Ao Smith Motor Serial Number Date Code

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Completing this form will help you obtain more efficient warranty service in case there is a problem with your product during the limited warranty period. Technical Support Gain easier and faster assistance should you ever need technical support. When entering the serial number of the heater: For 11-digit serial numbers, e.g. 16, please enter all 11 digits. 542, please enter only the last 9 digits, e.g. For serial numbers with MT, e.g. 1800MT11223344, please enter the MT followed by the next eight digits. Smith reserves the right to deny.

  • B385 5 HP, AIR COMPRESSOR 3600 RPM AO SMITH ELECTRIC MOTOR

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    A.O. Smith Water heater age decode key & water heater manual sources.

    Age decoding guid for water AO Smith water heaters, manuals, repair & maintenance guides.

    We give contact information for AO Smith water heater, geyser, cylinder, calorifier manufacturers and for water heater installation, operation, & troubleshooting manuals.

    We include a table of common error codes given on some models of A.O. Smith water heaters.

    Our photo at page top shows an oil fired water heater with a backpressure problem and other safety concerns like a missing extension tube on that relief valve, and maybe a missing draft regulator and perhaps an oil line that is not protected from damage.

    We also provide a MASTER INDEX to this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.

    A.O. Smith Water Heater Age Decoding Tips

    A.O. Smith Water Heater Age Determination - reader comment: (May 11, 2012) AO Smith employee said: To tell the age of any AO Smith water is the first 4 numbers.

    The first 2 are the year and the second 2 are what week it is. I work in the Q.C. Department there and make the serial plates all the time. Hope this information helps some people out - A.O.S. employee.

    Current AO Smith water heater date code

    Ser# YYWW123456 example 1604123456 decodes to YY=Year=2016 and WW=Week No. 04 of that year.

    However on some AO Smith water heaters, particularly older models, you'll see a confusion of letters and numbers in the serial number that may be decoded into manufacturing date as shown below.

    Older AO Smith water heater date codes

    Number

    Ser# YYWW123456 - exampl: Ser# 9902123456 decodes to year 1999 and the week 02 - or early January. This A.O. Smith water heater date of manufacture code has been used since 2008.

    Ser# MMYY1234567 - example: Ser# 03991234567 decodes to March 1999 this older style AO Smith water heater date code decodes as shown where MM = month and YY = 2 digit year.

    Ser# MYY1234567 - example Ser# B0112344567 decodes to February 2001: the first letter encodes the month using A - N for January - December (the letter I is not used) and the second two digits encode the year.

    Ser# FB00A123456 decodes to F=Factory code, B=month code using A - N for January - December (the letter I is not used) and the next two digits encode the year.
    - example: Ser# GB92-03123456-789 decodes to Factory ID=G, Month=B or February, Year=92 or 1992.

    Other AO Smith water heaters that may be sold under different brand names include Glascote water heaters, National water heaters & Perma-Glas water heaters.

    Contact Information & Service Manuals for AO Smith Water Heaters

    Photo: A.O. Smith water heater data tag detail showing the water heater serial number:

    • A.O. Smith Water Products, A. O. Smith Water Products500 Tennessee Waltz ParkwayAshland City, TN 37015USA, Tel: 800-527-1953.
      Website: http://www.hotwater.com/water-heaters/ - readers can find their type and model of AOS water heater and then find all of the documents concerning that model
      AO Smith water heater manufacaturer's water heater age page: https://www.aosmithinternational.com/manufacturing-date-device/
      A. O. Smith Corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, offering a comprehensive product line featuring the best-known brands in North America, China, and India.
      The company was founded in 1874 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where today the company is headquartered.       - retrieved 2018/02/23, original source: https://www.aosmith.com/about/

    Photos: Above: an A.O. Smith water heater installed, and the product packaging label data for that new AOS electric water heater.

    Below: the data tag for this new A.O. Smith electric water heater.

    The serial number for this A.O. Smith water heater is ME98-0041362-917

    I decode this to E = May and 98 = 1998. We purchased this water heater as new old stock in 2015 - it was the last heater of this model series in stock at the local Poughkeepsie supplier.

    [Click to enlarge any image]

    AO Smith Water Heater Manuals & Troubleshooting Guides

    • A.O. Smith CONDENSING WATER HEATER TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE [PDF], (2011) A.O. Smith Water Products Company500 Tennessee Waltz ParkwayAshland City, TN 37015Toll Free: 1‐877‐737‐2840
    • A.O. Smith PROMAX® ELECTRIC WATER HEATER 30 GALLON MANUAL [PDF] ProMax® electric water heaters for ProLine® water heater models ENT-30 ENT-40 ENTB-50 ENT-50 ENT-55 ENSB-30 ENS-30 ENS-40 ENS-50 ENLB-30 ENL-30 ENLB-40 ENL-40
    • A.O. Smith PROLINE® ELECTRIC WATER HEATER [PDF] ProLine® electric water heaters
    • A.O. Smith PROLINE® 50 Gallon LOWBOY MOBILE HOME WATER HEATER MANUAL [PDF] Proline Electric water heaters for models MHEW2-30L-035DV MHEW2-30H-035DV MHEW2-40R-035DV MHEW2-30L-030DV MHEW2-30H-030DV MHEW2-40R-030DV
    • A.O. Smith RESIDENTIAL GAS & ELECTRIC WATER HEATER SERVICE HANDBOOK [PDF] retrieved 2017/11/17, original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/training/320991-000.pdf
      This manual covers residential gas fired water heaters that are atmospherically vented and use a thermocouple as their electrical source, and residential electric water heaters having one or two heating elements and common wiring configurations.
      Excerpt:
      The information contained in this handbook is designed to answer commonly faced situations encountered in the operation of the Residential Gas and Electric product line and is not meant to be all-inclusive.
      If you are experiencing a problem not covered in this handbook, please contact the A.O. Smith Technical Information Center at 1-800-527-1953 or your local A.O. Smith Water Products Company representative for further assistance.
      Additional information is also available on the web site www.aosmithwaterheaters.com. This handbook is intended for use by licensed plumbing professionals and reference should be made to the instructional manual accompanying the product.
      This handbook contains supplemental information to the Residential Gas and Electric instructional manual.
    • AO SMITH GAS & ELECTRIC WATER HEATER SERVICE MANUAL [PDF] retrieved 2018/04/10, original source: AO Smith www.hotwater.com/lit/training/320991-000.pdf
    • AO SMITH ELECTRIC WATER HEATER WIRING INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] A. O. Smith Water Products 500 Tennessee Waltz Parkway Ashland City, TN 37015 USA Phone: 800-527-1953 A. O. Smith products, technical support, warranty or service needs Website: www.hotwater.com
    • A.O. Smith, INSTRUCTION MANUAL, GAS WATER HEATERS MODEL GDV GDVT [PDF] A.O. Smith Water Heaters, 500 Tennessee Waltz Parkway, Ashland City, TN 37015 USA, Tel: 1-800-433-2545 Website: www.aosmithwaterheaters.com Email: parts@hotwater.comretrieved 2018/05/04, original source: www.hotwater.com/lit/im/res_gas/186589-000.pdf
    • AO SMITH GAS WATER HEATER OWNERS MANUAL [PDF]
    • AO SMITH GAS WATER HEATER PARTS LIST [PDF]
    • AOS Bulletin 13 WATER HEATER MINERAL BUILD-UP [PDF] retrieved 2017/11/17 original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/bulletin/bulletin13.pdf
    • AOS Bulletin 14 HEATER ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE [PDF] retrieved 2017/11/17 original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/bulletin/bulletin14.pdf
    • AOS Bulletin 15 HEATER CONDENSATION [PDF] retrieved 2017/11/17 original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/bulletin/bulletin15.pdf
    • AO SMITH WATER HEATER DE-LIMING INSTRUCTIONS [PDF]
    • AOS Bulletin 11: WATER HEATER WATER HAMMER [PDF] retrieved 2017/11/17, original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/bulletin/bulletin11.pdf
    • AOS Bulletin 51 WATER HEATER PUDDLE ON FLOOR [at the water heater] [PDF] retrieved 2017/11/17, original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/bulletin/bulletin51.pdf
      and see AOS Bulletin 15 given above
    • Also see TAKAGI WATER HEATER MANUALS, AGE, ERROR CODES

    AO Smith Water Heater Standard Error Codes

    If your AO Smith condensing water heater code includes a circuit board or remote control it can show an error code. Contact your plumber or AO Smith technical support at the location given above in this article.

