I can confirm that after a month and a half of use the problem has not repeated. I am astonished that cleaning the burner is not mentioned in the troubleshooting guide as a possible fix when error 12 occurs. It is also hardly mentioned in forums or UA-cam. This one issue is probably what gives instant water heaters the bad name of being unreliable when they just need regular maintenance. Given the complexity of removing the burner, not difficult just lots of screws, I won’t be doing it every year as I do the vinegar back flashing but I’ll just wait for the first error code 12 to come up which I’m guesstimating to be 2-3 years depending on use. In fact it would be nice if these water heaters have a built in hours counter to keep track of use and a recommended preventive cleaning frequency. Happy cleaning!
I'm back for one more comment. I saw another video a plumber commented when he does service calls for yearly units he cleans, he used an old sock to filter out the shit on the return side before it cycled back in the pump and back through the unit. Ingenious lol!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I followed all the steps in your video. Cleaned, vacuumed and used fine sandpaper on the three rods. I didn't really do anything significant but it has been a week now with no more error code 12.🤞
Extremely useful. Not a job for the faint-hearted - it's surprising that such large pieces of debris can get inside the unit. I have had an older version of this and it has served for around ten years but lately showing the error code 13 when the water demand gets too high. Cleaning the flame-rods helped in the beginning but now I see I have to jump in and do what you did! Thanks for the very clear explanation - I shall be careful to identify which screw goes where and shall hope the gaskets aren't damaged when I disassemble. By the way, I will definitely buy Rheem again - we still love this unit!
Having intermittent Code 12s for about a year. One or more off-on cycles would correct the problem. Was going to follow your video to disassemble and clean my LPG Rheem. Found a different video that just required cleaning of the flame rods. Gave it a try before taking my unit apart. It's been a day but so far so good. Keeping your video around just in case. And yes, when the demand is past a certain threshhold, both sides of the burner fire up. Turned bathroom sink on, got half the burners. The bathtub got both sides. Thanks for explaining this cleaning option.
Cleaning the flame rods was the first thing I tried, probably saw the same video. However it didn’t do it for me so that’s when I decided to go all out and do the cleaning and if it wasn’t going to work out it was going in the garbage! As of today it is still running perfect. Glad I could help.
Thank you for documenting this. My Rheem RTGH-95DVLN had been doing code 12 intermittently for over a year and we would just shut off the hot water to let it reset and then turn the hot on slow to get it to stay lit. Over the last year it changed from intermittent to consistent. If the tub or the washing machine was turned on full hot we would get code 12 anytime that there hadn't been a recent use (in the last 30 min) of hot water. Yesterday after watching this video and one other, I went home on my lunch hour, took it apart and blew out the burner with an air compressor. There was an amazing amount of white oxidization in the burner fins. I might suggest a face mask if I had it to do again. Now no more code 12 despite deliberately doing the things that very predictably would cause it before. Regarding the right hand side of the burner not staying lit: When I have the tub filling full blast hot-only, both sides light up but when the hot water flow is less (like the kitchen sink) only the left side is lit. This appears to be an efficiency feature operating as designed.
I am the proud? owner of 2 of these high maintenance water heaters. Replaced 1 after working on it for 10 years. Seems you have to be a engineer/mechanic/electrician/plumber to keep these thing working. If this is you first time cleaning it, I'm afraid it won't be your last. I don't think other brands are much better, but I hope they are. Got to say Rheem is good about handing out parts under warranty. Where I live (rural) there are no service people close, so DIY is my only option. I wish I had a video several years ago, so I'm sure your video will help many. Having said that, tearing into these complex machines is not for the average homeowner. Thanks for posting.
I agree with you. I guess every appliance needs maintenance sooner or later I just wish this particular problem was made more obvious as to how to troubleshoot by the manufacturer. So far still working good since I did this cleaning.
What a pain to do - but great video. Not loving how high maintenance these things are - and purposely designed to be difficult- but not running out of hot water keeps the family happy.
Im not a plumber but I do sell plumbing supplies for a living and I believe I know why it is doing this. These are designed to save energy. What the manufacturers do is only use part of the burner when you have low flow (one or 2 faucets running) and when you have higher flow like dishwasher, shower, and a sink then the complete burner should fire off. Hope this helps. thanks!
I had code 12 issue about a year back. Cleaned off flame rods and haven't had the issue again until this year, so adding to annual maintenance. Also, your blue flame issue is by design, 2nd side fires up on higher demand.
