Western Shelter WS-12A, WS-12AHZ Instruction Manual

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Propane Water Heater

Integrated Hot Water Delivery Unit

Western shelter systems

Ws-12A / Ws-12AhZ

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. Warnings 3

B. Appliance details 4

C. Component identi󰊟cation 4

D. Operation instructions 5

1. Setup 5

2. Lighting instructions 5

3. Setting water temperature 6

4. Turning o󰊞 the heater 6

5. Draining water 6

E. Maintenance 7

1. General care 7

2. Water valve inspection 8

3. Pilot inspection 8

4. Mineral scale build-up 8

F. Storage procedures 9

G. Troubleshooting 9

H. Water Handling Diagram 11

CONDITIONAL WARRANTY

Western Shelter Systems warrants all products against
defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one (1)
year from date of manufacture. Component manufacturers’
warranties may exceed that of Western Shelter.

No warranty is made or implied regarding the intended use of
the product. Warranty does not cover damage caused by
abuse, misuse, neglect or improper care by the end user in
the application of the Western Shelter Systems product.

Western Shelter Systems will repair or replace any component

deemed to be faulty from manufacture in the most e󰊡cient

and timely means available to Western Shelter Systems.

Western Shelter Systems must authorize all claims prior to
any action taken by the end user.

For immediate attention regarding any defective product,
please phone Customer Support at 1-800-971-7201,
7am-330pm PST.

Shipping: 815 Conger St. Eugene, OR 97402

PO Box 2729 Eugene, OR 97402 USA

Phone [phone]

Toll Free 1-800-971-7201

Fax [phone]

www.WesternShelter.com

3

The water in this heater remains
cold when not in use. DO NOT
store in an area where it might
freeze. Drain the heater entirely
if freezing temperatures are
anticipated.

Should unit lose ignition during

operation, shut down water ow

immediately. Slide gas valve
slider to the “OFF” position and
repeat ignition instructions.

Water temperature over 125˚F

can cause severe burns instantly.

See instruction manual before
setting temperature at water
heater.

Feel the water before bathing or
showering.

All ammable materials or other
items that are potential re

hazards must not be placed on
or adjacent to the heater. The top
and bottom vents must remain
clear at all times.

If you do not follow all written and
common sense safety procedures

when operating this unit, a re

or explosion may result causing
property damage or personal
injury.

A. WARNINGS

WHAT TO DO IF

YOU SMELL GAS:

ØClose gas valves on

the unit and your
propane tank

ØOpen windows if

inside

ØDo not try to light

any appliances

ØDo not touch any

electrical switches

ØIf smell does not

dissipate quickly,
call your gas

supplier or the 󰊟re

department

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WS-12A / WS-21AHZ
Propane Water Heater

Output

117,000 BTU

Flow Rate

1.90 GPM @ 100˚ rate of rise

4.0 GPM @ 45˚ rate of rise
Minimum 󰊠ow .5 GPM
Maximum 󰊠ow 4.2 GPM

Pressure Requirements
Minimum inlet pressure 2.0 PSI
Maximum working pressure 150 PSI

Measurements

39.5” high x 22.5” wide x 13.5” deep

Weight
WS-12A: 82 lbs.

Other Items/Features
Integrated primer
Aluminum powder-coated case
Propane hose with regulator
Wheel kit (optional) - WS-12WK - 5lbs
Thermostatic control (optional) - WS-TCS

B. APPLIANCE DETAILS

Propane tank not included

Hot water
outlet

Cold water
outlet

Cold water

inlet

Propane hose

attachment

Manual gas

shuto󰊞

C. COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION

Hot water

outlet

Location of the controls may be di󰊞erent on

your model, but all models operate identically.

Pilot light
window

Gas valve

button

and slider

Ignitor

Primer

Temperature
control

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1. Setup

ØRemove the door from the heater case.

It can be reattached once the heater is
running.

ØAttach the supplied regulator hose to the

propane intake valve on the left of the unit,
pull back on the quick release collar, then
push into place and release to secure.

D. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

ØAttach the propane tank to regulator.

ØAttach your water source to the lower inlet

valve, located on the lower left of the unit.

ØOpen the valve and allow the unit to 󰊟ll

with water.

ØAttach your cold and hot water discharges

to the outlets on the right of the unit.
Connect discharges to your water system.

ØCheck the exhaust vent for any obstructions

or 󰊠ammable debris.

2. Lighting instructions

ØOpen the valve on your propane tank, and

the manual gas shut-o󰊞 valve on the unit.

ØSlide the gas valve to the center

ignition position.

ØRemove the primer cap and hold the primer

button down for 5 to 10 seconds or until
you faintly smell propane. Replace the
primer cap.

ØFully depress the gas valve button.

ØWith the gas valve button depressed, strike

the ignition button repeatedly while looking

for the pilot 󰊠ame through the peephole.

Be sure you have read and
understood all safety warnings
before attempting to operate this
unit.

