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Rinnai Water Heater Error Codes List: Every Code Explained

Rinnai Water Heater display showing full error code list — FixCode Guide error code graphic

Every Rinnai water heater error code we could verify against Rinnai's own documentation — what it means, what usually causes it, and the first fix to try — in one table. Codes differ between model series, so treat your model's tech sheet as the final word.

Safety first. Safety first: disconnect power before any internal check, and never defeat a safety switch or sensor to 'test' an appliance. Rinnai's manuals could not be clearer: if you smell gas, do not light anything, do not touch electrical switches or use a phone in the building — leave, call your gas supplier from outside, and call the fire department if you cannot reach them. All gas-supply, burner, fan, venting, manifold-pressure and internal electrical diagnosis is licensed-professional work; Rinnai restricts its own troubleshooting document to trained and qualified professionals and states that adjusting the internal gas valve voids the warranty. Owner-level work is the outside of the machine: gas and water valves, the vent termination, the condensate drain on condensing models, the inlet water filter, and a single controller reset. Hot exhaust and outlet pipes cause burns; never run the heater with its front panel removed. Keep children and animals away from the unit, keep the area around it clear of combustible materials and stored chemicals, and never use or store gasoline or solvents near any gas water heater.

How to read and retrieve error codes on Rinnai water heaters

Rinnai tankless heaters report faults on the temperature controller — the integrated SENSEI controller or a remote such as the MC-91-2 or MC-601 — as flashing two-digit codes in place of the set temperature. Alongside the numbers sit four letter displays with their own jobs: LC (scale in the heat exchanger, counted as LC0–LC9 when temporary resets are used, and stored as 00 in the fault history), SS (the time-based Service Soon reminder, also shown as 55), FF (a history placeholder recording that maintenance was performed) and, on cascaded commercial systems only, SE. The controller keeps a fault history: turn the heater OFF, hold ON/OFF for 2 seconds and press UP at the same time — the last 9 maintenance codes flash one after the other. A separate performance-data mode (hold DOWN, then ON/OFF) shows live values such as water flow rate (item 01) and outgoing temperature (item 02) — data items, not fault codes.

