Connecting a propane water heater to a natural gas line?

[talisman]

Okay, so my idiocy grows by the day. I just realized that I've had my plumber install a bloody Rinnai propane heater on our N.G. line.

What now? Throw the Rinnai in the trash and buy a N.G. heater? Or is there any other way to un-f*ck this situation?

 

[Twowaxhack]

They make a conversion kit but they won’t sell it to you.

Buy another heater.

Is this the apprentice with the expired license doing this work ?

I guess you rolled the dice....

 

[talisman]

No, this was the licensed and bonded plumber who was recommended by my G.C.!

Edit: to be clear, I am the idiot who bought the unit.

 

[Twowaxhack]

No, this was the licensed and bonded plumber who was recommended by my G.C.!

Edit: to be clear, I am the idiot who bought the unit.

It’s his fault then. He’s installing it. It’s his job to check that before he even opened the box.

That’s the first thing I look at when I get my heaters, I only buy natural gas.

 

[talisman]

It’s his fault then. He’s installing it.

He also did it without a permit (which I've just learned is required in Austin). What should I ask him to do here, exactly? Attach a conversion kit? Install the correct one for free (once I've bought it)? That feels wrong.

 

[talisman]

Also, is the current unit likely to be returnable (to the Home Depot) or reused by someone else, or does it have to be discarded?

 

[Twowaxhack]

He also did it without a permit (which I've just learned is required in Austin). What should I ask him to do here, exactly?

At the very least help you sell it. At the most buy it from you.

Depends on how cool you want to be with the guy. You did contribute some to the problem......but you’re not responsible for HIS mistake.

Now you can’t return it and he’s the reason why......

 

[talisman]

I'm pretty big into owning my mistakes. I'm not looking to pressure him here, but it helps to know what the "plumber's code" says about this kind of situation. I think all I can do is text him, admit my mistake, and ask what he can do.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Also, is the current unit likely to be returnable (to the Home Depot) or reused by someone else, or does it have to be discarded?

If it came from Home Depot I’d box it up and take it back.

Mostvsupply houses won’t take them back. They tell you to call for service if it doesn’t work straight out of the box. That’s how it is here anyway.

 

[talisman]

If it came from Home Depot of box it up and take it back.

It'll take another week to get the correct one, which is going to enrage my tenants. Would it be crazy to just ask him to install a conversion kit?

 

[Twowaxhack]

It'll take another week to get the correct one, which is going to enrage my tenants. Would it be crazy to just ask him to install a conversion kit?

Can you get one ? If so then sure.....

Rinnai won’t sell to homeowners. I was thinking it was a Rinnai. Sorry.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Rinnai you have to switch the gas manifold out then reprogram the brain to accept the new gas. Then you have to set the high and low gas fire pressures. Manometer is a must.,

Not everyone is up to this......even pros.

 

[talisman]

Can you get one ? If so then sure.....

Oh, I see -- they are brand-specific.

https://www.rinnai.us/faq/tankless-...r-heater-be-converted-to-a-different-gas-type
I probably can't get one, and almost surely not quicker than I can just get a new heater.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I have a pic of one of you want to see it for kicks.

I have a loaner tankless and I got the conversion kit so I could use my loaner heater after hurricanes if I needed to. My neighborhood lost natural gas supply after a storm a few times.

 

[havasu]

The stove i just replaced had the propane orifices in a bag in the rear of the stove. It is possible he swapped out the incorrect orifices?

 

[Twowaxhack]

The stove i just replaced had the propane orifices in a bag in the rear of the stove. It is possible he swapped out the incorrect orifices?

It’s more complicated than that with a Rinnai tankless. I posted the process above.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Here is the burner. Front and back.
See the gas solenoids ? Those come on as the heater demands more fuel.
See the LPG stamp.

See the jets ? That’s where you gas gets injected. 34 of them......

I also keep two brain boards

 

[Twowaxhack]

I had unit get struck by lightning that was 2 months old.

The customers insurance company told me I could have the unit. The customer told me I could have the unit.

Rinnai said they would not honor any warranty on the heater if it had been hit by lightning.,

I took the heater apart piece by piece and checked each electrical part with a test meter then reassembled and tested everything that needed power to check.

I replaced the brain and a flow switch.

That’s how I ended up with my loaner heater.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Oh, I see -- they are brand-specific.

https://www.rinnai.us/faq/tankless-...r-heater-be-converted-to-a-different-gas-type
I probably can't get one, and almost surely not quicker than I can just get a new heater.

Yes unfortunately everything in the plumbing world is going to be in short supply in Texas for a very long time including plumbers. Try ordering from an online (mail order) place that is highly respected; bite the bullet; and pay for expedited delivery. Only order from somebody who’s got it in stock, and do it on the telephone not online. Speak to a human being so they can tell you whether or not it’s in stock and when they can ship it.

You can do nothing but replace this with the proper water heater and do your best to sell this one. you should have no issue selling it if you can’t return it.

And for goodness sake‘s pay attention to detail! Make sure you have enough gas pressure, enough water pressure, and all those other requirements to make sure a proper replacement tankless water heater is going to work. Your plumber apparently doesn’t know these things so it’s up to you to understand them.

 

[mark3885]

I’m in the market for a propane fired tankless, but I won’t be going to Texas until June , July . Post on here if you sell it or send me your contact info . Mark