Western Shelter Systems WS-12A User 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

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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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Hot water
outlet
Cold water
outlet
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 recomm-
ended 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.

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WS-S3A Sink
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Cold Water Line
Grey Water Line
H. WATER HANDLING DIAGRAM

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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