water heater

This was our problem take a look could be the same.



http://forums.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29168353.cfm

Remove burner tube
Remove main orifice----soak in alcohol then blow dry (Not with high pressure compressor just whistle)
Clean out burner tube with small bottle brush
Run wire thru combustion/exhaust chamber....tie rag to wire and pull back thru 'U' tube

Install orifice
Install burner tube....align it so it is straight with gas valve/want gas to flow down center of tube not bouncing off wall of tube. If crooked gas/air will NOT mix properly
Check spreader plate on end of tube...should be parallel to end of tube

Light of WH burner....loosen screw on air shutter and adjust air mixture
Close off slots if REALLY LOUD BRIGHT BLUE flame
Open more slots if YELLOW LAZY Flame with soot (unburned fuel)

Flame should be Blue with tinges of yellow tips

There are a number of things that can cause it.
Go HERE for a troubleshooting guide and scroll down to "Erratic burner flame or sooting".
In my case it was a misaligned flame spreader.

ok. Will check it out tommorow. Thanks.

As I recall there is an procedure in the manual for cleaning the burn chamber as well as adjusting the flame.

It could be bugs, bug nesting, something plugging up the burner pipe, causing a poor fuel/air mixture. You may need to remove pipe, clean out/blow out, something causing an obstruction. You want to see a good mostly blue flame.

Jerry