My GSW series 6 water heater will not light

You can call either. My choice for an electric water heater would be the electrician. For a gas water heater it would be a plumber who is gas certified.

Your brand and model number are not known, nor is type of gas control valve. Location of water heater, recent events, age and other factors are also unknown.
Copy following links for possible troubleshoot resources, including troubleshoot by type of gas control valve:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-gas-water-heater.html
http://www.thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com/forums/forum3/

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Depends on gas control valve, and if cause is overheating high-limit event or FVIR flammable vapor event.
Turn off water heater when using flammable vapors, clean burner parts to prevent overheating.

1) GSW Residential power vent gas water heater with FVIR system:
Some models have intelli-vent gas contol
Others have robershaw gas control with auto-reset

2) Parts manual shows #15 'auto-reset' high limit switch on the blower
http://www.gswpartsonline.com/model/27484
http://www.gswpartsonline.com/schematic/137/view

3) Possible manual:
http://www.gsw-wh.com/pdfs/GPD135NInstall.pdf
Shows resettable lockout page 15
Water temperature must be 120 degree F or lower for reset. Unplug power cord, and then plug back in and wait 15 minutes or 60 minutes depending on gas control valve.
Some intelli-vent controls must be replaced when 195 degree high limit event locks out the water heater.
If high-limit lockout repeats, then gas control must be replaced.
Also clean burner parts, air intake, and make sure flame is clear blue. and not yellow-or-orange.

4) Intelli-vent service manual might apply to your water heater:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Intellivent-service-manual.pdf

If FVIR flammable vapor event locked out heater, then unplug heater and plug back in.
Immediately press two temperature buttons. Wait for green light to blink. Release buttons.
Page 34 in troubleshoot chart.

5) Take a moment and rate answer:
And take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on water heater or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

When you turn it on and hear the ignitor clicking, test for 12 volts at power wire to gas valve. If your not getting 12 VDC to gas valve when ignitor is sparking, replace module.

The igniter is glowing, but no gas ignites?
So either the gas is entering combustion chamber and not lighting because igniter is positioned incorrectly -or- no gas is entering combustion chamber because air in gas line or bad gas control valve thermostat or gas line is clogged.
When you 'restart' the water heater, somehow you are getting gas to the burner and it is igniting.
I'm not sure what the flame switch is. If the ECO was cut out, the gas control valve would not send power to the igniter and there would be no gas available for 'restart.'
I would adjust location of igniter, check if gas is entering combustion chamber, clean the gas line to the burner, and bleed gas line for air, but another suspect could be the gas control valve thermostat.
Identifying numbers are usually on side of gas valve.
Open following link to help identify gas valve:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-adjust-temperature-on-water-heater.html#intelli
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-install-gas-water-heater.html#clean

There are many things to check. The single most important test is for 24V at the gas valve after the ignitor is supposed tp be on. 19 V or less and there is either a bad ground or the ingition control board has failed. (Wire ground problems are a high probablilty)

Here is what the book says:

PROBLEM #1 - HOT SURFACE IGNITOR DOES NOT GLOW RED

(Remember to wait for purge time, 17/34 seconds, on models so equipped).

Possible causes

A. No main power

B. Faulty transformer

C. Faulty thermostat

D. Faulty limit switch

E. Faulty blower interlock switch

F. Faulty hot surface ignitor

G. Faulty ignition control

Solution

Step #1

Perform normal system checks of main power, transformer, thermostat, limit

switch, blower interlock switch, and replace faulty component.

Step #2

With power on and thermostat set at its highest position, check voltage

between "TH" and "TR" on HS780 ignition control. If 24 volts is not present

check output at transformer. If no, replace transformer. If transformer

checks out OK look at other controls in the 24 volt circuit I.E.: thermostat,

limit switch, blower interlock switch. Check for 120 volts between "neut"

(L2) and "120" (L1). Check for 120 volts at the ignitor across "IGN" and

"IGN" terminals on the HS780 ignition module. If 120 volts is present,
replace ignitor. If no, replace the 780 series module

PROBLEM #2 - IGNITOR GLOWS RED BUT MAIN BURNER

WOULDN'T LIGHT

Possible causes

A. Improper ignitor alignment

B. Faulty ignition control

C. Faulty gas valve

D. High inlet gas pressure

E. Polarity reversed

F. No earth ground

Solution

Step #1

Check for availability of gas at gas valve. Make sure the manual valve

upstream of the gas valve and the gas valve are in the full on position. Also

make sure gas is being supplied to the system at the proper pressure, too

high will lock-up the valve.

