Atwood water heater issue

Campingteacher79 · 07-01-2018, 12:42 PM

Hello friends,

So on my brand-new trailer, my Atwood water heater quit everything last night. No sounds, no gas flow, no spark, nothing. I'm 5 hours away from my dealer, but I will try to get a mobile tech out here soon (this is the holiday weekend up here).

Here's a picture of my heater from the outside. It's a gas/electric. Does anyone have any ideas about what I could try myself, before I call around for a tech on Tuesday?

thanks!

Kevin

Witt74 · 07-01-2018, 12:48 PM

Does it work on electric? Check your connectors, one may have worked loose. Be sure to power the WH down first. Could be a control board failure.

us71na · 07-01-2018, 12:49 PM

Check that curved tube at the bottom of your photo to insure there is no spider nest inside. Also check the area around the small ceramic ignitor for spider webs.

Does your stove work? Do you get large flames on your stove when you turn a burner to high. If not your problem may be that you have tripped the excess flow device in your regulator. Turn off your propane tanks, wait ten minutes, make sure all gas appliance are off. Then very slowly open the propane tank valve. Once the valve is fully open, light your stove and let it run for a minute or two, then turn on your water heater and see if it will light.

Check the circuit breaker in the power panel to insure it is on. Also check the battery connections.

Campingteacher79 · 07-01-2018, 12:50 PM

Nothing on electric either. I've been looking around online, and I'm seeing many stories of the control board failing, and that Atwood knows that there have been many problems.

Campingteacher79 · 07-01-2018, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by us71na

Does your stove work? Do you get large flames on your stove when you turn a burner to high. If not your problem may be that you have tripped the excess flow device in your regulator. Turn off your propane tanks, wait ten minutes, make sure all gas appliance are off. Then very slowly open the propane tank valve. Once the valve is fully open, light your stove and let it run for a minute or two, then turn on your water heater and see if it will light.

Thanks, I'll try that right now. But would that have anything to do with no power on electric either? Last night, the red light on the switch for power or gas came on.

Skln · 07-01-2018, 04:04 PM

Following your post because I am also having the same issues. When I used my new trailer 2 weeks ago everything was fine, now I have no hot water.

Campingteacher79 · 07-01-2018, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skln

Following your post because I am also having the same issues. When I used my new trailer 2 weeks ago everything was fine, now I have no hot water.

In my own very amateur opinion, and based on what others have said on here and on YouTube, I think it's a faulty circuit board. I'm going to get a hold of a mobile RV tech, and also call a local dealer and see if they have a new board. How new is your trailer?

Skln · 07-01-2018, 04:42 PM

My trailer is brand new. This is only the 2nd time we’ve used it. It all worked fine last time we were in it.

Campingteacher79 · 07-01-2018, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skln

My trailer is brand new. This is only the 2nd time we’ve used it. It all worked fine last time we were in it.

Same here, I full-time in mine for the summer, just picked it up 10 days ago. I'm seeing online that there are many problems with the Atwood circuit board. Although I don't even hear any propane going through mine. We'll see. Water heaters have always been a pain for me.

ALJO · 07-01-2018, 05:38 PM

Try to reset a couple of times on the switch panel. There should be a small dsl light beside the switch. Not all units have this hooked up. Best is to have one operating the switch and someone else listen at the water heather.

Kookie · 07-01-2018, 08:34 PM

Maybe try checking all your 12v fuses at your converter? Maybe the valve that controls the gas to the burner works on 12v? Just a thought.

Campingteacher79 · 07-01-2018, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kookie

Maybe try checking all your 12v fuses at your converter? Maybe the valve that controls the gas to the burner works on 12v? Just a thought.

Thanks for the suggestion, I checked all the fuses and they are ok. I am confused as to why I don't hear any gas flowing, at least the oven, furnace and fridge still can work on gas.

Any other ideas? I keep going back to a faulty circuit board, I've seen a few stories about them online.

thanks!