Thanks for all of the advice above. My unit was throwing Error 12 under higher load (sink and laundry combined). I cleaned the manifold but not the burners and reassembled. The unit then started throwing error 13 after about 30 seconds under any load. Cleaned the intake screen- it was filthy, and still had the code. Double checked the system and realized I had not reconnected the power to the small transformer attached to the gas system, located just to the right of the top right corner of the circuit board. Reconnected the power and everything works perfectly. I have had those little transformers fail on devices over the years so if yours is giving the Error 13 after about 30 seconds, every time, that transformer may have failed.
Thanks for the video. I have the high performance model. The flame sensor had to be replaced after 2.5 yrs but was under warranty. Rheem tech was very good over the phone. Starting to get error 12 only when I require small quantities of hot water. i.e. rinsing dishes in the sink. When I need larger quantities, like in the shower, never experience an error 12. So I am thinking that it is a build up on the flame distributor as you showed in this video. I hope my unit is as easy to take apart and clean.
@@JesusValdez-ot1ls I am a semi empty nester and was not using my hot water as much as when my daughter was home taking 2 hour long, hot showers every day. So, I started taking longer showers at home every other day myself and it seems the higher volume of water going through the heating unit has solved the problem. I have not had an error 12 since then. I am just spit balling here (I am a retired mechanical engineer) and perhaps the natural gas valve sticks if not used on a regular basis. It seems to have worked for me over the last 3 weeks since I started using more hot water volume.
yeah in general cleaning these things seems to go a long way, especially the two burner pieces, even saw this video that goes over the simple solution to just keep a spare burner or clean it out similar to this video but with a little more knowledge: ua-cam.com/video/nU2vbSK7b6g/v-deo.html
I had a code 11 and it turned out to be clogged gas manifold ports. Rheem techs never mentioned this to me or the installer. Works great now. Unit is 7 years old and heats the floor in my garage. Rheem techs should have known. Kept telling me to replace parts even though they diagnosed fine.
Great vid. Hey, why can't the safety plastic thermo sheets be replaced? I have a nice heater with one burnt spot that I have heard I must just throw away. That hurts my feelers.
I have three different codes at different times. I have the same process to do as well. The only different thing that Rheem recommends is to clean the orifices with a wire but not to break inside the orifices. There's a brass nipple at the end of orifices. That one is for code 13. That's the problem I'm having. Rheem says to clean all of them with a wire, especially the brass nipple. Hope this helps for anyone out there. I will try also. Great video
Code 11 or 12 - clean or replace both flame rods. You also have a problem with your igniter it it clearly visible that high voltage is escaping through the insulation.
Manuel says check for 120 volts at flame rod. If no voltage replace board. No voltage was present on mine. New board 375.. Otherwise after 5 years it’s been a great heater.
Code 12 possible restricted flue. Try disconnecting your exhaust vent for a test run. Your vent may have either covered with snow or froze due to condensation and is restricting the exhaust flow. I have this issue, that said the temps here in Chicagoland have been 10 degrees to -13 the last week or more. Testing with the flue open the water heater runs fine over a 30 second run. Don't leave it this way, correct the flue restriction. BTW The burner on the right does seem to behave the same when operating normally.
Hi, I checked the exhaust and return pipes they are free and clear. The error hasn't come back yet since the burner cleaning but it was intermittent before and could go 1-2 weeks before coming back so I'm not going to sing victory just yet. BUT you do confirm that the right hand side of your burned also goes out after firing up so this is very helpful information. Thank you!
What does the bypass valve do? Discussion online says in order to flush you need to make sure the bypass is closed. You DO this by power up the unit for 10 seconds during the flush then pulling the plug from the wall....this ensures you're flushing the heat exchanger and not just the bypass circuit.
The burner burns low stage whenever there isn’t a large demand of hot water. The other side of the burner relights whenever the demand increases/high demand
Turn up your water temperature to 140F or above. You will see the right half of your burner stays lit up. It only comes up when extra hot water like that is required. Mine does the same. You now see yours works as designed.
I began getting error code 12 after a power surge but cleaning out the flame rods did not help. I'm thinking it might be the control board or fan got damaged but the unit will turn on periodically before going to code 12. Was your unit working when you changed out the control board and fan?
Lili Chen if it was the fan or control board the fuse would blow like mine did and in that case you would have to replace both. You said you cleaned the flame rods but did you open it and clean the burner assembly? I bet you that’s your problem. My unit has worked fine since I cleaned it.