Step #2

Check proper polarity of "NEUT" and "120" on the ignition control by reversing

the wires, if reversed gas valve will not open. If this does not solve the

problem, replace wires as they were.

Step #3

Check for proper ignitor position.

Step #4

Check for a good earth ground by using a meter connected between L1

and furnace chassis. Should read 120 volts, if no, check and/or repair ignition
ground wire or ignition control mounting screws.
CAUTION POLARITY MUST BE OBSERVED

Step #5

Check for 24 volts at the gas valve terminals; "1" and "2" on a 7200 series,

"M" and "C" on a 7100 series, "TH" and "TR" on a 7000 series. If yes,

check wire integrity or change the gas valve. If no, change the 780 series
ignition module.

That is pretty much all of the troubleshooting required.

Thanks for choosing FixYa,
Kelly

Sounds like the TP valve is releasing water.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-leaking.html

To protect your property right now, turn off water heater:
Gas: turn gas valve to pilot so pilot light stays lit but burner will not turn on.
Electric: flip circuit breaker off

Next turn off water valve located on cold water line above water heater.
Last, open tub faucet to relieve pressure on tank.
Once pressure is off after a few moments, close tub valve.

The question is why is the TP valve releasing water.

1) Stuck TP valve: raise lever on TP valve and let back down slowly

2) bad TP valve: replace TP using same temp-pressure rating available from hardware store. Wrap teflon tape around threads and screw new TP valve clockwise until very tight. Make sure water is cool before removing valve from water heater. If you take out valve when water heater is hot, it will spew scalding water all over you. This is serious. Let the water cool down for several hours.

3) Runaway heating caused by bad thermostat
Gas: buy replacement valve at Lowes or plumbing store and replace according to instructions.
Electric: several causes. Test parts to determine which needs replacement.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-electric-problems-with-water-heater.html


More support:

a) Fixya offers phone support where you speak with a fixya expert on telephone for a fee.
You can use this service if you hit a trouble spot when repairing your tank.

b) You can also call a plumber who will know exactly what to do.

c) You can post questions at a professional plumbing forum:
http://www.thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com/forums/forum3/

GSW Series 5 water heater is electric water heater.

http://www.gsw-wh.com/index.php?context=/products/waterproducts/gsw/electric/standard
The link above goes to the GSW page, but the manual does not match the product shown in photo

GSW has a phone number in the manual:
1-888-479-8324

I cannot see the manual, but I might be able to help.
Every electric water heater has a red reset button located on the thermostat.
Normally on a two-element thermostat, the ECO or reset button is located behind the upper panel.
Your water heater seems to have a box located where upper panel is located.
Without the manual, I do not know what functions are performed by this box.
If there is a thermostat setting on the face of the box, then maybe there is also a red reset button.

That being said, you want to drain your water heater.
The GSW water heater has a drain valve.
If the valve is plastic, rotate the knob counterclockwise.
If the valve is brass, use a screwdriver to rotate stem counterclockwise

The photo shows the screwdriver slot for brass drain valve

If your water heater will not drain, it is probably clogged with sediment at the tank bottom.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Water-heater-will-not-drain.html
Connect a washing machine hose to drain valve.
Connect garden hose to outdoor spigot, and to washing machine hose.
Turn on outdoor spigot for 10 seconds and this will open the clog.
Repeat procedure if clog is still there.

If your water heater is clogged with sediment, you will want to clean out the water heater:
Follow the step by step on link below:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-electric-water-heater.html

If I can assist you more, add a comment and I will respond

You won't see any red glow until the burner ignites and burns for a while. Its only an ignitor and flame sensor, not a glow plug style.The ignitor has to provide spark for gas to ignite, then it also senses the flame and keeps gas flow coming. What exactly is happening when you turn it to on?