The complete Rinnai water heater error code list

CodeMeaningMost likely causeFirst fix
00Not a live fault — in the controller's maintenance-code history, '00' is substituted for 'LC' (scale build-up)You are reading the stored fault history: Rinnai stores each past LC scale event as 00 in the last-9-codes listTreat it as an LC: the heat exchanger needs flushing per the manual, and hard water must be treated to stop the scale returning
02No burner operation during freeze protection (Non-SENSEI series)During a freeze-protection cycle the burner did not operate — Rinnai's checks cover gas valves and pressure, purged gas lines, gas type and its DIP switch, and the igniterOwner level: confirm power is on (freeze protection needs power) and the gas valve is open. Anything beyond that is licensed-technician work; do not keep cycling the unit in freezing weather
03Power interruption during bath fill — water will not flow when power returnsPower was lost while the bath-fill function was running, so the controller holds water flow as a safety stateTurn off all hot water taps, then press ON/OFF twice on the controller. If the code returns after three resets, Rinnai directs you to a professional (PC board suspected)
05Bypass flow control device fault (bypass servo)The bypass servo / bypass flow control device is not responding correctly — measured resistance out of range on SENSEI models, or a failed bypass valve on Non-SENSEI modelsOne power off-and-on cycle is the documented first step. If 05 returns when a hot tap runs, the bypass valve/device is replaced — licensed-technician work
07Circulation flow rate below 2.1 GPM (RH180 hybrid only)The RH180's circulation flow has dropped under 2.1 GPM — low supply pressure, a non-running pump or its wiring, a clogged inlet filter, or scale restricting the heat exchangerOwner level: confirm water supply is on and clean the inlet water filter per the manual. Pump, pressure and flushing work is licensed-technician work
10Air supply or exhaust blockage — on SENSEI condensing models the same code also reports a full condensate trapBlocked vent termination or vent runOwner step: clear the termination, restore the condensate drain (thaw a frozen exposed section, clear a blocked hose end), then make one reset and run a tap
11No ignition — the heater ran its ignition sequence and no flame was established, so it shut down and flashed 11 on the temperature controllerGas off, empty, or never purgedOwner step 1: correct anything external you found — open the closed valve, arrange a propane refill — then make ONE reset attempt (controller OFF then ON, or taps off then on) and run a hot tap
12Flame failure — the burner lit, then the flame was lost during operation and the heater shut downGas supply that fades under loadOwner step: with gas supply confirmed and the termination clear, make one controller reset and run a moderate hot-water draw while timing it
13Combustion fault (RH180 hybrid only — not a general tankless code)On the RH180: venting or combustion-air problems, wrong altitude DIP settings, or inlet/manifold gas pressures outside the manual's ranges, including a restricted fan or burnerLicensed-technician work only on the RH180. A standard Rinnai tankless model does not use code 13 — quote the model number when calling for service
14Thermal fuse or overheat sensor (ODS) has activated — heat exchanger overheatingScale or debris restricting the heat exchanger, wrong gas type or conversion, short-cycling, blocked airflow, incorrect DIP/parameter settings, or a failed bi-metal overheat switch or one-shot thermal fuseTreat as serious: stop using the heater and call a licensed technician. The bi-metal switch may reset as it cools, but a blown thermal fuse does not — and the overheating cause must be found first
15Venturi control fault (SENSEI and SENSEI RX/CX only)The gas valve's venturi control device or its wiring/reed switch is out of specification, or the fan/airflow path the venturi works with is faultyLicensed-technician work: Rinnai's procedure measures the venturi device at the PC board, checks the fan and airflow, then replaces the gas valve assembly or fan as proven
16High outgoing water temperature — safety shutdown, outlet water exceeded 203°F (95°C)Restricted airflow at the vent terminal, a faulty fan or stuck check valve, foreign material in the combustion chamber or exhaust, a blocked heat exchanger, or the wrong gas type settingDo not keep resetting a heater that has shut down for over-temperature. Airflow obstructions outside can be checked; fan, gas-valve and heat-exchanger work is licensed-technician work
17Venturi blockage — debris is obstructing the venturi on the gas valve/fan assembly (SENSEI and SENSEI RX/CX only)Debris drawn into the air pathOwner step: restore the condensate drain if it is visibly blocked or frozen at its exposed run, clear the outdoor termination, and record the code — then call; there is no owner reset for 17
18Gas valve adjustment limit (SENSEI RX/CX Smart-Sense gas valve only)The self-adjusting gas valve has reached its rich or lean limit — wrong gas supplied, wrong gas-type parameter, incorrect gas valve parameters, or a disconnected flame rod wireLicensed-technician work, and Rinnai directs persistent cases to its technical department. Do not adjust the internal gas valve — Rinnai states adjustment voids the warranty
19Electrical grounding faultA grounding problem or, when 19 appears immediately as water flow starts, an electrical short in a DC-circuit component such as a harness, water flow control or bypass valveElectrical work: grounding, polarity and short-finding are licensed-technician/electrician work. Do not operate the heater on a suspect circuit
21Data transfer error (SENSEI and SENSEI RX/CX, after PC board replacement)A replacement PC board's data transfer did not complete, or the model parameters were not programmed correctly for the heater in useInstaller work: complete the data transfer or manually program all parameters per the PC board replacement instructions supplied with the board
22Gas valve adjustment error (SENSEI RX/CX only)The gas valve's front reed switch is not located properly, or the stored gas valve parameters are incorrectLicensed-technician work: verify the reed switch position and re-enter the gas valve parameters per Rinnai's gas valve replacement instructions
25Condensate backup — condensate trap full, or the accessory condensate pump has stopped / its drain is clogged (condensing models)A blocked or frozen condensate drain line, a full trap, or a failed accessory condensate pump tripping its safety float switchOwner level: check the condensate drain line is clear, unfrozen and has an air gap, and that the pump has power. Trap, pump and wiring replacement is technician work
30Flammable vapor sensor fault (RH180 hybrid only)The RH180's flammable vapor sensor or its harness is faulty — or flammable vapors are genuinely present around the heaterSafety first: leave the area until it is confirmed free of flammable vapors. Sensor voltage checks and replacement are licensed-technician work only
31Burner sensor / burner thermocouple fault (Non-SENSEI and RH180)The burner thermocouple's millivolt output is out of range — above 30 mV suggests over-firing or blocked heat-exchanger fins; below 8 mV suggests low gas pressure or low-Btu gas — or the sensor itself has failedLicensed-technician work: manifold pressures and DIP settings are verified first, then the thermocouple is replaced if readings stay out of range
32Outgoing water temperature thermistor faultThe outlet thermistor or its harness is open, damaged or out of resistance range, or the sensor is coated with scaleLicensed-technician work: harness check, scale cleaning and resistance test against Rinnai's table (11.4–14K ohms at 59°F); a sensor that still fails the test is replaced
33Heat exchanger thermistor faultThe heat exchanger temperature thermistor or its harness is faulty, or the sensor is coated with scaleLicensed-technician work, tested the same way as code 32: wiring, scale cleaning and resistance against Rinnai's thermistor table, then replacement if it still fails
34Combustion air temperature thermistor fault (Non-SENSEI) — lime detecting thermistor fault on SENSEI RX/CXThe named thermistor or its harness is open/damaged or out of resistance range; on RX/CX this is the lime-detecting thermistor on the hot water pipeLicensed-technician work: harness and resistance checks per the model tech sheet, cleaning, then sensor replacement if readings stay out of range
38Exhaust gas temperature sensor faultThe exhaust temperature sensor or its harness is faulty or out of resistance range; wrong gas type/conversion, clearances or pressures can also drive the readingLicensed-technician work: sensor resistance test, then gas type, clearance and manifold-pressure checks before the sensor or PC board is replaced
