Adjustable mount for a gas control valve of a water heater

A method of producing a water heater comprising:

• a) providing a water heater tank with a pocket, sized and shaped to receive a temperature sensor;
• b) providing an adjustable mount for mounting a gas control valve to said water heater tank;
• c) positioning said temperature sensor into said pocket;
• d) positioning a combustion chamber adjacent to a base portion of said water heater tank;
• e) mounting said control valve to said water heater tank via said adjustable mount;
• and
• f) causing relative movement between said combustion chamber and said water heater tank and said control valve relative to said adjustable mount to reposition said gas control valve on said mount and have said combustion chamber engage said tank.

A method of assembling a water heater comprising:

• a) providing in a water heater tank a pocket sized and shaped to receive a temperature sensor;
• b) providing a mating adaptor on an outwardly protruding end portion of said pocket;
• c) forming a first sub-assembly including a gas control valve and a gas burner, said gas control valve being connected to said burner via at least one substantially rigid conduit;
• d) providing said first sub-assembly with a manifold plate, through which passes a plurality of tubes and shielded wires respectively connecting the burner, a pilot burner, an energy sensor and a pilot light igniter to the gas control valve;
• e) providing an adjustable mount for mounting said gas control valve to said water heater tank;
• f) substantially aligning a base portion of said tank with a combustion chamber preassembly having a base pan and an entry hole;
• g) assembling said combustion chamber pre-assembly to said tank by axial movement and circumferentially aligning said entry hole with said mating adaptor;
• h) providing a jacket and an insulation layer between the tank and the jacket, while substantially aligning an entry hole in said jacket and said entry hole in said combustion chamber;
• and
• i) inserting said first sub-assembly into the insulated and jacketed tank and combustion chamber, while substantially simultaneously inserting the temperature sensor and the energy sensor into the pocket and attaching the gas valve to the mating adaptor.

A gas-fueled water heater comprising:

• a storage tank;
• water inlet and outlet connections to said tank;
• a combustion chamber connected to one end portion of said tank;
• a main burner and pilot burner adapted to be located in pre-determined positions in said combustion chamber;
• a gas supply line connected to said burner;
• a gas control valve having an inlet port to receive a supply of fuel gas from the gas supply line;
• a pipe adapted to connect an outlet port of said valve to said main burner, said pipe having a bend between its opposite end portions;
• a temperature sensor connected to said gas control valve by a substantially flexible tube, said sensor being adapted to co-operate with the gas valve to control water temperature in said tank at a location of a pocket adapted to house said temperature sensor, said pocket being attached to a wall of said tank;
• an insulation layer surrounding said tank;
• a protective jacket surrounding said insulation layer;
• and
• a mounting adapted to connect the gas control valve to said water heater in an adjustable position relative to said pocket;
• said mounting including an elongated slot to receive a mating locator with said gas control valve, to releasably connect said valve and mounting together and allow relative movement whilst remaining connected.