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ØIf the pilot light does not ignite within one

minute, reprime the system and repeat.

ØSlowly release the gas valve button and

ensure the pilot light remains on.

3. Setting water temperature

ØThere are two controls on the heater

relevant to water temperature. The
temperature adjustment knob changes

temperature by adjusting 󰊠ow rate. The

gas valve slider controls temperature by
adjusting how much fuel is allowed into the
burner.

ØTurn the temperature adjustment knob

counterclockwise to lower the output
temperature, clockwise to raise it. The
higher the output temperature, the lower

the 󰊠ow.

ØIn most situations, you will want to slide the

gas valve slider all the way to the right for

the hottest 󰊠ame.

ØOpen the output valves.

ØYou may have to mix hot and cold lines to

achieve your desired temperature.

ØThe optional Temperature Control System

(WS-TCS) allows precise control over output
temperature.

ØHeater will 󰊟re automatically when

water draw is greater than the minimum
activation rate (0.5 GPM).

4. Turning o󰈚 the heater

ØShut o󰊞 water supply.

ØSlide the gas valve slider all the way to the

left. Turn o󰊞 the manual gas shuto󰊞 and

the propane tank valve.

ØAllow the unit time to cool before moving or

storing.

5. Draining water

ØIf there is a risk of freezing, you must drain

the unit.

ØThe unit should also be drained before

storage.

ØTurn the unit o󰊞 (see section D4). Allow it

to cool.

ØClose the cold water inlet valve.

ØOpen a hot water tap and allow pressure to

drain.

ØDisconnect all hoses, open all valves, and

allow the system to drain.

ØDrain the system completely by tipping the

unit right and left, then forward and back,
allowing all water to drain.

ØWait 3 minutes and repeat until 󰊠ow of

water ceases.

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E. MAINTENANCE

Any procedures not covered here

should be carried out by a qualied

gas technician.

The e󰈝ciency and dependability of
your WS-12A or WS-12AHZ unit begins
with proper care and use. This section
will identify key areas of general care
and preventative maintenance that will
prolong the life of your system.

Failure to perform all recomm­ended maintenance may result in
failure of the unit over time. The
warranty does not cover failure

due to improper or insufcient

maintenance.

2. Internal components

Ignitor

Pilot
light

Water
valve

3. General care

ØThe rubber gasket around the lid of the

aluminum 󰊟eld case should be coated

occasionally with small amounts of O-ring
lubricate or silicone spray to prevent drying
and cracking.

ØYour fuel tank and fuel and water lines

should be inspected to ensure they
are free from damage. Any leaking or
damaged components should be replaced
immediately.

1. Accessing internal components

ØRemove the temperature control knob by

pulling it away from the faceplate. Remove
the two screws at the base of the heater
faceplate.

ØCarefully lift and remove the heater

faceplate.

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ØClean, drain, and dry all hoses before

putting them into storage.

ØCarefully inspect and clean the vent of

the unit to keep it free from all trash,
obstructions, and dust build-up.

4. Water valve inspection

ØThe water valve is the main control

that tells the heater to 󰊟re. It should be

inspected after each deployment.

ØShut o󰊞 the cold water inlet.

ØOpen the nearest hot water tap to drain the

unit.

ØRemove the 󰊟lter retaining clip at the base

of the water valve.

ØRemove the water valve bushing to access

the 󰊟lter inside.

ØRemove and clean 󰊟lter with fresh water.

Do not attempt to clean the pilot

orice with metal tools, as this can

damage the system

ØInspect for damage. If any damage is

apparent, the 󰊟lter must be replaced.

5. Pilot inspection

ØThe ignitor wires may become loose over

time or when the unit is jostled. Check for a
solid connection.

ØThe pilot light should burn with a clean,

constant blue 󰊠ame that engulfs the tip of

the thermocouple. If does not, inspect and
clean the pilot assembly as detailed below.

ØShut o󰊞 gas supply to the unit using the

manual gas shuto󰊞 valve.

ØLocate pilot light gas tubing at the base of

the burner assembly.

ØRelease pilot light gas tubing from its

retaining clip.

ØPush upwards on the other end of the pilot

light gas tubing to release it from the
burner mount.

ØRemove the brass pilot ori󰊟ce from the gas

valve.

ØSoak the pilot ori󰊟ce in carburetor cleaner

for 30 minutes.

ØDry o󰊞 and replace ori󰊟ce.

6. Mineral scale build-up

ØWhen operating the unit at high

temperatures or with mineral-rich water,
periodic descaling of the heating coils is
necessary.

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F. STORAGE PROCEDURES

ØShut o󰊞 the cold water inlet valve.

ØOpen all hot water taps and drain the unit.

ØDisconnect all inlet and outlet water

connections.

ØConnect the outlet of a circulating pump to

the water inlet.

ØUse a second line to connect the hot water

outlet to your descaling reservoir.

