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Grodyman's avatar
Grodyman
Explorer
Apr 12, 2014

Water Heater Soot?

My propane water heater burner on the Lance is burning a large yellow flame and producing a lot of soot. I can see flame shooting out of the exhaust pipe. Smells like a kerosene oil lamp. Any ideas?

Gman
  • Hi,

    If you are out camping, then blowing through it with compressed air at a gas station will work fine. Probably would clean it out better once at home.

    Fred.
  • I blew it out and it is working much better. Thanks guys. The cold showers in Death Valley felt good though...

    Gman
  • Ex-Tech wrote:
    This trouble is commonly caused by spider webs in the burner tube.
    It needs to be cleaned.


    YEP.......
    Need to remove burner tube and clean it with a bottle brush (blowing air doesn't get rid of spider webs)
    With burner tube AND spark electrode removed.......run a wire thru combustion chamber and out exhaust, then tie a rag to it and pull back thru to clean 'U' tube of any debris and the soot.
    Clean up spark electrode with 400 grit to get rid of carbon/soot on it
  • This trouble is commonly caused by spider webs in the burner tube.
    It needs to be cleaned.