Water heater not igniting on electric

[jbagnall]

I know there are a million water heater threads. And I've read a bunch to know this might be circuit board.

Currently camping and internet not great so was hard to search.

My hot water heater wasn't working this trip. I cleaned it all out with a hose and got it to ignite on gas. It doesn't seem to ignite when on electrical. But when on gas, the flame is really hot. Right away. I always used electric so I don't know how much of a flame I should expect. Haven't paid much attention to the water heater because it usually just works.

So my questions are:

Any ideas why there is a flame for gas but not electric?
How hot should that flame be? It's pretty dang hot and you can hear it going even with the cover closed.

Thanks

[jbagnall]

I should add that it kicks on a second after on gas and you can hear it start. With electric there is just a steady faint electrical noise that it makes and that's it.

[Grumpy]

You never see a flame on electric the heating element is inside the tank.

[jbagnall]

Hah. Ok. That makes sense. I've never used it with gas so never saw the flame! Hah. Does that flame usually die down at some point when it heats up?

I'm going to check for loose wires and the usual stuff.

[norty1]

It is thermostatically controlled. There will be a small pilot if it is that type or if newer it will be a electronic ignitor.

[Grumpy]

It's either full on or off, no in between on gas unless, as Norty said, you have a pilot light, but your's is probably electronic ignition. Can sound like a jet engine when heating up.

[jbagnall]

I left in on electric after I got it to fire up on propane after cleaning it out. It wouldn't fire on LP before cleaning it all up. All good now. Must have been spider webs or something. Phew. Thanks.