41Freeze protection / outside temperature sensor fault (outdoor models on SENSEI and Non-SENSEI; all RX/CX models)The freeze-protection thermistor is unplugged, cut, shorted or out of range, or it is buried under insulation instead of sensing outside airThe heater may keep running while alternating 41 with the set temperature — but freeze protection depends on this sensor, so have the sensor and harness checked promptly by a technician
51Inlet water temperature thermistor faultThe inlet thermistor or its harness is open, disconnected or out of range, or the sensor is coated with scaleThe heater may keep running while alternating 51 with the set temperature. Sensor cleaning and resistance testing are technician work; a failed sensor is replaced
52Gas valve fault — modulating solenoid valve (POV) signal abnormal on Non-SENSEI; gas valve circuit fault on SENSEI/RX/CXA loose or damaged flame-rod or solenoid harness, an open/out-of-range gas valve solenoid coil, or a PC board output faultLicensed-technician work with power and gas disconnected first. On SENSEI models a replaced gas valve/venturi needs Rinnai's A/B-button ECL reset; if 52 will not reset, Rinnai directs you to its technical support
54High exhaust gas temperature — input reduced, then shutdown if exhaust stays above 163°F for 120 secondsVent termination clearances or restrictions, wrong gas type, inlet water above 160°F, fan air leakage, or scale hot spots / debris blocking the heat exchangerOwner level: confirm the vent termination is clear. Flushing a scaled heat exchanger and all internal checks are technician work; treat the water if scale caused it
55Service Soon reminder — the numeric form of SS (Rinnai titles it 'Code SS (55)')Same as SS: the installer-set service interval has elapsed and a flush/service is dueSame as SS: service and flush the heat exchanger, then reset with ON/OFF five times in five seconds (SENSEI) or the A button (RX/CX)
57Burner overheat bi-metal switch open (Non-SENSEI only)One of the two bi-metal switches on the rear of the burner assembly has opened — wrong gas type, wrong manifold pressures or a bad conversion, or a failed switch/harnessThe cause must be corrected first, then a hard reset (power off, then on). Switch replacement and gas-pressure work are licensed-technician work
58Secondary heat exchanger bi-metal switch open (Non-SENSEI condensing models)One of the two bi-metal switches on the secondary heat exchanger has opened; Rinnai identifies scale build-up inside the secondary heat exchanger as the underlying cause to treatCorrect the cause, then hard reset (power off, then on). The documented remedy is flushing the secondary heat exchanger and treating hard water — technician work
61Combustion fan motor faultA damaged fan harness, debris stopping the blower wheel, a stuck check valve behind the fan (SENSEI), open motor windings, or a PC board fan output faultLicensed-technician work — never plug or unplug the fan motor with power on. The wheel must spin freely and windings test in range, or the motor (then the board) is replaced
63Recirculation low flow (pump models)Air in the recirculation line, clogged inlet/bypass filters, closed valves, wrong recirculation mode parameters, an over-length loop, a plumbing leak drawing air in, or recirculation enabled with no pump connectedOwner level: confirm inlet and outlet valves are open and filters are clean. Air purging, parameter and pump work follow Rinnai's model procedure — technician work if the code returns
65Water flow control device fault — the flow servo failed to close during bath fillA failed water flow servo or its harness; Rinnai's warning case is the servo not closing during the bath-fill functionIf it happens during bath fill, turn the water off and stop the bath fill at once. Servo testing and replacement are licensed-technician work
66Bypass flow servo fault (SENSEI RX/CX only)The bypass flow control device measures out of its 40–60 ohm range, or its harness/connector is wet or damagedLicensed-technician work: resistance is measured at the PC board; Rinnai's rule is board replacement if a value is out of range on the board side, otherwise the bypass device itself
70PC board faultIncorrectly set parameters, a loose or damaged harness at the board, or a failed PC boardLicensed-technician work: parameters and harnesses are checked, then the board is replaced and the old board's data transferred (or all parameters programmed manually)
71Gas solenoid valve circuit fault (SV0–SV3/SV4 on Non-SENSEI)The PC board's service DIP switch left ON (SENSEI), loose/damaged solenoid harnesses, an open solenoid coil, moisture in the internal gas-valve tube, a grounded circuit, or a PC board faultLicensed-technician work with power, gas and water off: harness, moisture and coil-resistance checks, then gas valve or PC board replacement as proven
72Flame rod (flame sensing device) faultA damaged flame-rod harness, the rod not sitting in the flame, carbon build-up on the rod, flame current under the 1 micro-amp minimum, or a leaking heat exchangerLicensed-technician work: the rod is cleaned or replaced with a new gasket (the gasket must be renewed if the seal is broken); board replacement is last, after a heat-exchanger leak is ruled out
73Burner thermocouple / burner sensor circuit fault (Non-SENSEI only)A loose, broken or damaged burner thermocouple harness, or wrong altitude DIP settings and manifold pressures driving the sensor out of rangeLicensed-technician work: harness, DIP and pressure checks, then thermocouple replacement; if the code returns on a new sensor, the PC board follows
79Water leakage detected inside the unit (Non-SENSEI series)The leak sensor at the bottom of the cabinet has detected water — a leaking heat exchanger or internal pipework, or pooled condensate/humidity wetting the sensorTurn the water supply off and call a licensed professional. If a technician confirms no leak, the cabinet is dried and the sensor dried or replaced — do not run the heater with the leak sensor bypassed
FEFlammable vapors detected (RH180 hybrid only)The flammable vapor sensor is detecting vapors such as gasoline or solvent fumes near the heater, or the sensor/harness has failedLeave the space and do not operate electrical switches until the area is verified safe and vapor-free. Only then is sensor testing licensed-technician work
FFMaintenance has been performed — a history placeholder, not a faultA service provider entered FF into the diagnostic history after completing maintenance or service (UP + DOWN + ON/OFF pressed simultaneously)No action needed. Seeing FF in the last-9-codes history simply records that a technician serviced the unit at that point
LCScale build-up in the heat exchanger — the heat exchanger must be flushed; LC0–LC9 count how many 70-hour temporary resets have been used without a flushHard water mineral scale in the heat exchangerDo the flush — it IS the fix: isolate the heater with its service valves and circulate the manual's flushing solution (SENSEI procedure: 4 gallons of undiluted food-grade white vinegar) with a small pump through the heat exchanger, following your model's flushing section step by step
SECascade diagnostic display (SENSEI commercial and SENSEI CX cascade systems only)On a cascaded system the primary unit's display flashes 'SE' alternating with the set temperature whenever an error code is showing on any secondary unitSE is a pointer, not the fault: read the actual two-digit code on the secondary unit(s) and diagnose that unit. Single residential heaters never display SE
SEtInitial setup required (SENSEI RX/CX only) — gas type and indoor/outdoor settings not yet confirmedThe heater defaults to natural gas / indoor at first power-up; until a qualified installer confirms or changes the initial settings, SEt is displayedInstaller work only: confirm or change the initial settings via the Rinnai Central app (recommended) or the controller, per the installation manual. Rinnai warns wrong settings are a hazard
SSService Soon — time-based service reminder (also shown as 55); the heat exchanger is due to be flushed and servicedThe installer-set service interval (Parameter 03: off, 0.5, 1 or 2 years) has elapsed. SS is a reminder, not a breakdown — the heater keeps runningHave the heater serviced and the heat exchanger flushed, then reset: on SENSEI press ON/OFF five times in five seconds; on SENSEI RX/CX hold the 'A' button on the PC board until SS disappears
A code that is not in this table? Manufacturers add and retire codes between model years, and some displays abbreviate two-part codes. If your code is missing, note the full display exactly as shown (photograph it), check the tech sheet stored inside the machine, and search this site by the symptom — the fault family is usually identifiable from what the machine was doing when the code appeared.

