Rinnai Non-SENSEI Code 61
Combustion fan motor fault. The combustion fan is not running as the board expects. Rinnai's checks are the wiring harness, then the motor itself with power and gas off — does the blower wheel turn freely, is there debris in the housing — and then the motor winding resistance against the technical data sheet. If the motor is sound, the PC board is next. The check-valve step that applies to the SENSEI generations is not part of the Non-SENSEI list.
Call a proThe verdict
Call a licensed plumber
The fan is a combustion component and Rinnai warns explicitly against unplugging the motor with power connected. A real part cost with a real labour cost on top.
Typical cost: $250–$900
US estimate for parts and labor. Prices vary by region and by who does the work — see how we estimate costs.
What the manual says
The meaning above is transcribed from the manufacturer's diagnostic documentation for the Non-SENSEI — not averaged across the brand.
Source: Rinnai Troubleshooting Tankless Water Heater Diagnostic Codes (100000652) (p. 52), read Aug 2026 — the manufacturer's own documentation for this exact series.
What you can safely check
Before anything else: if you smell gas, stop here, leave, and call your gas utility.
- Listen at the unit when it tries to start: silence where you would normally hear the fan spin up is consistent with this code.
- Do not open the cabinet to reach the fan — Rinnai's own procedure starts by turning off power and gas.
- Book a licensed professional.
Code 61 on other Rinnai series
Rinnai keeps the same fault name for code 61 on some series and not others. Check the one that matches your rating label:
Don't confuse this with
One other Rinnai Non-SENSEI code points at combustion itself too. They are the same symptom reported from a different place in the unit, so which one the display shows is what tells you where to look: