Most models of gas columns have a part such as a rubber membrane, also called a diaphragm. It is considered a weak part of such equipment, as it eventually wears out and is often torn in the process of operating the heater.
Intended use
The diaphragm is installed in the water unit of the gas column and is responsible for the separation of the cavities of the water regulator. The main function of such a membrane is the regulation of water pressure. When it bends, this causes the stem that opens the gas supply to the burner to shift.
Indications for repair
During the use of the column, due to the pressure on the membrane and the hard water entering the apparatus, small cracks and deformation areas appear on the diaphragm. To see them, you need to remove the membrane and carefully examine it. Quite often, the assessment of the state of the diaphragm and its subsequent replacement is performed during the annual maintenance of the column.
The fact that the membrane was worn out before a routine check, you will prompt problems with the inclusion of the column. At the same time, you should first make sure that the gas is supplied to the column, and that water is supplied with sufficient pressure. If your column uses a piezo ignition, clean the pilot burner( jets).If after such a cleaning the device does not turn on, most likely, the membrane is damaged and the device needs to be disassembled.
If in your column the inclusion occurs by electronic ignition from the batteries, while you turn it on and hear clicks, then the membrane is OK, and the problem most likely concerns the gas path or the ignition electrode. If there are no clicks when turning on, damage to the membrane is the most likely cause of the failure, which is easy to verify by dismantling the assembly.
In some columns, the condition of the membrane can be determined from the rod that controls the electronic switch. After removing the column cover and opening the hot water, see if the stock has moved. If the case is in the diaphragm, the rod will remain in place.
In situations where the damage to the membrane is minimal, but increases with time and leads to a rupture, water will flow inside the cavities of the water regulator, which results in the apparatus not operating at full power. Gradually, the power drops and, as a result, the column completely ceases to turn on.
What happens if the replacement is not timely?
If the diaphragm is not replaced in time, it may cause a gas failure in the column. As a result, the water will be poorly heated or will generally flow through the heat exchanger without heating.
Advice for choosing
You can purchase a rubber membrane rather than a rubber membrane for replacement. Such a detail is more elastic and serves a longer period( from 10 years).
A rubber membrane of white or red color is the least preferred option, since such a part wears out very quickly. Sometimes it breaks right after replacement.
- When choosing a suitable membrane for a gas-powered water heater, you need to take into account the brand of the device, since some columns have round diaphragms, and in others - parts with a rather complex shape.
- If you could not find a round diaphragm for your column, it is possible to buy and install instead of it a detail of a similar diameter for a column of another manufacturer, for example, a membrane with a diameter of 73 mm.
- If the column has served you for more than five years, buy the membrane immediately with plastic parts that are adjacent to it( over time, plasticizers are washed out of them, which leads to brittleness).
Replacement
It is quite realistic to change the damaged membrane in a flow heater:
- Disconnect the access of water and gas to the device.
- Open the hot water tap to relieve pressure.
- Remove the column cover by unscrewing the fixing screws.
- Find the water regulator through the cold water supply pipe.
- Remove the nuts that secure the regulator to the water pipes, as well as the screws that secure the part to the gas part.
- Remove the regulator and disassemble it.
- After replacing the membrane, assemble the column in reverse order.
Visually, the entire process of replacing the membrane, see in the following video.
Where to buy?
The purchase of a membrane is possible in the service centers of gas-column manufacturers, but the prices, as a rule, are rather high for such dealers. The widespread versions of membranes are sold in local stores and on trading floors on the Internet.