How to reset / clear error codes on Rinnai water heaters

The standard owner reset is a controller cycle: close the hot taps, press ON/OFF to turn the controller off, then on again, and run one test draw (code 03's documented form is ON/OFF twice). Special codes have special resets that are not interchangeable: LC and SS use five ON/OFF presses within five seconds (LC's version is a 70-hour temporary reprieve, not a cure); codes 17 and 52 clear only through the PC-board A/B-button sequence ending in 'ECL'; codes 57 and 58 need a hard reset — power off, then on — after the cause is corrected; and the LC hard reset after flushing is the A/B switches held together for five seconds. One reset, then observe: a code that returns is a live fault reporting itself, not a reset that 'didn't take'. Document the outcome of every reset you perform — cleared and held, returned during the draw, or never cleared — because that record is what turns a home reset into diagnostic evidence.

How to diagnose any Rinnai water heater code

Work the problem in this order — and stop wherever gas piping, the burner compartment, venting or the temperature-and-pressure relief valve begins, because those belong to a licensed technician: (1) record the report exactly — a counted LED flash pattern, a numeric display code, or a smart-control alarm are three different languages, and a photograph or video beats a memory of any of them; (2) establish the water story: is there no hot water at all, water that runs cold mid-draw, or water but with a code — tankless codes split into ignition, flame, airflow/venting, flow and temperature families, and tank codes into ignition, sensor and control families, and the family picks the checks; (3) run the owner-level external checks for that family first: power and the unit's switch, the gas cock fully open, intake and exhaust terminations clear of snow, nests and debris, the inlet water filter or screen rinsed (tankless), the condensate trap and drain not blocked or frozen (condensing models), and on tank models the status light read before anything is reset; (4) reset once, the way the brand documents, and run hot water at one tap while you watch — a code that returns at the same stage (fan start, ignition click, flame light, sustained burn) is an active fault naming its stage, not a glitch; (5) everything past that line — flame sensors and igniters inside the burner, gas valves, heat exchangers, control boards — is professional work with the gas supply and a meter involved. Two standing cautions: never plug or cap a dripping T&P relief valve (it is reporting pressure or temperature, and it is the tank's last safety device), and treat any gas smell as an emergency — leave and call the gas utility. Scalding is the quiet hazard in every reset: a control fault that lets outlet temperature drift high is a reason to stop using the water on skin until the code is resolved.

Two-digit codes, four letter displays, and one counting system

Rinnai's tankless code system rewards reading it as a system rather than a list. The two-digit numbers are component faults grouped loosely by family: ignition and flame (11, 12), airflow (10, 17), thermal protection (14, 16, 54, 57, 58), thermistors and sensors (31–34, 38, 41, 51), gas-valve electrics (52, 71, 72, 73), water-side devices (05, 63, 65, 66, 79) and controls (19, 21, 22, 70). The letter displays run on a different logic entirely: LC is a measured condition (scale) with an escalation counter built in, SS is a clock (time since service, set at installation), FF is a log entry written BY the technician after service, and SE is a pointer displayed by a cascade primary unit when a secondary unit faults. Treating all of them as 'errors' of equal weight leads to the two classic mistakes: panicking over FF, which is not a fault at all, and shrugging at LC, which is the one display in the system that is quietly counting toward heat-exchanger damage while the hot water still works. The practical habit this teaches is to ask of any display two questions before acting: is it a measurement or a message, and does it escalate if ignored? LC escalates; SS merely repeats; FF never repeats at all.