Information good.Video Bad! Got sea sick. These units have a P.G.F.R. , Proportion Gas Flow Valve. Progressively opens on demand. If you have leaves in the intake, not good. Should be a screen in there to prevent that and flying creatures from entering. Any restriction at all will cause problems. Get someone to hold the camera for you next time.
Mine had started error coding 12 almost every other day now. All I do is turn off my shower or whatever for 5 seconds or so then back on and it’s all good. Sometimes during a shower or will go cold and I just turn it off for a few seconds (or 5🤣) and back on and it’s hot again. I think the igniter just isn’t getting the flame started. So I’ll take it apart and clean it. Bet it solves the prob.
@@orobkod I actually forgot all about it. Not too long after that I quit having the problem at all. Weird now that I think of it. I didn’t install a new shower head and drilled out the restricter So it would higher flow. And maybe that’s part of it. With really low flow maybe the flame has to start/stop and now maybe it’s a constant burn. Idk. I might still take it apart and do some maintenance on it
@@tracym427ahh I see. I just started having issues with mine, so Ill probably be taking it apart and probably flushing it out once a year. Seems like a bit of a headache, but a company quoted 250 🤮
my Rheem tankless water heater has error 12 code sometimes and it goes away . I clean the flame sensors and the igniter .My Rheem tankless water right side burner acts the same way it doesn't light up i thought the burner was dirty and was planning to take it apart and clean it and saw so many screw i just left it along .
It’s no big deal once the issues are corrected, I have been running my Rheem Prestige 96dvn for years with out any real issues. My actual dollar amount saving went from $120.00 per month to just $50.00 per month and not to mention that I’m only just one unit for my three family home. You can’t beat that. I even had National grid contact me to ask me what have I done in my home to have been using less gas. How about that. 😁
The second part lights up when you need more hot water. Like if your using the shower ,laundry and kitchen. Each burner will also adjust so that the water temp doesn't change even with high demand. This won't work if you change your output temp too high because with high demand your burners were already maxed at low demand
Anyone know how to fix a code 13 for this unit? I pulled out the burner assy, it was clean. Code 13 is a low oxygen error. Intake/exhaust is clear, propane is full.
I do. You buy a gas water heater with a 40 gallon tank. No error codes and no electricity to operate. SAME 12 year tank warranty as the tankless. Let's see price comparison, there is none. Tank models are 4-7 times CHEAPER. Again same 12 year warranty. No reason to buy tankless.
I don't have a Rheem heater. I did have a Navien. If you don't receive a better answer you can try several things. If you have the operating manual with codes to explain them, it can be helpful for diyers. The best suggestion is to call whoever installed your Rheem unit for advice and service. The next best suggestion, if Rheem has technical support for homeowners, is to call them for help. My guess is most manufacturers provide tech support for professionals - licensed plumbers and contractors installing them. Rheem may have homeowner support too.
Not sure what code 13 is for. If it’s related to condensation unplug the drain tube as it may be blocked or have air lock. Mine goes outside and in the winter it freezes so in that case i have a diverter that lets it drip into a bucket inside however I was getting air lock so I added a vent before the diverter and problem went away. I just uploaded a video on a water level sensor to monitor when the bucket fills up. Thanks
This unit has one igniter. Its the one on the right. The two on the left are flame sensors and yes, they need to be cleaned once in a while just like on a furnace. It's a good idea to inspect them along with the yearly flush.
I am not an expert! From a quick Google search: "Rheem fault code 29 - This code indicates that the heat exchanger outlet temperature is too low. By cleaning the heat exchanger air inlet, the problem is typically resolved". I'm not sure where this air inlet is but maybe it refers to the fresh air inlet that is part of the exhaust pipe. Maybe you got some leafs in there or a bird made a nest! I would open the front panel and blow compressed air up the pipe and inside the cabinet to clean it up. Just my guess but let me know if this works just curious.
They make a termination cover for rheem. It looks like an oval with a hole on one side. The exhaust exits out the hole and fresh air around the lip. 22.00 at Orange store. Honestly I'd put about 1/2 those screws back in. What a pain. I'm not sure if it's worth your time, but I think some heat trace would fix the freeze up.
The more I see issues with these the more i rather just get electric hot water tank. No complicated parts and always on,big deal your electric bill is $50 more a month. 1 issue with these on demand units there goes all your so called savings.
Couldn’t agree more! I have some apartment rentals and made the huge mistake of installing there things! Regret it so much it makes me angry! The crazy thing is your bill might be a total of $40 or $50 more for the entire year. So not worth the hassle, costing me way more than that per unit per year just to keep repairing them!
