Reliance Water Heater Troubleshooting – Complete Guide 2022

All water heating devices are expected to experience troubles from time to time, and reliance water heaters are no exception!

Nevertheless, all the issues you will experience are identical throughout the models; therefore, you will be able to troubleshoot them in no time. So what are these issues, and what can you do to fix them?

Our thorough reliance water heater troubleshooting guide will educate you about common problems, how to interpret error codes, and provide tips to fix them.

What The LED Display On Your Unit Shows With Its Flashes?

0 Flashes Or Not Lit

Problem

The pilot light is not ignited due to inadequate power flowing through the heater.

Solution

1 Flash Every 3 Seconds

Problem

It indicates that your appliance is functioning well without problems.

Solution

2 Flashes

Problem

The gas control valve or the thermostat has inadequate power flowing through it.

Solution

4 Flashes

Problem

It means that the over-heat sensor was started through high water temperatures.

Solution

5 Flashes

Problem

If the led display shows 5 flashes, it means your heater’s sensor has failed.

Solution

7 Flashes

Problem

The thermostat or gas control valve has failed.

Solution

8 Flashes

Problem

8 flashes occur due to two reasons. First, the pilot valve may become trapped in the open position through the temperature or control valve was switched off, leaving the pilot working.

Second, if the thermopile was constantly running despite the temperature or control valve being switched off. This can be a consequence of the thermopile not having cooled down enough even after the water heater was turned off.

Solution

Common Problems And Reliance Water Heater Troubleshooting

1. T&P Discharge Pipe Leaking

The T&P discharge pipe can leak for several reasons:

Debris

Sometimes, debris may accumulate and cause the T&P valve not to close appropriately. In this scenario, drive small amounts of water by using your hands through the concerned area to get the debris to come out gradually. Before doing this, you should read the T&P valve’s label to correctly understand how it works.

High Water Pressure

The water pressure may be excessively high, and you need to deploy a pressure-reducing valve on the cold water supply line. Adjust the pressure-reducing valve between 50 to 60 PSI.

Thermal Expansion Pack

Deploying a thermal expansion pack can assist with the T&P pipe leaking. Nonetheless, if you have already fitted it, check it again as it may be defective.

If the pipe still leaks even after performing precautionary steps, call a specialist to inspect the T&P pipe itself.

2. No Warm Water

It’s the big trouble when your device’s fundamental function stops operating, and you end up taking showers with cold water. Nevertheless, there’re three different ways to determine what the problem is.

Check The Pilot Light

Examine the spark igniter and ensure to dim your room’s lights, and look through the sight glass when pressing the ignition button. If you’re unable to see the flame spark up, first confirm that the wiring is accurately and appropriately inserted.

If you do witness flame spark up, activate the gas supply valve and adhere to the lighting guidelines listed on your manual. Contact an expert if the pilot light does not spark up after these actions.

Examine The Status Light

If your heater does not have any problems, especially your pilot, then the status light on your gas control valve will continue blinking every 3 seconds.

If this is the situation, your unit has not discovered any problem. Nonetheless, if everything is fine, but still you’re not getting hot water, then check that the knob is rotated towards “hot” on your machine.

If the status light blinks more than every 3 seconds, refer to the table we provided above to know the problem and its solution.

Status Light Not Blinking

Status light not blinking is one of the most common reliance water heater problems. If it’s not flashing at all, follow the lighting instructions on your user manual to spark up the pilot light. If it does not work, then adhere to the previous step.

3. Low Water Pressure

This problem can be caused for both hot and cold water, so you should check the cold and hot water for the concerned tabs and showers.

If both hot and cold water is on, then your heater doesn’t have any issue, and you should call the local water service. However, if only the hot water side has this issue, follow these steps:

The Supply Valve Is Not Completely Open

From time to time, the supply valve may be left partially closed, reducing the water pressure. Just open the supply valve, and the problem should be resolved.

Melted Dip Tube Or Heat Traps

While installing the appliance, the copper’s soldering may melt the dip tub or heat traps. If so, you need to eliminate and change them as soon as possible, as they can limit water flow.

4. Water Odor

According to the reliance 501 water heater manual, water odor can be caused by the bacteria present in your shower water. Sometimes, it can also be present in your water heater tank. This accumulation can cause the water to become stinking.

The best way to inhibit it is by removing the anode rod in your device’s container and changing it with a zinc anode rod. Though, it can be quite unsafe, so we recommend you to call an expert to do reliance 606 gas water heater troubleshooting.