Kevin

Kookie · 07-01-2018, 10:27 PM

There is a small 2 amp mini fuse on the circuit board. And the wire that is in a clear plastic sleeve is a heat sensitive safety fuse that will turn everything off if the heat gets too high from the flame. Check that with an ohm meter for continuity. Make sure all the connections are good at the circuit board. Google "troubleshooting Atwood RV water heaters". There are a few videos that might give you a hint.

John from Central Florida · 07-02-2018, 05:16 AM

Camp,

Please be sure to let us know how you got the problem resolved, as many of us are following this.

BJR · 07-02-2018, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skln

My trailer is brand new. This is only the 2nd time we’ve used it. It all worked fine last time we were in it.

My board was faulty from the factory, don't rule it out. As a matter of fact, get a spare.

Does your switch light up?

MontyRV · 07-02-2018, 12:05 PM

This has been my experiences. They both happened within 2 months of owning my camper...

The first time, it was loose/corroded connections between the wires and spade lugs. Take them all off & on a few times, to scuff them up.

The second time, the thermal fuse opened up. It is the thing in the clear plastic sleeve, attached to the thermostat. You can take it out of the circuit to bypass and see if it works, but I wouldn't keep running the water heater without it installed. They are cheap. Pack of 2 costs like $15. I bought spares.

I haven't had any problems since then.

Campingteacher79 · 07-02-2018, 01:21 PM

I'll certainly keep everyone posted. I've checked fuses, connections, cables, I've searched for advice online, and I've bled out the tank by opening the pressure valve, and still nothing. My plan is to get a hold of a mobile tech, I've seen him in this campground every day last week (it's the holiday Monday up here) and see what he says. I'll then contact my dealership.

My best guess after all of this is that it's a faulty board, it seems to be a common problem lately. It worked fine for the first week I had it, and then it went. For the first few days, I could hear a high whine from the heater, maybe that meant something.

thanks!

Kevin

MMoran · 07-03-2018, 06:37 AM

Saw your comment on my thread "Maiden Voyage = 1st Issue".

You and I are definitely experiencing the same exact thing. I reset mine quite a few times (with my wife on her cell and me around back) and troubleshot extensively. It worked at first. The Atwood seems to have a 3 try board (meaning that it will try to start 3 times before it locks itself into standby...until you cycle the switch inside the RV).

On my RV, each time it would try to do it's thing, I could smell gas briefly as it's letting it through to the direct spark igniter but nothing would happen. Again, it would do this 3 times and then go into a failed standby mode. I got a long candle lighter and when I would hear the "click" (letting me know that gas was flowing) I could ignite the burner. It would blow/burn for only a few seconds and then stop completely. On the next attempt/cycle (in that 3 try board cycle) I'd light it again...it'd blow/burn for just a few seconds and then nothing.

Anywho, all of that to say this - I called my dealer yesterday and he told me to take off the brainbox/ECO. The box where the wires are attached and held in by the two screws. He stated that they are seeing a BUNCH of issues with these and is almost confident that this is my issue (like you've found online). I plan to take mine up there to let them test and they said if it's bad, they'll just give me another to install. I 'may' see if I can buy an extra at this point. You know...just so I have it and it never goes out again. Isn't that how it works?? You have an extra to use so you never have to use it...

Campingteacher79 · 07-03-2018, 03:01 PM

Hello friends,

So I've had a mechanic take a look at everything, and he tested the fuses, wires, and everything else, and all checked out. When he tried two 2-amp fuses in the circuit board, they blew right away. So, we've ordered a new circuit board, and he'll install it in the next couple of days.

We're both thinking the circuit board was the cause, so I guess we'll see!

Kevin

Campingteacher79 · 07-06-2018, 06:37 PM

So all is good now, the RV tech replaced the circuit board, and I now have hot water. I wasn't here when he did it (out of town for a doctor's appointment, and on a side note, I have completed one year of being cancer-free!!) but I was told he put a better one in.

All in all, today was a great day!

thanks!

Kevin

You may also like: