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33 questions from our users

Lora

Loraasked

Freeloader 170L (648170)

I have a fairly new hot water system 170 litre vulcan freeloader on gas n it keeps on running out of hot water after 2 showers. Why?



3 answers
Robbie
Robbie

Take the bottom cover off and check what number it's set to. 3 will only barely give you two hot showers. Adjust to number 5 or 6 for winter and 3 for summer.

Pat
Pat

I was going to say the same, except I have mine between 2- 3 and I have plenty hot water and it`s the middle of winter, in the summer I have mine on 2. My thoughts are if your water is scalding hot you are wasting money because you then have to add cold water to use it, more money down the drain as they say.

1. Make sure you have a Water Saver Shower Head. It may be a simple matter of too much Hot Water flowing down the drain. 2. Make sure your Thermostat is not too High where the recovery is taking too long to reach the Temperature set-up. 3. Avoid having "Baths"on a daily basis. They use horrendous amount of Hot Water. 4. Stop family members from singing very long songs or Arias (Opera) in the Showers.
Richard Boudville 5th Oct 2018 Perth.

BJS

BJSasked

Freeloader 170L (648170)

my sisters natural gas vulcan hot water storage unit keeps going out . should it be a thermostat problem? It is not leaking any water even though it is an old unit . I have an older unit on a farm working just fine .



1 answer
Pat
Pat

Hey BJS It could be the Thermocouple ( not sure about the spelling ) on my very first Vulcan I actually replaced this part twice over a 14 year period, I think it is something to do with the pilot light firing up. I hope this helps.
Pat

Ron

Ronasked

Freeloader 170L (648170)

After having turned off the water supply for some other maintenance, then turned it back again, we get cold water service throughout the house but no water at all from the Vulcan hot water system, Is there an automatic water cut off in the system?

3 answers
Robbie
Robbie

Hi there. Make sure the water tap is fully open and check that the flame is on underneath by putting your head right down under the control knob. You can see the flame from underneath.

Ron
Ron

Thank you, all is well now. We discovered that the incoming supply of water to the unit had been cut, It has now been restored and the unit is back to good normal working order.



Thank you for your help.

Pat
Pat

As far as I know there is only one tap to turn the hot water off beside the unit, make sure your pilot light is lit.

Geoff

Geoffasked

Freeloader 135L (648135)

My Vulcan 135lt gas mains pressure HWS shuts off the flame before the water is really hot. I suspect it needs a new thermostat. Can I replace it myself?

2 answers

The 'Servicing' of storage HWS Thermostats etc. should only be done by Licensed Plumbers. It is not for the Home Hobbyist or D.I.Y handyman. There are rubber diapragms which may need replacing.

Geoff
Geoff

Thank you for your input Geoff

jack

jackasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

Hot water is very slow to flow,Before it was fast.Please any help?

1 answer

First of all, I'm not a Licensed Plumber. You may however TRY 1) Check Inlet is fully OPEN? .... 2) Check if the Inlet Turn-Off Valve may be a Reduction Valve? It may be FAULTY, and changing it is approx. $32.45 ; Mine has an R.M.C. (Non-Return Isolating Valve) with a Black Knob. ... 3) Check that your Hot Water Relief Valve (Mounted atop the Tank which has a Lever you can ease up to clear build-up of water CRUST. When you lift this Lever, hot water should GUSH out from the copper pipe attached to it. Take care the water may be quite HOT. Good Luck.

Sam

Samasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

Could anybody explain to me why the hot water in my tank is hot but no hot water running out of taps it is a valcan exterier hot water 170L?

1 answer
Sar
Sar

having the same problem and cant see how mike replied....how did you solve this?

Kira

Kiraasked

Freeloader 135L (648135)

Does the Vulcan 4star use a gas bottle or through the normal gas that the oven would use? we have just moved into a new home and really need a shower.never used gas hot water before and can't even smell gas!!hope you can help

2 answers
l57b
l57b

Please check with a licensed plumber but I think for us, I don't see any gas bottle so I assume it is through the normal gas that the oven would use. You might also want to phone Vulcan, as they would probably be able to confirm.

Niki J
Niki J

Hi there. As 157b said, you should go to a licensed gas plumber, but our Vulcan cylinder ran on gas and we only had gas bottles (no plumbed gas to our suburb). Unfortunately, although the cook top used gas (and we loved it!), the actual oven was electric. All our hot water ran off the gas and was brilliant. Only once ran out in about 13 years and that was with lots of visitors. Stick with it if you can!

olivia

oliviaasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

hi how to stop water connection from leaking model number 641135no

1 answer
Mike
Mike

Take it to the tip and buy another one

Gasman

Gasmanasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

Hi our Vulcan freeloader has trouble with the pilot light, it keeps going out after a day or so. Thermocouple replaced and everything cleaned. Any ideas?

2 answers
Mike
Mike

Do what we did a few years ago
Have it replaced with a Rinnai gas instanious hot water system
Never run out of hot water and comes with a three year warranty
Also made in Japan

Niki J
Niki J

Sorry - we never had this problem. If the pilot light went out, it was because we had run out of gas! Like Mike, we have also just replaced our Vulcan freeloader with a Rinnai gas (storage) system and have been happy with both that AND the gas bill.

simon

simonasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

we have a problem with our pilot light staying on in our vulcan 360 hot water system

2 answers
Hass
Hass

It's probably the thermocouple that needs replacing, any plumber can do this

Steve
Steve

The answer above is correct. Unfortunately the Vulcan has been made very cheaply after being taken over by Rheem. I would keep it in mind not to buy another. The advertising says built to last but with only a 5 year warranty rather than 10 like other Rheem systems you get what you pay for.

Gerry Thomas

Gerry Thomasasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

I am going away for 4 days and want to turn the water off at the main while away. Can I leave the gas hot water on safely, maybe turn it down to pilot light only?

1 answer
pauline49
pauline49

We have been away for periods of up to 4 weeks and have never turned our gas off or to pilot light. I wish I could be of more help.

Lesley

Lesleyasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

Where is the pilot light, on the freeloader gas hot water?

2 answers
pauline49
pauline49

Only recently we had to turn off our gas for renovations we were doing, and when the plumber had to relight our hot water system, I saw how difficult it was. Therefore, I would have to say that this is definitely a minus against the Vulcan. The pilot lit is right down the bottom of the unit and you just about need to be a contortionist to light it. He had so much trouble, I would say it took approx. 10 mins for him to get it lit. Good Luck!

patsy5
patsy5

Yes Lesley, as Pauline has pointed out, it is very difficult to see. There is a lift off panel on the bottom corner where you can adjust the temp etc, and the instructions are printed on the inside of the panel. Seeing the little pilot light itself is an art form. There is a little window on the panel, but I can never see the light through it. Twist yourself upside down and angle your head and shade yourself from any outside light and you may just see it. Good luck.

Dianne Williams

Dianne Williamsasked

Freeloader Gas Hot Water System

Have just moved house and have a Vulcan Freeloaded 300 H.W.S. but no instruction manual. Think it is on high, but there is only a hard to get at red knob inside panel on r/h/s and I can't see any direction arrows. Please help?

1 answer
pauline49
pauline49

I have the freeloader super 10 instruction manual I can scan and email to you if that will help.

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