30. :fingerscrossed:


When you turn on the hot water, is it always from the same tap? Is it working from one tap and not another? I ask this because we had a similar problem. Unknown to us the kitchen hot tap had become clogged with calc and the boiler wouldn't fire because the water flow was too restricted. The hot taps in the bathroom worked fine. When the plumber came he simply unscrewed the filter at the mouth of the kitchen tap, cleaned it, put it back and there were no further problems for a few months until the calc built up again! I now routinely clean all the tap filters. Why some taps calc-up more often than others I do not know!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

The Skipper said:


> When you turn on the hot water, is it always from the same tap? Is it working from one tap and not another? I ask this because we had a similar problem. Unknown to us the kitchen hot tap had become clogged with calc and the boiler wouldn't fire because the water flow was too restricted. The hot taps in the bathroom worked fine. When the plumber came he simply unscrewed the filter at the mouth of the kitchen tap, cleaned it, put it back and there were no further problems for a few months until the calc built up again! I now routinely clean all the tap filters. Why some taps calc-up more often than others I do not know!


We put in a Decalcifier - end of problem.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

The Skipper said:


> When you turn on the hot water, is it always from the same tap? Is it working from one tap and not another? I ask this because we had a similar problem. Unknown to us the kitchen hot tap had become clogged with calc and the boiler wouldn't fire because the water flow was too restricted. The hot taps in the bathroom worked fine. When the plumber came he simply unscrewed the filter at the mouth of the kitchen tap, cleaned it, put it back and there were no further problems for a few months until the calc built up again! I now routinely clean all the tap filters. Why some taps calc-up more often than others I do not know!


Thanks, but no it's not and also it works later from all taps.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Simon22 said:


> Thanks for that, I will see how we go, I am shading the valve! If that doesn't work I will call the plumber back that installed it.


It could simply be lack of water pressure - different times of the day the pressure will drop as demand increases.

If the pressure is too low, the gas will not ignite (safety feature)


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> It could simply be lack of water pressure - different times of the day the pressure will drop as demand increases.
> 
> If the pressure is too low, the gas will not ignite (safety feature)


Yes, I had forgotten that. I have heard other people mention that their pressure often drops at certain times of the day. We have the opposite problem and have had to fit a control valve to restrict the water pressure!


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