I installed mine 7 years ago and have never touched it once. I also never installed a trap for the gas line. Just today I got the error code 12, so even if cost me $4-500 to repair, I’ll take it.
Never again!!!!! Get one if you enjoy complicating your life! I’ll spend the whopping $25 extra in energy costs to run a NORMAL tank dead reliable hot water heater. I have wasted my time and money on several different makes and models and they all suck!!! I especially love it when the electricity goes out mid shower and the water immediately goes cold, my wife loved that one! If your going to torture yourself with one of these miserable units at least go for the standing pilot unit. I have both and at least those don’t leave you in the cold. Unfortunately I designed my hot water heater cabinet for these darn things so in order to go back to a reliable tank heater it’s a lot of work. Hopefully this reaches someone who’s on the fence about purchasing a tankless and it pushes them to go with a tank water heater.
Everything has pros and cons. For me considering the savings so far and the fact that standing water collects bacteria if not constantly kept very hot, I have to say the tankless has been worth it. Maybe a different brand works better... next time.
I’ve never had anything grow in a tank hot water heater before! Save yourself some serious hassles and stay far far away from tankless units. Just flush out your tank unit every once in a while and that’s it! The so called savings isn’t there at all after one issue with a tankless unit. Nothing like totally over complicating something that doesn’t need to be!
Keep the tank water temperature at a minimum 140 degrees F. That’s hot enough to quickly kill Legionella. Then buy an Anti Scald mixing valve to bring the faucet temperature to 120 degrees F or BELOW. @@mapquestHs
Which likely means there is something in the air of the room you have it located that is causing corrosion on the sensors! Nothing to do with Rheem..........
I am a plumber and I hate when people put this in. Old gas tanks are brilliant. 7 years of use pay $500 for replacement two parts and you good for another 7 years.
Unfortunately a new water heater costs more than $500 times specially with the forced vent plus labor to install of course. But more importantly an always on water heater consumes a lot more fuel than tankless as it is always on even during the day when hot water use is little to none. Yes the tankless are more expensive but long term more cost effective.
I have to be honest, I did not understand most of this video. It looks like you were just taking things apart until you found something that was clogged. Was the gas turned off to the house? You say that you’re not a plumber but I didn’t hear any safety precautions because, as we all know, gas does burn and explode.
You are probably right but I was in a hurry so picked up the best that Home Depot had at the time. Having said that these things use pretty standard designs so it is very possible that the electronics are the same or very similar so who really knows whats better!
@@ScrapMetalWorks Had my first Rheem (not from HD) for a couple years with no issues, after moving replaced the water heater with Rheem and so far so good. Thank you for the video tour. Did you ever resolve the issue?
I can confirm that after a month and a half of use the problem has not repeated. I am astonished that cleaning the burner is not mentioned in the troubleshooting guide as a possible fix when error 12 occurs. It is also hardly mentioned in forums or UA-cam. This one issue is probably what gives instant water heaters the bad name of being unreliable when they just need regular maintenance. Given the complexity of removing the burner, not difficult just lots of screws, I won’t be doing it every year as I do the vinegar back flashing but I’ll just wait for the first error code 12 to come up which I’m guesstimating to be 2-3 years depending on use. In fact it would be nice if these water heaters have a built in hours counter to keep track of use and a recommended preventive cleaning frequency. Happy cleaning!
I'm trying to find replacement gaskets for the flame rods and ignitor
I'm back for one more comment. I saw another video a plumber commented when he does service calls for yearly units he cleans, he used an old sock to filter out the shit on the return side before it cycled back in the pump and back through the unit. Ingenious lol!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I followed all the steps in your video. Cleaned, vacuumed and used fine sandpaper on the three rods. I didn't really do anything significant but it has been a week now with no more error code 12.🤞
Extremely useful. Not a job for the faint-hearted - it's surprising that such large pieces of debris can get inside the unit. I have had an older version of this and it has served for around ten years but lately showing the error code 13 when the water demand gets too high. Cleaning the flame-rods helped in the beginning but now I see I have to jump in and do what you did! Thanks for the very clear explanation - I shall be careful to identify which screw goes where and shall hope the gaskets aren't damaged when I disassemble. By the way, I will definitely buy Rheem again - we still love this unit!
Cleaning is a good way to temporarily get by bit the sensors should be replaced or else you will be cleaning them often...
Having intermittent Code 12s for about a year. One or more off-on cycles would correct the problem. Was going to follow your video to disassemble and clean my LPG Rheem. Found a different video that just required cleaning of the flame rods. Gave it a try before taking my unit apart. It's been a day but so far so good. Keeping your video around just in case.