Model families change the details — sometimes the meaning

The same two digits do not always carry identical scope across Rinnai's three tankless generations. Code 17 exists only on SENSEI and RX/CX models; code 66 only on RX/CX; code 79 only on Non-SENSEI; code 34 is the combustion-air thermistor on Non-SENSEI but the lime-detecting thermistor on RX/CX; code 13 belongs to the RH180 hybrid alone; and code 10 gains a second cause — a full condensate trap — on condensing SENSEI models. Code numbers also stop where boilers begin: Rinnai's I-Series and E-Series boilers use a different fault system (including E-form codes), and Rinnai gas fires share some digits with entirely different meanings, so a code list that does not name its product family is not a Rinnai reference. Every entry on this site names the series it was verified against in the manufacturer's own troubleshooting manual and tech sheets. The series named on the rating plate is therefore part of the code itself: 'Rinnai 17' is an incomplete statement, while 'SENSEI RX 17' is a diagnosis with a procedure, a reset and a parts list attached. Quote both, always, in that order.

The fault history is the most underused tool on the heater

Before any reset, scroll the memory: controller OFF, hold ON/OFF for two seconds, press UP — the last nine maintenance codes flash in sequence. That sequence routinely overturns the single-code diagnosis. A 'code 11 ignition fault' whose history reads 10, 10, 12, 11 is a vent system failing by stages. A 12 surrounded by 00s (the history's stored form of LC) is a scaled, fouled combustion chamber, not a gas valve. An FF in the sequence dates the last professional service, which calibrates how much of the story is age and maintenance. Technicians are trained to read this history; owners who photograph or transcribe it before resetting hand over the single most valuable evidence in the diagnosis — and it costs one button combination and thirty seconds. There is a second habit wrapped inside the first: never clear a display you have not recorded. The history survives resets of the live code, but the live code's own context — when it appeared, under what draw, after what work — exists only in the owner's notes once the controller is cycled.

The most searched Rinnai water heater codes, in detail

10 — Air supply or exhaust blockage

Code 10 is Rinnai's airflow fault: the heater cannot move combustion air in and exhaust out the way it needs to, so it shuts down and displays 10. It applies to every series in the Troubleshooting manual — SENSEI, SENSEI RX/CX and Non-SENSEI — and the SENSEI half of the definition carries an addition owners miss: on SENSEI and RX/CX condensing models, a full condensate trap sets the same code 10. A condensing heater whose drain line clogs or freezes backs condensate up into the trap until the unit shuts down 'to prevent spillage', in Rinnai's words, and reports it as an airflow fault because from the controller's side the combustion circuit is compromised either way. The Non-SENSEI procedure is a vent-system audit, in order: inspect the entire vent system inside and out; confirm clearances; confirm the approved vent material for the model was actually used; confirm every section is properly seated with sealed joints; verify the vent length and the DIP switches set for that length; look for foam sealant that has collapsed the pipe at a wall penetration; disconnect joints and look for water, condensation, insects and debris; verify termination clearances from other terminations, overhangs, grade and walls; then remove the fan motor and inspect the wheel, housing and air duct; and finally check burner orifices, the burner chamber and the copper heat-exchanger fins, whose build-up 'causes air flow restrictions, which will lead to a code 10'. The SENSEI procedure starts one step earlier — step 1 is the condensate line — then the inlet air filter under the front cover (top right of the cabinet), then the same vent audit, plus two SENSEI-specific items: the check valve behind the fan housing must not be stuck, and the high-altitude parameter must match the site. Rinnai even documents a controlled test for a heater that codes out while a technician is on site: remove the exhaust section at the top of the heater and run a tap — if it now runs, the restriction is proven to be in the vent system, not the heater. That test carries its warning in bold: never leave a heater operating with vent piping disconnected; reconnect immediately. For owners, the useful territory is entirely outside the cabinet: the vent termination (snow, ice, nests, mulch, a new fence or shrub), any visible vent damage, and — on condensing models — the condensate drain: is the line clear, unfrozen, actually draining into its bucket or drain point? Seasonal 10s are a pattern worth noticing: first cold snap (frozen condensate or snowed-in terminal), spring (insect nests in terminals), and after roofing or siding work (disturbed or resealed vent joints) are the classic calendars for this code. What an owner should not do is 'help' the airflow by running the heater with the front panel off or vent sections removed, clearing internal fins with compressed air (Rinnai specifies 120 psi air for the technician procedure, with eye and mask protection), or repeatedly resetting a heater that is reporting it cannot breathe. Code 10 is the heater protecting the house from exhaust gas going where it should not.

Most likely cause: Blocked vent termination or vent run — The outside end of the system is the exposed end: snow and ice, insect and bird nests, mulch and landscaping, or debris inside joints. Rinnai's checks have the vent inspected from both ends, including looking down the pipe with a light where sealant foam may have collapsed it at the wall. A termination blocked after a storm is the most owner-fixable 10 there is. Freeze-ups deserve special mention on condensing models: the termination and the exposed condensate run are neighbours, and the same cold snap often blocks both the air path and the drain.

First check: Walk outside first: inspect the vent termination for snow, ice, nests, plants, mulch or damage — and check it again after storms before assuming a breakdown

If it keeps coming back: Code 10 is the code most likely to be misread as an ignition problem, because a starved heater often progresses: the history (hold ON/OFF two seconds, then UP) will show 10s first, then 11s and 12s as combustion degrades further. If your heater 'has an ignition fault' but its history is full of 10s, the repair belongs to the vent system, the condensate drain or the fan path. Conversely a history of pure 11s with no 10 has a clean vent story and points at gas and ignition hardware. Read the sequence before anyone orders parts.

