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Old 06-19-2017, 06:49 AM   #1
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Hot water heater electrical fire

So, usually when we camp I just flip on the electric heat for the water heater but the wife wanted to make sure she had enough hot water so I flipped on the lp heat as well. A couple minutes later, my son and I smelled someone burning plastic. Well it wasn't someone, it was our trailer that had a mini electrical fire outside by on the water heater panel. Has anyone ever heard of this? It's still under warranty so I'll be bringing it back, but it's still a bit scary! Now, we don't have hot water for the rest of the week, however it's not too bad and nobody was hurt.

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Old 06-19-2017, 08:53 AM   #2
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That sucks. First I've heard of it happening.

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Old 06-19-2017, 08:59 AM   #3
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I do that all the time and never had an issue. Sorry for your troubles...
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Old 06-19-2017, 10:32 AM   #4
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Sorry to hear about the meltdown! Being an Atwood water heater, I believe you still have the electrical heating element at your disposal. Your electrical failure is on the 12V dc system ...... probably blew a fuswe in your 12V panel. The 120V system is on the back side of the water heater with it's own thermostat and eco.

If you are still camping and wan hot water, make sure the 12V supply to the heater has no power (pull the fuse ) and turn on the electric water heater switch on your control panel.

I had a spider web block the burner tube on mine and the flame back flashed into the area near the gas control. The gas fire caused the thermal fuse to open and shut down the gas operation. Luckily only damage was some soot on the wall and a blown fuse. The control board survived.

Good luck .......... Swampy

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Old 06-19-2017, 10:33 AM   #5
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brings to mind that Chinese guy named Ho Lee Chit
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Old 06-19-2017, 11:44 AM   #6
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Swampy, all I need to do is pull the fuse on the outside of the water heater and then the electric water heater will work? That sounds too easy. Lol

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Old 06-19-2017, 12:48 PM   #7
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easier,
I would pull the fuse for the water heater in the 12V distribution panel( probably located under the oven) next to the 120V AC breakers. You want to make sure the 12 V is off going to the control board on the water heater. You had enough of a short circuit to melt the wire insulation, so you don't want to put power back to that area .... it could continue melting and eventually start a fire further into the TT. The 120V heating element is a completely differentand isolated electrical system and is located inside the water heater usually accessible on the back side of the tank near the bypass valves near the top right corner of the tank.

Since the 120V system was not involved with the short, it should be intact. if the tank is full of water, try turning the electric water heater switch on and wait about a half hour to see if you have hot water. I would not engage the gas hot water switch on your panel since we don't know if that will send 12V to the melted control wiring.

Unless you have a blown electric heating element, You should have hot water in less than an hour.

Good Luck .............. Swampy (Jim Knoch)

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Old 06-19-2017, 01:26 PM   #8
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brings to mind that chinese guy named ho lee chit
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Old 06-19-2017, 01:28 PM   #9
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Are you sure that there was water in it? It won't fill up sometimes if you don't open the pressure valve up top.
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Old 06-19-2017, 01:46 PM   #10
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easier,
I would pull the fuse for the water heater in the 12V distribution panel( probably located under the oven) next to the 120V AC breakers.
But control voltage for both is 12v. Pulling the fuse will probably shut down the 120v control circuit as well.
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Old 06-19-2017, 01:52 PM   #11
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I think Grumpy is right. The remote relay that controls ac is controlled by 12vdc. A MacGyver rig may fix it but I would be very cautious. Hot water is not worth the risk.
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Old 06-19-2017, 01:57 PM   #12
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There was water in it since we have been using it for the past 3 days.

The fuse that blows is the one that is listed as 20 amp furnace. When that blows, it takes out the control panel, light above sink and the outlets on that side as well. I put a new fuse in and everything works again, but once I tried to switch to lp heat it blew. (That was prior to me knowing about what happened outside by the water heater)

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Old 06-19-2017, 02:31 PM   #13
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eazier,

You said that when the 20A car type fuse blew, it took out the outlets along the wall. I can't follow how a dc short would take out the AC circuit breakers as well Check the ac circuit breakers to make sure none are tripped. Too much of a coincidence. I haven't been able to download a readable electrical schematic for the 6 or 10 gallon Atwood water heater, but IMHO if the 20A fuse restored the lights the 120V AC part of the water heater may still be working. Just do not turn on the LP water heater setting on the control panel you have a short circuit probably in the actual water heater control panel that melted down. I am trying to find the location of the AC contactor for 120V operation. If it is part of the melted control board, sorry, no quick fix for you.

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Old 06-20-2017, 07:51 AM   #14
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Man, as much as I want to play with it I'm a bit scared to be messing around with propane, electrical and possibly another fire. Lol. We have an appointment set up for next week at our local dealer here in Michigan. I'll have them get that fixed as well as others that are on our list too. 😉. Thx for the help guys!

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Old 06-20-2017, 11:53 AM   #15
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I've seen this when there is a mud dauber nest in the burner tube. The burnt wires are right above where the flame would have been.

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Old 06-20-2017, 12:47 PM   #16
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Not good! My parents had flames going up the outside wall from the water heater a few years back. The issue for them was a spider nest in the flame tube, and it pushed the gas back out the tube. The over temp safety never saw heat. luckily it caused no major damage.

In your case, it does look like an electrical fire, not a propane fire.

You stated the 20 amp DC fuse blew. Have you replaced that fuse in the past? In my tt, all the device fuses in the main breaker panel are 15 amp. Which makes me suspect the fuse was oversized, which allowed the wire(s) or sub device to over heat start the fire. I would verify that you should have a 15 or 20 amp fuse in the main panel.
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Old 06-20-2017, 02:57 PM   #17
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Hot water heater electrical fire

I had one catch fire from a blow back. My wife was in the shower and a knock on the door startled me. A fisherman on a boat saw it and I ran out and blew it out.
It melted some plastic and black soot up the side.
I was able to repair it.


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Old 06-21-2017, 07:07 AM   #18
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Not good! My parents had flames going up the outside wall from the water heater a few years back. The issue for them was a spider nest in the flame tube, and it pushed the gas back out the tube. The over temp safety never saw heat. luckily it caused no major damage.

In your case, it does look like an electrical fire, not a propane fire.

You stated the 20 amp DC fuse blew. Have you replaced that fuse in the past? In my tt, all the device fuses in the main breaker panel are 15 amp. Which makes me suspect the fuse was oversized, which allowed the wire(s) or sub device to over heat start the fire. I would verify that you should have a 15 or 20 amp fuse in the main panel.
It was a 20 amp fuse that was in there to begin with. The whole ordeal was strange. It's scheduled to be looked at on Thursday so we'll see what the "experts" say. Lol


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Old 06-22-2017, 11:30 AM   #19
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I've seen this when there is a mud dauber nest in the burner tube. The burnt wires are right above where the flame would have been.

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I agree, I'm guessing the fire was from obstructed burner tube, not electrical in nature. Can't be sure w/o a closer look. I'm glad the OP caught it before it turned catastrophic. Scary stuff for sure.
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Old 06-22-2017, 12:36 PM   #20
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I agree, I'm guessing the fire was from obstructed burner tube, not electrical in nature. Can't be sure w/o a closer look. I'm glad the OP caught it before it turned catastrophic. Scary stuff for sure.
I don't think it was from a propane fire due to a leakage/blockage from the burner tube. The igniter wire is between the burner tube and the melted wires, and it looks perfect. If there was a propane fire that wire harness would be melted too.
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