Water Heater Issues...

[PhyerPhyter]

I just bought my 06' 27BH in May and have had it out a few times now. Last time out it took a little to get the water heater started. Maybe 6 cycles on the panel switch and then it would stay lit. Out again this week and last night I couldnt get the water heater to start. Probably tried 20 times. You could hear the solenoid clicking to allow the propane to flow - the igniter was sparking but no propane was coming out. I did have both tanks off since last use - and Ive heard that it takes a little bit to get the propane all the way back to the heater.
So this morning I give it a try. Lights and runs on 2nd cycle of the switch, all is good. Tonight switch is lit up and no fault indicator (little red lite beside switch). Wife comments that water is luke warm. I run the water a minute or so to allow hot water from the heater to get to the fawcet. Yup its luke warm. Check heater as it should be running now from the cold water coming into it. Nope. Try re-igniting. Switch lites up but nothing else happens now. No fuel solenoid, no igniter trying to spark - no 3 tries then fault light. Panel switch lites up as if nothing is wrong but nothing now is working. WTF??!!?????

Any thoughts on what I am dealing with?

[krackeer]

just a guess, but perhaps the heating element.

[RVhiker]

Maybe check all electrical connections to the heater for dirt/corrosion/loosness. Here's a link to an Atwood document on electronic ignition water heaters: Atwood Manual. Maybe bad solenoid or board. Also check for DC power at the heater.

[PhyerPhyter]

Originally Posted by RVhiker

Maybe check all electrical connections to the heater for dirt/corrosion/loosness. Here's a link to an Atwood document on electronic ignition water heaters: Atwood Manual. Maybe bad solenoid or board. Also check for DC power at the heater.

This morning I tried igniting the heater again and it fired 2wice - it didnt go the 3 tries I am done, just 2 tries. So start wiggling wires and Poof it tries to ignite then goes out. Fidgit with it a little more and now it seems to be working ok. All connections seem to be rather tight (hard to pull off - so much so that I thought I might break something if I pulled too hard)
Sooo.... We'll see how long this lasts or if it starts to crap out again. Getting to learn these idiosyncracies - I am glad to see that they arent really complicated. Just a bit of a learning curve.

[PhyerPhyter]

BTW thatnks for the replies they are appreciated...

[2008jeep]

I have a Jayco Skylark with the Tankless Hot Water system. It worked great during a week we were having some remodeling done in our house and we spent about 4 days staying in our trailer in our driveway. Then in June we left on a 1 month vaction for our 50th Anniversary and the first evening we were on the road we went to take a shower and we could hear the clicking when hot water was selected, but we never once got it to come on. After that the shower became a storage area, but we stayed at campgrounds that had great showers. The local Jayco dealer has since found a component that was bad and has replaced it, but we've not had a chance to try it as there were a couple of other minor things that are being repaired as well and we have not gotten the trailer back yet.

[clutch]

You might try cleaning the thermocouple if it is smoked up or coroded. If it is dirty or faulty it won't heat up and allow the gas to flow so it shuts down.

[rog4kneer]

Just to make you aware that the water heater (if equipped with bypass for winterization) has a valve that can be used to temper hot water if by chance it is too hot. If you water is luke warm and heater is working properly I would make sure that the tempering valve is not open.