Flammable Vapor Sensor

[rvr6000]

Just had to replace the flammable vapor sensor on my water heater for the second time. The first time was my fault....was putting some poly on a table in the basement but now it went out again sometime over the weekend.

Does anyone know if these things just kinda wear out over time? It has been about two years now since I replaced it the first time. Unless it was tripped by the the gas to the water heater itself I don't know what else could have done it. The only other appliance running over the weekend was the dehumidifier.

I was gone all weekend so unfortunately I don't know if there were any other circumstances.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

It picks up solvents and or vapors same as a smoke detector in principle.
Natural gas will trip them, any solvent, ant spray or any propellant based product will cause the sensor to trip. I believe that a mist of water will trip them. To my knowledge they do not wear out over time.

And the dang things are not cheap and nobody wants to stock them. PIA isn't it.

 

[rvr6000]

And the dang things are not cheap and nobody wants to stock them. PIA isn't it.

Exactly.....Rheem sent me the first one for free but this one I had to drive over to the opposite side of Minneapolis to get it from a place that only sell/installs water heaters. It was $21.00 after tax.

Edit - Now that you mentioned water.....we had a hell of a rain here Saturday morning and I have a basement window that leaks when we get downpours. I used the floor squeegee to push some water over to the floor drain right before we left for the weekend. I bet some of it sprayed up onto the sensor. Thanks Frank.

 

[ishiboo]

Exactly.....Rheem sent me the first one for free but this one I had to drive over to the opposite side of Minneapolis to get it from a place that only sell/installs water heaters. It was $21.00 after tax.

Edit - Now that you mentioned water.....we had a hell of a rain here Saturday morning and I have a basement window that leaks when we get downpours. I used the floor squeegee to push some water over to the floor drain right before we left for the weekend. I bet some of it sprayed up onto the sensor. Thanks Frank.

Roger, roger.

Gas detectors are quite common in gasoline-powered boat mechanical spaces... they don't last long at all if they get wet.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

I have one in a Thai Restaurant, all restaurants have pest control, every other month the pest guy squirts this thing and knocks out the hot water. I taped 3 of them to the side of the unit so they are always handy in a double zip lock bag.

 

[mrb]

ive never heard of a thai restaurant that has an exterminator.....i bet the place is a front for something else.

 

[Garage5.9]

ive never heard of a thai restaurant that has an exterminator.....i bet the place is a front for something else.

They usually eat the bugs