    Watch out: your water heater model may use different codes or may provide error codes that are not given here. Therefore you'll want to consult the manual for your specific heater.

    Table of AO Smith Condensing Water Heater Error Codes

    Error CodeMeaning
    005

    Improper combustion, warning for 991 error.

    Watch out: this is an unsafe condition risking CO hazards.

    031Wrong dip switch setting, possibly LP gas set when the fuel is Natural gas, or vice versa
    070Computer board failure - see 701
    072False flame detected - see 721
    074Remote control problem - see 741, 751
    099

    Improper combustion - see 991

    Watch out: this is an unsafe condition risking CO hazards.

    101

    Improper combustion.

    Watch out: this is an unsafe condition.

    Look for a blocked flue or chimney (or downdrafts in the chimney) or a problem with the draft inducer fan.

    111

    Ignition failure; the burners do not light.

    Check for a bad igniter, flame sensor, gas valve. Check for gas supply. Check for a blown fuse on the circuit board.

    121Burner flame lost. See code 111 above.
    311

    Output thermistor failure.

    Check the thermistor and its wires on the heat exchanger. Replace the thermistor if you don't see a loose or disconnected wire.

    321

    Input thermistor failure.

    Check the thermistor and its wires at the water inlet. Replace the thermistor if you don't see a loose or disconnected wire.

    391

    Air-fuel ratio rod failure.

    Check wire connections and if no loose wire, replace teh AFR rod.

    441

    Inlet filter clogged, water flow problem.

    Also check for loose wire connections.

    510Gas valve failure. Inadequate gas pressure or flow.
    551

    Gas solenoid valve failure.

    Check gas supply and if no problem the solenoid needs replacement.

    661

    Water heater fan motor failure.

    Check for loose wires and if none found the fan needs replacement.

    701

    Computer board failure;

    check for loose wires, electrical power supply, signs of damage to the board such as black or brown marks indicating overheating or burned

    711

    Gas solenoid valve drive circuit failure.

    See Codes 111 & 121

    721

    False flame detected. Blinks 6 times.

    Check for condensate accumulation, blocked or missing condensate drain, condensate leaks.

    741

    Remote control not communicating with the water heater, check remote batteries,

    check remote sensor wiring, remote control access line of sight.

    751Remote control not communicating with the water heater, check remote batteries, line of sight.
    761

    Easy Link system communication failure.

    Check connection between multiple water heaters.

    991

    Improper gas combustion. Blinks 5 times.

    Watch out: this is an unsafe condition risking CO hazards.
    If this indicator is on from first activation of the heater it may not be properly adjusted for the elevation at which the heater is installed.

    Check for blocked exhaust flue or under-sized exhaust flue.

    Check for debris clogging the gas burner or for a failed or blocked fan.

    How to use the A.O. Simth water heater error code table above

    Ao Smith Motor Serial Number Date Code List

    Watch out: some water heater defects represent dangerous conditions, risking fire, explosion, or carbon monoxide poisoning or scalding hazards. Work on these heaters must be by a qualifed service professional.

    See the water heater manual or troubleshooting manual for your specific water heater model for expanded detail about the meaning and the corrective steps for each of these error codes.

    See A.O. Smith CONDENSING WATER HEATER TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE [PDF], (2011) A.O. Smith Water Products Company 500 Tennessee Waltz Parkway Ashland City, TN 37015 Toll Free: 1‐877‐737‐2840

    Also see TAKAGI WATER HEATER MANUALS, AGE, ERROR CODES - Takagi water heaters are distributed in North America by A.O. Smith.

    Ao Smith Serial Number Decoder

    Also see this TB-A028-06 - A. O. SMITH - FVIR INTELLI-VENT TROUBLESHOOTING CHART that gives LED status codes for the AO Smith Intelli-Vent™ control.

    Question: troubleshooting the Combustion Chamber Temperature Sensor - TCO thermal switch on an AO Smith Water Heater

    (Apr 9, 2018) john said:
    Hello, I have a bit of a situation on my hands and I would really appreciate some help. Our Promax Plus water heater suddenly stopped working a few days ago so we ran to lowes and purchased a universal thermocouple.