And yes, when the demand is past a certain threshhold, both sides of the burner fire up. Turned bathroom sink on, got half the burners. The bathtub got both sides.
Thanks for explaining this cleaning option.
Cleaning the flame rods was the first thing I tried, probably saw the same video. However it didn’t do it for me so that’s when I decided to go all out and do the cleaning and if it wasn’t going to work out it was going in the garbage! As of today it is still running perfect. Glad I could help.
Guess i need to clean mine. Think its getting lint from dryer. In the same room and its dusty
Thank you for documenting this. My Rheem RTGH-95DVLN had been doing code 12 intermittently for over a year and we would just shut off the hot water to let it reset and then turn the hot on slow to get it to stay lit. Over the last year it changed from intermittent to consistent. If the tub or the washing machine was turned on full hot we would get code 12 anytime that there hadn't been a recent use (in the last 30 min) of hot water.
Yesterday after watching this video and one other, I went home on my lunch hour, took it apart and blew out the burner with an air compressor. There was an amazing amount of white oxidization in the burner fins. I might suggest a face mask if I had it to do again. Now no more code 12 despite deliberately doing the things that very predictably would cause it before.
Regarding the right hand side of the burner not staying lit: When I have the tub filling full blast hot-only, both sides light up but when the hot water flow is less (like the kitchen sink) only the left side is lit. This appears to be an efficiency feature operating as designed.
I am the proud? owner of 2 of these high maintenance water heaters. Replaced 1 after working on it for 10 years. Seems you have to be a engineer/mechanic/electrician/plumber to keep these thing working. If this is you first time cleaning it, I'm afraid it won't be your last. I don't think other brands are much better, but I hope they are. Got to say Rheem is good about handing out parts under warranty. Where I live (rural) there are no service people close, so DIY is my only option. I wish I had a video several years ago, so I'm sure your video will help many. Having said that, tearing into these complex machines is not for the average homeowner. Thanks for posting.
I agree with you. I guess every appliance needs maintenance sooner or later I just wish this particular problem was made more obvious as to how to troubleshoot by the manufacturer. So far still working good since I did this cleaning.
What a pain to do - but great video. Not loving how high maintenance these things are - and purposely designed to be difficult- but not running out of hot water keeps the family happy.
Only half of the burner stays lit unless the demand is high. ie shower and washing machine on at same time. Great video!
Im not a plumber but I do sell plumbing supplies for a living and I believe I know why it is doing this. These are designed to save energy. What the manufacturers do is only use part of the burner when you have low flow (one or 2 faucets running) and when you have higher flow like dishwasher, shower, and a sink then the complete burner should fire off. Hope this helps. thanks!
i hink this is what causes my error 12. ive installed shower head with filter on the second flow and sometines the flow is slow.
I had code 12 issue about a year back. Cleaned off flame rods and haven't had the issue again until this year, so adding to annual maintenance. Also, your blue flame issue is by design, 2nd side fires up on higher demand.
i guess I'm kinda off topic but does anyone know a good site to watch newly released series online?
@Payton Ernest flixportal :P
@Alexander Cyrus Thanks, signed up and it seems to work =) I appreciate it !!
@Payton Ernest You are welcome :D
So *that*'s why the twin flame rods! Good comment.
Thanks for all of the advice above. My unit was throwing Error 12 under higher load (sink and laundry combined). I cleaned the manifold but not the burners and reassembled. The unit then started throwing error 13 after about 30 seconds under any load. Cleaned the intake screen- it was filthy, and still had the code. Double checked the system and realized I had not reconnected the power to the small transformer attached to the gas system, located just to the right of the top right corner of the circuit board. Reconnected the power and everything works perfectly. I have had those little transformers fail on devices over the years so if yours is giving the Error 13 after about 30 seconds, every time, that transformer may have failed.
Thanks for the video. I have the high performance model. The flame sensor had to be replaced after 2.5 yrs but was under warranty. Rheem tech was very good over the phone. Starting to get error 12 only when I require small quantities of hot water. i.e. rinsing dishes in the sink. When I need larger quantities, like in the shower, never experience an error 12. So I am thinking that it is a build up on the flame distributor as you showed in this video. I hope my unit is as easy to take apart and clean.
I'm having the same issue error 12 when rinsing dishes, any luck finding solution?
