Water heater on gas smells bad and makes black soot.

[Bean]

We have a new Springdale 294BHSSR and I've always used the water heater on electric. This past weekend we turned on the A/C for a little so I switched it over to gas.

After awhile we smelled something, and thought the stove had been left on, but it wasn't. I went outside and the water heater cover had a lot of black soot on it. I switched the water heater back to electric and the smell inside went away.

Any ideas about what to check ? I haven't actually opened the cover and looked at it when it is firing (we were packing up to leave).

Thanks for any info you can give me...

Bean

[Bob Landry]

It sounds like the air/gas mixture is adjusted incorrectly and it's burning too rich. Any gas flame should be bluish in color. If you have a yellow flame, it's not getting enough air.

[JRTJH]

Clean the gas burner tubes and run a bottle brush through the tube where the flames shoots. If you have never used the gas burner, chances are you have a big bundle of cobwebs or spider webs. possibly even a wasp nest, dirt dauber nest in the water heater. Pay especially close attention to the air mixture tube. That's probably where the cobwebs are located. But, I'd clean the entire water heater since it's never been used.

[Bean]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that next time I'm at the camper.

Bean