11 — No ignition

Code 11 is Rinnai's no-ignition fault, and it applies across the whole tankless range this site covers: Non-SENSEI models, SENSEI models and the SENSEI RX/CX series all define 11 the same way in Rinnai's Troubleshooting Tankless Water Heater Diagnostic Codes manual. When you open a hot tap, the heater proves water flow, spins up the combustion fan, opens the gas valve and fires the spark electrode. The flame rod then has to prove flame. If no flame is proven, the controller stops the attempt, locks the burner out and displays 11 instead of the set temperature. The water runs cold, and the heater will not keep retrying on its own. Read 11 literally: ignition was attempted and failed. That separates it from its nearest neighbours. Code 12 means a flame WAS established and then went out during operation. A heater with no code at all has usually not even started its sequence — flow too low, lines crossed, or a clogged inlet filter — which Rinnai documents separately under its 'No Code' troubleshooting. Code 11 sits between those two states: the machine tried, and the try failed. Rinnai's own remedy list for 11 is dominated by the gas supply, and that ordering is deliberate. The manual works through: gas turned on at the heater, meter or cylinder; propane actually in the tank; air purged from the gas lines; correct gas type; inlet gas pressure correct with the minimum on the rating plate maintained while every gas appliance at the site fires on high fire; and the gas line, meter and regulator sized properly. Only after the supply is proven does the procedure move inside the cabinet — igniter operation and wiring, gas solenoid valves checked for open or short circuits, burners seated, the burner plate inspected for condensation or debris, and the PC board ground wire. A loose flame rod — Rinnai calls it a 'floating' flame rod — is named as a cause of both 11 and 12, because a rod that cannot sit correctly in the flame cannot prove it. Two framing points matter before anyone touches anything. First, Rinnai's manuals reserve the internal half of this diagnosis for licensed professionals: gas pressure measurement with a manometer, solenoid testing and burner removal are not owner tasks. Second, if you smell gas at any point, the manual's instruction is absolute — do not light anything, do not touch electrical switches, leave and call your gas supplier from outside; if you cannot reach them, call the fire department. Code 11 with a gas smell is not a troubleshooting session. What an owner can legitimately establish is the external story: whether other gas appliances work, whether a propane tank is empty or a meter valve was closed after other work, whether the failure started right after a gas interruption or a tank change (air in the line is a classic post-installation 11), and whether the vent termination outside is visibly blocked. That story, plus the exact code, is what the technician needs — and it is often the difference between a supply fix and a parts bill.

Most likely cause: Gas off, empty, or never purged — The commonest 11 story in Rinnai's list is embarrassingly basic: a shutoff valve closed at the heater or meter, an empty propane cylinder, or air still in the gas line after installation or a tank change. The heater's sequence runs perfectly and simply has nothing to burn. Owners can verify valves and tank contents; purging a gas line is professional work. It is also the first code a new installation earns when a final valve check was skipped, which is why installers treat a first-day 11 as a commissioning check rather than a breakdown.

First check: Write down the code exactly as displayed, and note whether the fan ran and whether you heard sparking before it appeared — that tells the technician how far the sequence got

If it keeps coming back: An 11 rarely travels alone, and the fault history is the cheapest diagnostic on the unit. A history that shows 10 before the 11 points at the vent system starving combustion air. Repeated 12s before the first 11 suggest a flame-proof problem that has now become total. LC stored as 00 points at a scaled heat exchanger that has been run on temporary resets — a heater in that state needs its flush, not just an ignition repair. Read the history (hold ON/OFF two seconds, then UP) before the display is cleared, and quote the whole sequence when you call.

12 — Flame failure

Code 12 is the running partner of code 11, and the distinction is the whole diagnosis. Where 11 means no flame was ever proven, 12 means the flame WAS established and then disappeared while the heater was working — Rinnai's one-line definition in the installation manuals is 'No Flame', and the Troubleshooting manual titles it 'Flame Failure'. The shower that starts hot and turns cold is the classic household experience of a 12: ignition succeeded, something interrupted combustion or flame proof, and the controller shut the burner down rather than run unproven. Rinnai's 12 procedure in the C199 manual reads like a checklist of everything that can starve or blind a running flame: gas on at the heater, meter or cylinder; propane in the tank; gas line, meter and regulator sized properly; gas type and pressure correct; air bled from the lines; correct venting material; the condensation collar installed properly; vent length within limits; DIP switches set; power supply connections tight with no voltage drops; flame rod wire connected; flame rod checked for carbon build-up; all harnesses disconnected and reconnected; DC shorts checked; solenoid valves checked for open or short circuits; and the burner surface inspected for condensation or debris. The Troubleshooting manual adds the two subtler mechanisms owners never suspect. The first is vent recirculation: if concentric or common-vent joints are not fully engaged, or terminal clearances are wrong, exhaust gas folds back into the intake air, combustion degrades, and the flame fails — which is why the procedure has the technician mark every vent joint before pulling it apart to verify insertion depth. The second is the immediate 12: if the code appears the instant water flow begins, with no flame visible in the burner box at all, Rinnai states this is an electrical short in a DC-circuit component — harness, water flow control, bypass valve — and the isolation test is to unplug components one at a time until the heater cycles cleanly three times. Flame proof itself is electrical. The flame rod must sit in the flame, tight in its bracket, with an intact silicone sleeve — a cracked sleeve lets the spark find a ground outside the combustion chamber and produces 12s. Grounding is called out as critical: a properly grounded circuit with correct polarity is part of the flame rectification circuit, which is why 12 and 19 (electrical grounding) share a procedure section in the manual. A heater that throws immediate 12/19 pairs is telling an electrical story, not a gas story. Owner scope is narrow and honest: confirm the gas supply, confirm propane is not empty, look at the flue outlet for obstruction, make one reset, and record how the failure behaves — after seconds or after minutes, on small draws or only on large ones, in wind or in calm. That behaviour pattern is the evidence that separates a pressure problem from a flame-rod problem from a venting problem, and it costs nothing to gather.

