hydrohot in my 2001 contessa burner firing issue

[LaMonte Monnell]

I started having an intermittent firing issue with my hydrohot burner. For a couple of days it took a few times turning the switch off and on to get it to light. Then I had white smoke from the excess fuel burning off. This happened a couple of days. Now it turns on but doesnt fire off at all.

I am going to replace the nozzle tomorrow and align the electrodes and see if that does it or not. I do have the troubleshooting guide to follow if it still doesn't fire. Power is good to the unit, any other items to check first before I try to tackle the troubleshooting guide step by step.

It has always run fine since 2012 and this is my first big issue with it. I always service it every year and maintain it per the manual.

thanks in advance for any advice or tips you may have!

[George Harwell]

I had intermittent issues with my hydro hot for a couple of years. Using the troubleshooting guide I ended up changing the controller for the Sebasto , the silver box with the electric connectors . Worked for a few days but didn’t solve the problem. Changed the ignition coil and that was the culprit. Being intermittent makes it difficult to troubleshoot. Good luck.

[Mike Shumack]

Changing the nozzle is the first step. A dirty/worn nozzle will not have a proper spray pattern so it's harder to ignite and can cause white smoke.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

If that fails, with the cover still off of the cabinet, turn the diesel burner on and try smacking the coil (top of Webasto burner) several times with the handle of a large screw driver. That is how Roger Burke of rvhydranicheaterrepair.com told me to diagnose mine. It was a bad coil. Marty

[LaMonte Monnell]

UPDATE: I replaced the nozzle, cleaned the soot off the electrodes, and once I got it primed with fuel good it fired up. I think all the mosquitos in the area are dead from the white cloud it produced but working ok all afternoon as it should be.

Thanks for all the advice, I appreciate all the knowledge from everyone. 8 years and still learning how to care for this beaver!

[Fred Brooks]

   Hi LaMonte,
  When you had the wabasto unit removed to change the nozzle, did you remove the combustion chamber that it sprays the fuel into? This metal canaster is often over looked and contains excess soot if the unit has been misfiring. If that is the case it becomes saturated with unburned fuel and causes the unit to smoke for a long time. I have seen some that have never been removed and cleaned and are actually partially melted. Just thought I would bring it to your attention for future reference. Hope this helps, Fred

[LaMonte Monnell]

I did remove the burner can and cleaned it real good, thanks.