Do-it-yourself repair of Vector Lux geysers: common breakdowns + tips for fixing them
Among consumers, Vector geysers have gained wide popularity due to their affordable cost, attractive design, and reliability. But any technology does not last forever, and individual elements and components of the speakers are subject to wear. The simple design of the equipment allows, in most cases, to repair Vector Lux geysers on your own, without waiting for a specialist to arrive. This option not only saves time, but also money, don’t you agree?
But where to start and how to proceed? We will talk about all this in our article - first, we will understand the features of the brand’s gas water heater and the reasons for its malfunction. We will also discuss repair methods and equipment maintenance procedures.
The content of the article:
Features of the Vector speakers
Gas water heaters are available in two trim levels: JSD 20-W and Lux Eco. The difference in the design of the models is small, and there are no fundamental differences in the design of the equipment.
Regardless of modification or price, all Vector water heaters are equipped with electric ignition. This eliminates the presence of a constantly burning wick, which increases fire safety and efficiency of the equipment.
Brand column device
The design of a Vector brand household geyser is no different from most similar devices.We recommend that you read more about typical speaker device.
The “heart” of the device is a copper heat exchanger, which heats up quickly and has a long service life. It consists of hollow tubes into which cold water flows and is then heated by a burner.
As you can see, the diagram of a Vector brand household geyser is quite simple, without a large number of additions, which ensures high reliability of the device.
Working principle of a brand water heater
The columns consist of three main components, including water, gas units, and the transition between them. After the tap opens, water flows into the water unit. The valve responsible for the gas supply is activated only if there is sufficient water pressure in the network. A special regulator is responsible for further supply of gas pressure.
The burner ignites a mixture of air and gas, which during combustion in the chamber releases heat, which heats the water in the heat exchanger tubes.
Combustion products are discharged through a metal chimney. The process of removing toxic products is monitored by a sensor. In the absence of draft in the system, it helps to turn off the gas water heater.
To protect the gas water heater from overheating, a thermal relay is used in the design. The device responds to changes in water temperature. When the indicator reaches 80 °C, the burner turns off. The design also includes a fuse that controls the pressure in the system.
The optimal temperature is considered to be not exceeding 55 °C. Otherwise, scale will quickly form on the internal surfaces of the gas water heater heat exchanger tubes, which will lead to malfunctions and the need to disassemble and clean the equipment.
In most cases, the water supply system supplies hard water, so manufacturers do not recommend heating it to such a limit that it then needs to be diluted.
Causes of breakdowns and their elimination
Despite the simplicity of the design and ease of operation, the flow-through heater is not immune to breakdowns. If the Vector brand geyser does not turn on, do not panic. There may be several reasons for the problem and most of them can be eliminated yourself.
Problem #1 - lack of traction in the column
The lack of draft indicates that combustion products cannot be promptly removed from the room. This poses a danger to users, so the sensor turns off the gas water heater.
Sometimes the burner lights up but goes out immediately. This can happen when there is not enough air for gas combustion - the flame goes out due to lack of oxygen to support combustion.
In any case, you first need to check the draft by holding a burning match to a special hole on the speaker body. If the flame is directed inward, then the chimney is working normally, combustion products will be promptly removed, but the cause of the malfunction lies elsewhere. If the flame remains motionless, directed upward or towards the user, then it is worth carefully inspecting the chimney and cleaning it.
Problem #2 - difficulties with water pressure
Another reason why a Vector brand household gas water heater does not light up may be low cold water pressure or its complete absence. Before you start looking for a solution to the problem, you need to make sure that cold water is supplied without interruption and evaluate its pressure. If there is insufficient water pressure in the system, installing a pump or replacing old, clogged pipes.
If there are no problems with the water supply, you should proceed to inspect the column. The solution to the problem can be adjusting the water supply to the column. To do this, you must fully open the corresponding tap.
Another reason for insufficient water pressure in the column is a clogged filter. To inspect it, it is necessary to turn off the water and gas supply to the valves, unscrew the nuts, and rinse the mesh. If you cannot clean it, the filter will have to be replaced.
Problem #3 - insufficient gas pressure
Sometimes the gas pressure is not enough to ignite the flow column and allow it to operate normally. However, you cannot solve such a problem on your own. You need to contact your gas service.
Problem #4 - no ignition when turned on
The presence of an electric ignition system ensures comfortable operation of the gas water heater and eliminates the use of a wick that is constantly burning. However, it is this element that can cause the device to malfunction.
When the tap is opened, automatic ignition should be triggered. This action is accompanied by a characteristic crash.If the ignition does not work or the spark is too weak to ignite the gas, the column will not be able to connect. Will help solve this problem replacing batteries.
Problem #5 - clogged pipes
Water and gas pass through the Vector gas water heater during operation. Using filters allows you to clean them from unnecessary impurities. However, the presence of blockages may cause the device simply not to turn on.
However, the filter is not always able to bring water to an ideal state. Soluble salts enter the heater along with the liquid and settle on the walls of the heat exchanger. As a result, the patency of thin tubes is impaired.
Specialists remove scale using specialized reagents. A home technician can deal with it using a solution of citric acid or vinegar. To clean the heat exchanger, you need to remove it and place it in a warm solution with vinegar added. You can also use special purchased products - “chemicals” designed for cleaning heat exchangers.
We talked in detail about cleaning and repairing the heat exchanger in the next article.
Gas water heater maintenance
To ensure that the geyser does not require repairs for a long time, it is important to periodically inspect the water heating equipment and carry out its maintenance.
To avoid the occurrence of fire hazards, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the ignition group and the main burner.The equipment must be promptly cleaned of accumulated carbon deposits and the heat exchanger gaps must not be allowed to become clogged with soot.
The body of the geyser is cleaned using a soap solution and detergents without abrasive substances.
Water heater maintenance must be carried out gas company specialists and at least once a year.
A number of events for cleaning the column you can do it yourself, including:
- cleaning the burner;
- lubrication of moving elements;
- cleaning, replacing the water filter;
- inspection of the column for cracks and deformation;
- replacing gaskets;
- cleaning the heat exchanger;
- checking the functionality of traction sensors and water temperature.
Before each switching on of the equipment, the serviceability of the chimney system, the presence of draft and the absence of gas leaks are checked. The latter is determined by the presence of a specific odor or reaction special sensor.
If any malfunction is detected, it is important to immediately turn off the column, contact a specialist or fix the problem yourself.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
In order to repair a geyser yourself, you must have at least minimal repair skills and understand the structure and operating principle of the device.
A detailed overview of the malfunctions of the Vector gas water heater can be seen in the video:
Looking at the information presented above, it is worth concluding that geyser malfunctions can be caused by insufficient pressure when providing water and gas, improper maintenance of the water heater, and the presence of breakdowns in individual equipment components. Some problems are easy to fix yourself.
However, for more complex issues of speaker repair, you should contact qualified technicians. This approach is relevant when the gas water heater is not operating correctly for no apparent reason. In such a case, a thorough diagnosis and a professional approach to repair are necessary.
Do you have a Vector Lux gas water heater and would you like to tell us about your experience in repairing it? Or would you like to add one more to the list of breakdowns discussed in this article? Write comments, add unique photos of your own repair of the Vector column, ask questions, participate in the discussion - the feedback form is located below.