Most likely cause: Gas supply that fades under load — The burner lights on a resting supply and starves when flow rises: a nearly empty propane tank, an undersized line/meter/regulator, or wrong inlet pressure. Rinnai's sizing test is explicit — about 0.3 in. w.c. maximum drop on natural gas (0.5 in. on propane) with every gas appliance in the building at high fire. This is the first thing a technician proves, with a manometer. The failure typically shows on the largest draws, a shower plus a second fixture, long before it appears on a single tap, which is why timing and load notes matter so much.

First check: Time the failure: does hot water run for seconds, minutes, or only fail on the biggest draws? Note it before resetting — the pattern is diagnostic

If it keeps coming back: Code 12 is where the last-9-codes history earns its keep. Scroll it before resetting (hold ON/OFF two seconds, then UP). A history of 12s mixed with 11s says flame proof is marginal in both directions. 12s that follow 10s say the vent system was already struggling. A lone 12 among FF entries (maintenance performed) and an LC stored as 00 says something different again: a serviced, scaled heater whose flame failure may be a combustion-chamber fouling problem. The sequence, not the single code, is the diagnosis — write it down before any reset clears the display.

17 — Venturi blockage

Code 17 is one of Rinnai's narrowest codes: it exists only on SENSEI and SENSEI RX/CX models, and it means exactly what its title says — venturi blockage. The venturi sits where the gas valve assembly meets the fan motor, shaping the gas/air mixture path before combustion. When debris or build-up obstructs it, the heater detects the abnormal venturi state and shuts down with 17. It is a sibling of code 15 (venturi control — the device's electrical operation) and should not be confused with it: 15 is about the venturi mechanism being driven correctly; 17 is about the venturi passage being physically blocked. Rinnai's procedure for 17 is short compared with the ignition codes, and its order matters. First, verify the condensate drain line is properly draining — condensate management and venturi behaviour are neighbours in these condensing designs, and a drain fault is excluded before anything is opened. Second, inspect the entire vent system — intake air path, exhaust chamber and vent termination — for obstructions, because the venturi is the inner end of that same air path and debris found outside explains debris found inside. Third, inspect the venturi itself for blockage or debris build-up: the manual's instruction is to remove the gas valve and venturi assembly from the fan motor and inspect the area it illustrates. Fourth, clean the debris out, reinstall the assembly — and then perform the code-17 reset, which is not a power cycle. That reset deserves its own paragraph because it is the part everyone gets wrong. Codes 17 and 52 share a dedicated clearing procedure using the A and B buttons on the PC board. With the controller off, the technician steps the B button through a display sequence (on SENSEI: t, F, S, then E — the E step appears only when code 17 or 52 is occurring), then holds A and B together for 10 seconds until the controller shows 'ECL' — reset complete. RX/CX models walk a longer sequence (dES, t, AdJ, F, A, E) to the same ECL. Until that sequence is run, a cleaned venturi can still sit behind a latched 17. This is a front-panel-off, board-level procedure on a live gas appliance — technician work by any reading of Rinnai's warnings. What debris blocks a venturi? The manual does not speculate, but its own neighbouring procedures name the usual intruders of the air path: insects, dust and lint drawn through the intake, and condensate-carried deposits. A heater that throws 17 once, is cleaned, and stays clean had an event. A heater that throws 17 repeatedly has a source — an intake drawing from a dusty or insect-prone location, or condensate behaviour that needs correcting — and the repeat, not the cleaning, is the real diagnosis. Owner scope on a 17 is honest and small: check the condensate drain is running, look at the vent termination outside, record the code, and make the call. There is no owner reset for 17, no filter that clears it, and no benefit to power-cycling the unit repeatedly — the code is latched precisely so that the venturi is inspected rather than ignored.

Most likely cause: Debris drawn into the air path — Insects, dust, lint and airborne debris travel the intake and lodge at the narrowest point of the mixture path — the venturi. Rinnai's procedure has the whole vent system inspected for the same reason: debris at the venturi usually entered through the vent system, and cleaning one without checking the other invites a repeat. The venturi's narrow passage is precisely why it is the collection point: anything small enough to travel the intake but too large to pass the venturi throat stops there, which makes the debris itself evidence of what the intake has been breathing.

First check: Confirm the model family first: 17 is SENSEI/RX-CX only. If a controller screenshot or a phone photo is your evidence, verify the code is 17 and not 11 or 12 misread

If it keeps coming back: Codes 17 and 52 are linked by hardware and by procedure: both are cleared by the same A/B-button ECL reset, and the 'E' step of that sequence only appears when one of them is active. If the fault history (hold ON/OFF two seconds, then UP) shows 52s around a 17, the gas valve assembly as a whole — not just its venturi passage — is the story. A history of 10s before the 17 tells the other version: a vent system shedding debris inward. Either sequence is worth quoting verbatim when the service call is booked.