@@JesusValdez-ot1ls I am a semi empty nester and was not using my hot water as much as when my daughter was home taking 2 hour long, hot showers every day. So, I started taking longer showers at home every other day myself and it seems the higher volume of water going through the heating unit has solved the problem. I have not had an error 12 since then. I am just spit balling here (I am a retired mechanical engineer) and perhaps the natural gas valve sticks if not used on a regular basis. It seems to have worked for me over the last 3 weeks since I started using more hot water volume.
Great video, thank you! I wasn’t able to see the debris clogging the burner, but I appreciate the effort you made on this
I had the codes error 12, and sometimes 13. I cleaned the two left side flame sensors , and it has been working really good now ,for about 3 months
yeah in general cleaning these things seems to go a long way, especially the two burner pieces, even saw this video that goes over the simple solution to just keep a spare burner or clean it out similar to this video but with a little more knowledge: ua-cam.com/video/nU2vbSK7b6g/v-deo.html
hows it working so far?
I think you did a great job. thanks for sharing!! And the gpm or gallons per minute is what brings on the other part of the burner.
I had a code 11 and it turned out to be clogged gas manifold ports. Rheem techs never mentioned this to me or the installer. Works great now. Unit is 7 years old and heats the floor in my garage. Rheem techs should have known. Kept telling me to replace parts even though they diagnosed fine.
Great vid. Hey, why can't the safety plastic thermo sheets be replaced? I have a nice heater with one burnt spot that I have heard I must just throw away. That hurts my feelers.
Great video! It helped immensely! So, have the comments from all!
Thank you for the video and then yes u fixed the problem since the flame was higher when u put everything back together
I have three different codes at different times. I have the same process to do as well. The only different thing that Rheem recommends is to clean the orifices with a wire but not to break inside the orifices. There's a brass nipple at the end of orifices. That one is for code 13. That's the problem I'm having. Rheem says to clean all of them with a wire, especially the brass nipple. Hope this helps for anyone out there. I will try also. Great video
Code 11 or 12 - clean or replace both flame rods. You also have a problem with your igniter it it clearly visible that high voltage is escaping through the insulation.
Manuel says check for 120 volts at flame rod. If no voltage replace board. No voltage was present on mine. New board 375.. Otherwise after 5 years it’s been a great heater.
Did all that fix code 12
You just saved me a whole lot of trouble. Thank you!!
Glad I could help!
Code 12 possible restricted flue. Try disconnecting your exhaust vent for a test run. Your vent may have either covered with snow or froze due to condensation and is restricting the exhaust flow. I have this issue, that said the temps here in Chicagoland have been 10 degrees to -13 the last week or more. Testing with the flue open the water heater runs fine over a 30 second run. Don't leave it this way, correct the flue restriction. BTW The burner on the right does seem to behave the same when operating normally.
Hi, I checked the exhaust and return pipes they are free and clear. The error hasn't come back yet since the burner cleaning but it was intermittent before and could go 1-2 weeks before coming back so I'm not going to sing victory just yet. BUT you do confirm that the right hand side of your burned also goes out after firing up so this is very helpful information. Thank you!
Thank you for the video. Your correct, the second size turns on when the hot water is at high flow (faucet tap wide open)
Best video I've seen far.
What does the bypass valve do? Discussion online says in order to flush you need to make sure the bypass is closed. You DO this by power up the unit for 10 seconds during the flush then pulling the plug from the wall....this ensures you're flushing the heat exchanger and not just the bypass circuit.
The burner burns low stage whenever there isn’t a large demand of hot water. The other side of the burner relights whenever the demand increases/high demand
Turn up your water temperature to 140F or above. You will see the right half of your burner stays lit up. It only comes up when extra hot water like that is required. Mine does the same. You now see yours works as designed.
Hey how do you clear out a frozen hose? I think that is what I have. It is -5 degrees here in Park City. Thanks
I began getting error code 12 after a power surge but cleaning out the flame rods did not help. I'm thinking it might be the control board or fan got damaged but the unit will turn on periodically before going to code 12.
Was your unit working when you changed out the control board and fan?
Lili Chen if it was the fan or control board the fuse would blow like mine did and in that case you would have to replace both. You said you cleaned the flame rods but did you open it and clean the burner assembly? I bet you that’s your problem. My unit has worked fine since I cleaned it.
Information good.Video Bad! Got sea sick.
These units have a P.G.F.R. , Proportion Gas Flow Valve. Progressively opens on demand. If you have leaves in the intake, not good. Should be a screen in there to prevent that and flying creatures from entering. Any restriction at all will cause problems. Get someone to hold the camera for you next time.
very helpful, thank you.
Did error code 12 ever went away? i am having similar problem on my Rheem tankless water heater.
