Water heater is not working. The red indicator light is solid red with no blinking on my Rheem PowerVent 2.

Allen Neal

• 359 Answers
• Posted on Feb 23, 2009

SOURCE: rheem water heater pilot light goes out

REPLACING THE SPARK IGNITOR WOULD BE MY FIRST GUESS .

SOURCE: I painted the floor & my hot water heater (Reehm

The water heater is locked out. The following process should reset it.
1. Reapply power to the water heater and wait for 3 seconds for the system self-diagnostic check.
2. Within the first 30 seconds, the temperature dial must be rotated back and forth crossing the 120
degree mark at least six (6) times. This will reset the control and display a normal flash code
(slow blinking).

SOURCE: Rheem powervent ignites then goes out, electronic ignition.

Sounds like a bad thermocouple. This part sends a millivolt signal to keep the gas valve open but shuts it off when it cools - or if something goes wrong with the ignighter - to prevent fires. It's easy to replace and not super expensive. See your local Rheem dealer.

SOURCE: RHEEM 50 GALLON WATER HEATER,4

That is a power vent failure code.
Rheem is aware of this problem and are changing systems as we speak. Call your Rheem dealer and demand the updated system.

Kelly

• 3740 Answers
• Posted on Feb 14, 2011

SOURCE: The water heater red light

There are many things to check. The single most important test is for 24V at the gas valve after the ignitor is supposed tp be on. 19 V or less and there is either a bad ground or the ingition control board has failed. (Wire ground problems are a high probablilty)

Here is what the book says:

PROBLEM #1 - HOT SURFACE IGNITOR DOES NOT GLOW RED

(Remember to wait for purge time, 17/34 seconds, on models so equipped).

Possible causes

A. No main power

B. Faulty transformer

C. Faulty thermostat

D. Faulty limit switch

E. Faulty blower interlock switch

F. Faulty hot surface ignitor

G. Faulty ignition control

Solution

Step #1

Perform normal system checks of main power, transformer, thermostat, limit

switch, blower interlock switch, and replace faulty component.

Step #2

With power on and thermostat set at its highest position, check voltage

between "TH" and "TR" on HS780 ignition control. If 24 volts is not present

check output at transformer. If no, replace transformer. If transformer

checks out OK look at other controls in the 24 volt circuit I.E.: thermostat,

limit switch, blower interlock switch. Check for 120 volts between "neut"

(L2) and "120" (L1). Check for 120 volts at the ignitor across "IGN" and

"IGN" terminals on the HS780 ignition module. If 120 volts is present,
replace ignitor. If no, replace the 780 series module

PROBLEM #2 - IGNITOR GLOWS RED BUT MAIN BURNER

WOULDN'T LIGHT

Possible causes

A. Improper ignitor alignment

B. Faulty ignition control

C. Faulty gas valve

D. High inlet gas pressure

E. Polarity reversed

F. No earth ground

Solution

Step #1

Check for availability of gas at gas valve. Make sure the manual valve

upstream of the gas valve and the gas valve are in the full on position. Also

make sure gas is being supplied to the system at the proper pressure, too

high will lock-up the valve.

Step #2

Check proper polarity of "NEUT" and "120" on the ignition control by reversing

the wires, if reversed gas valve will not open. If this does not solve the

problem, replace wires as they were.

Step #3

Check for proper ignitor position.

Step #4

Check for a good earth ground by using a meter connected between L1

and furnace chassis. Should read 120 volts, if no, check and/or repair ignition
ground wire or ignition control mounting screws.
CAUTION POLARITY MUST BE OBSERVED

Step #5

Check for 24 volts at the gas valve terminals; "1" and "2" on a 7200 series,

"M" and "C" on a 7100 series, "TH" and "TR" on a 7000 series. If yes,

check wire integrity or change the gas valve. If no, change the 780 series
ignition module.

That is pretty much all of the troubleshooting required.

Thanks for choosing FixYa,
Kelly