ØUse a third line to connect the reservoir

with the inlet of the circulating pump.

ØMake sure all connections are hand-tight.

ØFill tank with descaling solution (white

vinegar or commercial solution).

ØOperate the circulating pump.

ØRun solution through the heat exchanger

until it comes out clear.

ØDisconnect all lines and drain the unit.

ØFlush the unit with cold water.

ØShut o󰊞 all valves, reconnect hoses, and

return the unit to service.

ØSlide the gas valve slider all the way to the

left to extinguish pilot.

ØAllow the unit to cool.

ØClose the manual gas shuto󰊞 and the valve

on your propane tank.

ØClose the cold water inlet valve.

ØOpen a hot water tap and allow pressure to

drain from the unit.

ØDisconnect the propane hose.

ØDisconnect all water lines from the unit.

ØOpen all valves and drain the unit

completely (see section D5).

ØDrain all hoses of remaining water.

ØAllow the hoses and heater to dry out

before being put into storage.

G. TROUBLESHOOTING

Pilot does not light

ØVerify the 󰊠ow of gas. Check all valves and

󰊟ttings

ØRepeatedly push the ignitor button to

con󰊟rm that a spark is being created.

ØEnsure that the gas valve is in the ignition

(center) position.

ØReprime the system and follow the lighting

instructions (see section D)

ØInspect and clean the pilot (see section E).

Pilot light ignites, but goes out when gas
valve is released

ØDepress the gas valve fully for 20 seconds

after the pilot is lit.

ØSlide the gas valve slider all the way to the

right (highest 󰊠ame).

ØInspect and clean the pilot (see section E).

Pilot goes out during or after hot

water use

ØThe unit’s safety heat sensor may have

been tripped. If inlet water is above room
temperature, the unit may overheat. Plumb
inlet with cold water only.

ØThe unit may not be venting properly.

Ensure that the upper and lower vents are

clear of debris and have su󰊡cient air󰊠ow.

ØInspect and clean the pilot (see section E).

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Burner does not activate with water
󰈜ow

ØVerify pilot light is lit and the gas valve

slider is not in the o󰊞 or ignition position.

ØVerify the cold inlet, and cold and hot

outlets, are plumbed to the correct
locations.

ØVerify 󰊠ow through the unit is su󰊡cient

ØWith the temperature control all the way

clockwise, 󰊟ll a quart container. If it 󰊟lls in
fewer that 30 seconds, 󰊠ow is su󰊡cient to

activate burners.

ØInspect the water path outside the heater.

Make sure all outlets are clear of debris,
and all lines are free of knots and kinks.

ØInspect and clean the water valve (see

section E).

Temperature 󰈜uctuates at tap

ØThe water pressure may be inconsistent.

The unit is unable to maintain a constant
temperature if the input pressure varies.

ØYou may be mixing in cold water at too high

a pressure. Lower the 󰊠ame level if the

water is too hot to correct this.

ØGas pressure may not be stable. Check

pressure, lines, and valves.

ØInspect and clean the water valve

(see section E).

Water is too hot

ØMove the gas valve slider more toward the

center.

ØYour inlet water may be too hot. Use cold

water if possible, or mix in cold water
before your sink or shower.

ØWater 󰊠ow may be restricted, resulting in

very hot outlet temperatures. Check the
water path.

Water is too cold

ØYou may be overtaxing the heater. Try

running fewer taps.

ØEnsure gas valve slider is all the way to the

right.

ØInspect the water path outside the heater

for obstructions.

ØCheck gas 󰊠ow and pressure.

ØInspect and clean the water valve (see

section E).

Low hot water pressure

ØCon󰊟rm adequate input pressure (at least

30psi).

ØYou may be overtaxing the heater. Try

running fewer taps.

ØClean the water valve 󰊟lter (see section E).

Heater makes unusual noises when running

ØInspect the water path for obstructions.

ØCon󰊟rm adequate 󰊠ow rate (between 2 and

4 gpm) by timing how long it takes to 󰊟ll a

quart jug.

ØInspect and clean the water valve (see

section E).

Burner does not operate cleanly; yellow
󰈜ames when operating

ØGas pressure may be inadequate. Try using

a fully-charged tank.

ØVentilation may not be adequate. Ensure

the area around the unit is clear and has

su󰊡cient air󰊠ow.

ØBurner service should be performed by a

quali󰊟ed gas technician.

11

Water

Source

AC 201-2

Purier

EJ-110

Pump

Sump
Pump

Potable

Water

Bladder

Water

Heater

Grey

Water

Bladder

WS-S3A Sink

WS-D Shower

Hot Water Line

Cold Water Line

Grey Water Line

H. WATER HANDLING DIAGRAM

12

Shipping: 815 Conger St. Eugene, OR 97402

PO Box 2729 Eugene, OR 97402 USA

Phone [phone]

Toll Free 1-800-971-7201

Fax [phone]

www.WesternShelter.com