I have the same problem with my reem error 12 and biping and no hot water when biping
Mine had started error coding 12 almost every other day now. All I do is turn off my shower or whatever for 5 seconds or so then back on and it’s all good. Sometimes during a shower or will go cold and I just turn it off for a few seconds (or 5🤣) and back on and it’s hot again.
I think the igniter just isn’t getting the flame started. So I’ll take it apart and clean it. Bet it solves the prob.
@@tracym427 did you ever figure out this problem?
@@orobkod I actually forgot all about it. Not too long after that I quit having the problem at all. Weird now that I think of it. I didn’t install a new shower head and drilled out the restricter
So it would higher flow. And maybe that’s part of it. With really low flow maybe the flame has to start/stop and now maybe it’s a constant burn. Idk. I might still take it apart and do some maintenance on it
@@tracym427ahh I see. I just started having issues with mine, so Ill probably be taking it apart and probably flushing it out once a year. Seems like a bit of a headache, but a company quoted 250 🤮
Thank you 🙏🏽
my Rheem tankless water heater has error 12 code sometimes and it goes away . I clean the flame sensors and the igniter .My Rheem tankless water right side burner acts the same way it doesn't light up i thought the burner was dirty and was planning to take it apart and clean it and saw so many screw i just left it along .
Wise move. You can do without hot water.
It’s no big deal once the issues are corrected, I have been running my Rheem Prestige 96dvn for years with out any real issues. My actual dollar amount saving went from $120.00 per month to just $50.00 per month and not to mention that I’m only just one unit for my three family home. You can’t beat that. I even had National grid contact me to ask me what have I done in my home to have been using less gas. How about that. 😁
great job
The second part lights up when you need more hot water. Like if your using the shower ,laundry and kitchen. Each burner will also adjust so that the water temp doesn't change even with high demand. This won't work if you change your output temp too high because with high demand your burners were already maxed at low demand
Mark C Got it! By the way still working great after just about 1 year since cleaning.
Anyone know how to fix a code 13 for this unit? I pulled out the burner assy, it was clean. Code 13 is a low oxygen error. Intake/exhaust is clear, propane is full.
I do. You buy a gas water heater with a 40 gallon tank. No error codes and no electricity to operate. SAME 12 year tank warranty as the tankless. Let's see price comparison, there is none. Tank models are 4-7 times CHEAPER. Again same 12 year warranty. No reason to buy tankless.
@@jimdavidson5208 why are you posting negative comments? If you have nothing positive to contribute, please refrain from commenting.
I don't have a Rheem heater. I did have a Navien. If you don't receive a better answer you can try several things. If you have the operating manual with codes to explain them, it can be helpful for diyers. The best suggestion is to call whoever installed your Rheem unit for advice and service. The next best suggestion, if Rheem has technical support for homeowners, is to call them for help. My guess is most manufacturers provide tech support for professionals - licensed plumbers and contractors installing them. Rheem may have homeowner support too.
Error 13 is the oxygen depletion sensor and you have to replace the entire burner assembly you cannot just order the sensor alone
jim davidson thanks for the help douche bag
Other side goes on steady if you using 2,3 ,4 hot water faucet ,shower at same time then it comes on due require more hot water
Great video man
Do you have a video how to flush it?
I have a code 13 now :(
Not sure what code 13 is for. If it’s related to condensation unplug the drain tube as it may be blocked or have air lock. Mine goes outside and in the winter it freezes so in that case i have a diverter that lets it drip into a bucket inside however I was getting air lock so I added a vent before the diverter and problem went away. I just uploaded a video on a water level sensor to monitor when the bucket fills up. Thanks
i had a code 13 last week what he just showed in this vid will fix it but you need to sand the igniters too thats what the rheem said when i called
@@jamesdriscoll2478 thank you very much!
This unit has one igniter. Its the one on the right. The two on the left are flame sensors and yes, they need to be cleaned once in a while just like on a furnace.
It's a good idea to inspect them along with the yearly flush.
Here a video on how to flush a Rheem ua-cam.com/video/St38CFhiaI0/v-deo.html
Shut off the hot water out valve and it resets immediately.
Can I clear my code 29 with a flush ??
I am not an expert! From a quick Google search: "Rheem fault code 29 - This code indicates that the heat exchanger outlet temperature is too low. By cleaning the heat exchanger air inlet, the problem is typically resolved". I'm not sure where this air inlet is but maybe it refers to the fresh air inlet that is part of the exhaust pipe. Maybe you got some leafs in there or a bird made a nest! I would open the front panel and blow compressed air up the pipe and inside the cabinet to clean it up. Just my guess but let me know if this works just curious.