LC — Scale build-up in the heat exchanger

LC is the code Rinnai owners in hard-water areas know best, and it is a maintenance alarm rather than a breakdown. It means scale — mineral deposit from hard water — has built up inside the heat exchanger far enough that the heater is protecting itself. Rinnai's wording is consistent across every document: 'LC indicates that there is scale build up in the heat exchanger and that the heat exchanger needs to be flushed to prevent damage. Hard water must be treated to prevent scale build up or damage to the heat exchanger.' Scale damage is pointedly not a warranty defect — the C199 manual's water-quality section states that replacement of a heat exchanger damaged by water quality is not covered. The LC family has a counting system worth understanding. Plain LC (shown in the fault history as 00 — the controller substitutes '00' for 'LC' when you scroll past codes) is the first warning. On newer products a shutdown feature escalates it: the heater will lock out unless reset. The temporary reset — press the ON/OFF button on the temperature controller five times within five seconds — buys 70 hours of operation, after which the heater locks out again with the count advanced: LC1, LC2, and so on. Rinnai's own example decodes it plainly: LC2 means the heater has been reset for three 70-hour periods without a flush and a hard reset. The number on the display is therefore a procrastination counter, and the controller cycles between the set temperature and the LC code, with a beep on Non-SENSEI models, so it cannot be missed. The documented remedy is the flush, and Rinnai publishes the procedure in the owner's manual (section 'Flushing the Heat Exchanger' — 6.3 on SENSEI manuals, 6.2 in the tech sheet references) precisely because it is the one substantial maintenance job the documents hand to a competent owner with the right kit, while many owners still book it as a service. The SENSEI RX/CX flushing procedure's scale-control detail is representative: power and gas off, controller off, hot and cold shutoff valves closed, the pump outlet hose connected to the cold-side service valve, the drain hose on the hot-side service valve, four gallons of undiluted food-grade white vinegar in a bucket, pump and drain hoses into the solution, service valves opened, and the solution circulated through the heat exchanger. Isolation (service) valves are what make this possible without cutting pipe — Rinnai 'strongly recommends' them at installation for exactly this job. After a flush that completes properly, Rinnai states the LC codes reset automatically on RX/CX models. If the code does not clear, the hard reset is a PC-board procedure — the two switches A and B pressed together for five seconds — which returns the LC count to 0. Finally, the prevention half: LC is a water-quality verdict. A heater flushed and returned to the same untreated hard water will count LCs again on the same schedule. Rinnai's repeated sentence — hard water must be treated — means a softener or the model's documented scale-control option, plus the annual service rhythm. Flushing is the repair; treatment is the cure.

Most likely cause: Hard water mineral scale in the heat exchanger — The cause, by definition: calcium and lime from hard water deposit on the hottest surfaces inside the heat exchanger, insulating them. Rinnai detects the condition (on RX/CX a dedicated lime-detecting temperature function feeds it) and raises LC before the deposit damages the exchanger. Homes on well water or in known hard-water regions meet LC earliest and most often. The process accelerates itself: a light coating insulates the metal, the metal runs hotter to deliver the same water temperature, and hotter metal precipitates minerals faster, which is why LC intervals shorten when flushes are deferred.

First check: Read the exact display: LC, or LC with a digit (LC0–LC9)? The digit is the count of temporary-reset periods already used — note it before doing anything

If it keeps coming back: Two displays get confused with LC constantly, and this page handles both. SS — also shown as 55 — is 'Service Soon': a purely time-based reminder set at installation (Parameter 03: off, 0.5, 1 or 2 years) meaning service and a flush are due; the heater keeps running, and the reset is ON/OFF five times in five seconds on SENSEI, or holding the PC-board 'A' button until SS disappears on RX/CX. LC, by contrast, is detection-based: the heater has measured a scale condition, counts temporary resets as LC0–LC9, appears in the history as 00, and will lock the heater out. An SS ignored long enough on hard water becomes an LC; an LC is never 'just the reminder'.

Less common and model-specific codes

Search data shows owners also meet these codes on Rinnai water heaters: Infinity, Sensei. They are not part of the core code list Rinnai publishes for most models — several are series-specific, abbreviated display readings, or codes carried over from a sister platform — so we do not publish meanings for them rather than guess. Treat them by symptom: note what the machine was doing when the code appeared (filling, draining, heating, spinning), run one full power cycle (5 minutes off), and if the code returns, match the symptom to the closest documented family in the table above and check the tech sheet stored inside your machine for the model-specific definition.

Deep-dive guides for the most searched codes

Rinnai Error Code 11: No Ignition — Meaning, Causes & FixRinnai Error Code 12: Flame Failure — Meaning, Causes & FixRinnai Error Code 10: Air Supply or Exhaust Blockage — Meaning & FixRinnai Error Code 17: Meaning, Causes & FixRinnai LC Code: Scale Buildup & Service Reminder — Flush Guide

Related guides

Rinnai Water Heater hubAll Rinnai error codes

Facts on this page were checked against manufacturer documentation: www.rinnai.us · media.rinnai.us · www.rinnai.ca · media.rinnai.us · www.manualshelf.com · www.rinnai.us