    When we took out the old thermocouple I noticed that it had a TCO while the universal one did not, no big deal i thought so i installed the new universal thermocouple and the pilot fired right up, literally.

    This was yesterday. Well for the rest of the day the heater stayed on, again literally, but i figured it was normal since it was a new thermocouple. Fast forward to today and the furnace was still turned on. Turned on like when someone is taking a shower or is using hot water. Now i know this isnt normal and very dangerous so we turned off the heater and turned the gas to off.

    So to summarize the heater stayed on after we replaced the thermocouple with a universal one with no TCO. Could the lack of a TCO in the new thermocouple have caused this or is it something else?

    Reply: TCO Temperature Cut-Off thermal reset switch on an A.O. Smith Water Heater.

    Below is A.O. Smith corporation's description of their thermal cutoff sensor on the thermocouple:

    Ao Smith Motor Serial Number Date Code

    COMBUSTION CHAMBER TEMPERATURE SENSOR - The C3 Technology water heaters will come equipped with a thermal cutoff (TCO) device that is integral with the thermocouple. Temperature cutoff points range from 160°C to 200°C depending on model. The TCO is an automatic reset thermal switch.

    When activated it will open the thermocouple circuit and shut off the main and pilot burner gas flow. The pilot would have to be relit after the TCO has had sufficient time to cool down (sensor is below 120 degrees F).

    The TCO performs two primary functions:

    • In the event of flammable vapor ignition inside the combustion chamber, it senses the corresponding increase in temperature and shuts off gas flow to the main and pilot burners.

    • If excessive temperatures inside the combustion chamber indicate poor combustion due to a clogged LDO screen or inadequate air for combustion, the TCO will shut off gas flow to the main and pilot burners.

    John, from the above you'll see that the absence of a TCO on a thermocouple would not be likely to force a burner to stay on. I think more-likely the thermocouple you installed is defective or is not properly installed. I've found, for example, occasional operating problems when the end of the thermocouple that screws into the gas valve is not properly seated.

    Watchout: The situation you describe is unsafe. I would leave the heater off pending proper repair.

    Reader follow-up:

    I really appreciate your response. The heater has been off since yesterday and wont be turned on again until the problem is fixed. The installation itself was actually something that I was going to double check.

    Someone suggested the thermostat be replaced, is a faulty thermostat a possibility? This seems unlikely since it was working fine before.

    Reply: details of the TCO on an AOS water heater

    (Apr 10, 2018) (mod) said:
    John

    When a gas fired water heater burner won't turn OFF indeed I suspect a bad temperature sensor or thermostatic control. That's because the thermocouple has a more narrowly-defined job: confirming that there is a proper gas flame. The thermocouple is intended to shut OFF the burner IF there is no gas flame - so as to avoid continuing to pour explosive gas, un-ignited, into the building.

    It's a safety device focused on proper gas ignition.

    If your burner has GOT proper ignition and is burning on continuously, AND if no hot water is being taken out of the tank, it'd make sense to look for a bad thermostatic control.

    What's troubling of course is that I inferred from your question that previously the heater was not turning ON and you had no hot water.

    Below is a photo of AO Smith's 160 deg TCO.

    Also see this AO SMITH GAS & ELECTRIC WATER HEATER SERVICE MANUAL [PDF] at inspectapedia.com/plumbing/AO-Smith-Gas-Electric-Water-Heater-Service-Manual.pdf retrieved 2018/04/10, original source: AO Smith www.hotwater.com/lit/training/320991-000.pdf

    ...


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    Technical Reviewers & References

    • Scott C. LeMarr has provided his file of keys to decode Water Heater Age from the data provided on the manufacturer's equipment labels. Mr. LeMarr is a professional home inspector, Certified Professional Inspector/President, MASTER Indoor Environmental Specialist (MIES). Vice President of Wisconsin NACHI. He and his company, Honest Home Inspections, LLC. can be reached at 262-424-5587 or by email to scott@honesthomeinspections.com
    • Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend)Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment ($69.00 U.S.). Technical Reference Guide, Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates, Ltd., 120 Carlton St. Suite 407, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 4K2 Canada, ISBN 1-895585-90-2 165pp.
    • Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
    • John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net

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