Gas water heater fails, then lights

[Snowman9000]

Our DSI gas water heater ignites but then only burns for a couple of seconds. After a second or two delay, it tries again, and this time it always keeps burning. What's going on?

[Snowman9000]

Well, after 2+ weeks of the described behavior, now it is staying lit on the first try for the past couple of days. Maybe it just felt neglected. 😕

[calamus]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
The WH having to bleed the lines after sitting all night is NOT normal.

The propane being turned ON at the tank/cylinder would keep line full of propane.

Bleeding the lines should only be necessary if propane has been valved out for an extended period.

Problem in AM......I gotta go with 'enblethen'

This is not normal if it works lighting the stove first then you have a leak in your system that need attention NOW! Propane is nothing to fool with get it fixed! There is a chance that you may need a new thermocouple that will sometimes cause that issue. First thing is to do a pressure test on you gas system!

[Old-Biscuit]

The WH having to bleed the lines after sitting all night is NOT normal.

The propane being turned ON at the tank/cylinder would keep line full of propane.

Bleeding the lines should only be necessary if propane has been valved out for an extended period.

Problem in AM......I gotta go with 'enblethen'

[Snowman9000]

Terry,
The fridge has been on elect.
The stove is right above the WH, so I'll try your method tomorrow AM.
Thanks.

[Terryallan]

Snowman9000 wrote:

othertonka wrote:
It is working like it is designed to work. The first time it lit and there was still some air in the line and it went out. now it is designed to try and relight 2 or 3 times more before it locks out and displays the "failed to light" indicator, and you have to turn it off for a few seconds and then turn it back ON so it will retry until it lights or fails to light after 3 more tries. One thing you can do to help eliminate this problem is to light the kitchen stove and let it burn until it burns clean and all the air is expelled, then try and light the water heater. Works for me and as a bonus the refer will also light easier after you expel the air.

Hmmm. Well, it does this every morning. If there is air in the line every morning, that suggests a problem?

Is the fridge running on gas? If it is, then the WH not starting, is a problem. IF the fridge is not running on gas. Then the WH needing to bleed the lines after sitting all night. Is pretty normal.

One way to be sure. Light the stove top, before you lite the WH. If you have to wait on gas for it to light. Then the WH is working properly.

[enblethen]

If the same thing happens every morning you could have a cracked ignitor/flame sensor allowing moisture to build up.
Inspect the ignitor assembly for any signs of a crack.

[Snowman9000]

othertonka wrote:
It is working like it is designed to work. The first time it lit and there was still some air in the line and it went out. now it is designed to try and relight 2 or 3 times more before it locks out and displays the "failed to light" indicator, and you have to turn it off for a few seconds and then turn it back ON so it will retry until it lights or fails to light after 3 more tries. One thing you can do to help eliminate this problem is to light the kitchen stove and let it burn until it burns clean and all the air is expelled, then try and light the water heater. Works for me and as a bonus the refer will also light easier after you expel the air.

Hmmm. Well, it does this every morning. If there is air in the line every morning, that suggests a problem?

[othertonka]

It is working like it is designed to work. The first time it lit and there was still some air in the line and it went out. now it is designed to try and relight 2 or 3 times more before it locks out and displays the "failed to light" indicator, and you have to turn it off for a few seconds and then turn it back ON so it will retry until it lights or fails to light after 3 more tries. One thing you can do to help eliminate this problem is to light the kitchen stove and let it burn until it burns clean and all the air is expelled, then try and light the water heater. Works for me and as a bonus the refer will also light easier after you expel the air.

[enblethen]

Clean the burner area.
Clean burner tube.
Check to make sure the flame sensor electrode is right in the flame.

[Chris_Bryant]

Hard to say, but often it is an adjustment issue- the first fire it doesn't burn correctly, the second fire it is heated a bit and will burn OK.