They make a termination cover for rheem. It looks like an oval with a hole on one side. The exhaust exits out the hole and fresh air around the lip. 22.00 at Orange store. Honestly I'd put about 1/2 those screws back in. What a pain. I'm not sure if it's worth your time, but I think some heat trace would fix the freeze up.
thank you
The more I see issues with these the more i rather just get electric hot water tank. No complicated parts and always on,big deal your electric bill is $50 more a month. 1 issue with these on demand units there goes all your so called savings.
Couldn’t agree more! I have some apartment rentals and made the huge mistake of installing there things! Regret it so much it makes me angry! The crazy thing is your bill might be a total of $40 or $50 more for the entire year. So not worth the hassle, costing me way more than that per unit per year just to keep repairing them!
I installed mine 7 years ago and have never touched it once. I also never installed a trap for the gas line. Just today I got the error code 12, so even if cost me $4-500 to repair, I’ll take it.
Your sister sent me over......
Very poor the Rheem support, provide from rheem & dealers from Rheem in San Diego ca
can u put a video of you flame to see I could compare mines blue flame
What a total pain in the ass. Another of the millions of products I didn't design so they suck. Badly. Sorry, world, I can't be everywhere.
Never again!!!!! Get one if you enjoy complicating your life! I’ll spend the whopping $25 extra in energy costs to run a NORMAL tank dead reliable hot water heater. I have wasted my time and money on several different makes and models and they all suck!!! I especially love it when the electricity goes out mid shower and the water immediately goes cold, my wife loved that one! If your going to torture yourself with one of these miserable units at least go for the standing pilot unit. I have both and at least those don’t leave you in the cold. Unfortunately I designed my hot water heater cabinet for these darn things so in order to go back to a reliable tank heater it’s a lot of work. Hopefully this reaches someone who’s on the fence about purchasing a tankless and it pushes them to go with a tank water heater.
A simple UPS will protect you from cold water and give you enough time to finish showering.
Buy a Rinnai and have it professionally installed
Tankless too much drama.. Keep it simple 🤣🤣😂😂go tanked.
Everything has pros and cons. For me considering the savings so far and the fact that standing water collects bacteria if not constantly kept very hot, I have to say the tankless has been worth it. Maybe a different brand works better... next time.
I’ve never had anything grow in a tank hot water heater before! Save yourself some serious hassles and stay far far away from tankless units. Just flush out your tank unit every once in a while and that’s it! The so called savings isn’t there at all after one issue with a tankless unit. Nothing like totally over complicating something that doesn’t need to be!
Keep the tank water temperature at a minimum 140 degrees F. That’s hot enough to quickly kill Legionella. Then buy an Anti Scald mixing valve to bring the faucet temperature to 120 degrees F or BELOW. @@mapquestHs
Rheen SUCKS! JUST TWO MONTHS AND CODE 12 ERROR.. wondering if I can return this shitty item back to Home Depot
Which likely means there is something in the air of the room you have it located that is causing corrosion on the sensors! Nothing to do with Rheem..........
I am a plumber and I hate when people put this in. Old gas tanks are brilliant. 7 years of use pay $500 for replacement two parts and you good for another 7 years.
Unfortunately a new water heater costs more than $500 times specially with the forced vent plus labor to install of course. But more importantly an always on water heater consumes a lot more fuel than tankless as it is always on even during the day when hot water use is little to none. Yes the tankless are more expensive but long term more cost effective.
I have to be honest, I did not understand most of this video. It looks like you were just taking things apart until you found something that was clogged. Was the gas turned off to the house? You say that you’re not a plumber but I didn’t hear any safety precautions because, as we all know, gas does burn and explode.
Do you drink a lot? your hand is so shaky
As a matter of fact... no enough! come on man... constructive criticism only please.
Rude
Could be a neurological disorder.
your first mistake was to buy it from Home Depot don't ever do it again
I’m willing to bet you’re a boomer. Nothing positive to say.
Buy a rinnai
You are probably right but I was in a hurry so picked up the best that Home Depot had at the time. Having said that these things use pretty standard designs so it is very possible that the electronics are the same or very similar so who really knows whats better!
@@ScrapMetalWorks Had my first Rheem (not from HD) for a couple years with no issues, after moving replaced the water heater with Rheem and so far so good. Thank you for the video tour. Did you ever resolve the issue?
Rinnai - #1 Selling tankless in North America