Hot water heater help!

199LIB · 08-11-2018, 08:59 PM

Good evening all. I am nearly at the end of my rope and need some guidance. I bought a new 2017 jay flight SLX 264bh and had to take it back to the dealer - 4 times - to replace the data board on the water heater. Each time I would take it to the dealer, they would replace the board with a new one and all would be fine. I would then go camping, hook up and get settled and the pilot light would not ignite or stay lit for more than 8 to 10 seconds. (This was still under warranty). On the fourth time this happened I took it back to the dealer and traded it in on a new 2019 slx 264bh. This is the same model just 2 years newer. I am currently out on my first trip with this new trailer and guess what??? My new hot water heater has done the same thing as the 2017!!! It worked for approximately 4 hours and when I left to go into town I turned the switch off, came back, turned the switch on and same issue!!! It will not ignite at all. Am I doing something wrong? If so what? Do I have something that is causing this issue or is there something else going on? Is this a problem with this model? With a brand new camper doing the same thing I am at a loss for words and wonder if I am doing something aside from the basic hookup, etc. to cause this? FYI. My propane tanks are full I am plugged into 30amp and have a tv coffee maker and a couple of phones plugged in for charge. Thank you in advance for any help or replies!

DonaandDon · 08-12-2018, 07:24 AM

1) How close is the next dealership?

2) Have you called Jayco Tech support for advice?

3) Is the area at the water heater dry?

Keep us informed..

199LIB · 08-12-2018, 02:44 PM

Thank you for your reply. The area in and around the water heater is dry with no moisture. Tomorrow I am going to call Jayco directly and see if I can get anything there. A little more research that I have done has shown that several others over the years have had trouble with their Atwood/Dometic water heater circuit boards as well. Perhaps I am just the very unlucky one?

ALJO · 08-12-2018, 03:10 PM

Just order a electronic board from Amazon Dino board or something like that.
The had some bad boards in Atwood WH and hope they solved the issue by now.

Fourdoor · 08-12-2018, 04:31 PM

Not sure about Jayco, but I never turn off my hot water heater if I’m only going away from a camper for a outing. However the hot water heater should work regardless. Turn it on it should work.

ALJO · 08-12-2018, 05:09 PM

also follow the proper procedure for removing air out the propane line.

rjackson · 08-12-2018, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALJO

also follow the proper procedure for removing air out the propane line.

if it worked for 4 hours, turned switch off, went to town came back and wouldn't work has nothing to do with air in line

mohok1 · 08-12-2018, 06:52 PM

If the water was hot and you turned it off and left it for only a little while
and didn't use any water, are you sure the water was cool enough to put a demand on the heater when you turned it back on? Is that the 1st time you used the heater? Something is not adding up. Post what the problem was when you get it resolved.

mini4mw · 08-12-2018, 07:07 PM

Is it just not sparking, or is the gas not flowing? When you first turn it on, if the water is not hot, you should hear/small the gas start flowing and then the spark ignites the gas.

199LIB · 08-12-2018, 07:19 PM

Yes this is the first time that I have taken out this new trailer and the fiirst time I have used the hot water except when it was tested at the dealer. Based upon the same thing that happened to my 2017 Jayco I am guessing another bad circuit board as I can smell propane but no ignition or flame.

199LIB · 08-12-2018, 07:23 PM

No spark or flame. After turning it off last night I tried first thing this morning and nothing...just one click every few seconds and nothing else. I am thinking that I have another bad circuit board on a brand new trailer!

damammel · 08-12-2018, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 199LIB

No spark or flame. After turning it off last night I tried first thing this morning and nothing...just one click every few seconds and nothing else. I am thinking that I have another bad circuit board on a brand new trailer!

The click you are hearing is probably only the gas valve opening. You can try to light it manually with one of the long grill lighters. It may stay on once the system has a flame. I have had one work and one not work once there was a flame. I have ordered my current board from amazon and it has worked for multiple trips. I have a 2017 287 slx.

199LIB · 08-13-2018, 06:19 AM

Did you order one of the dinosaur replacement boards?

damammel · 08-13-2018, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 199LIB

Did you order one of the dinosaur replacement boards?

Sorry it was late when I was typing that. Sure would help if I told you which one I ordered. If your old board allows the flame to be manually lit and stays on for longer than 3 seconds keep it as an emergency backup.

Dometic 91367 Circuit Board https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYSEX99/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rXxCBbBYRV9PA

199LIB · 08-13-2018, 02:22 PM

FYI

I just called and spoke with a representative from Jayco and they confirmed that there was/has been a bad batch of Atwood/Dometic circuit boards that have gone out causing the issue with these water heaters. It appears that I have been one of the most unlucky ones having had this issue multiple times.

She assured me that this issue has been rectified and the new circuit boards are good to go.

We'll see...

Camper_bob · 08-13-2018, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 199LIB

FYI

I just called and spoke with a representative from Jayco and they confirmed that there was/has been a bad batch of Atwood/Dometic circuit boards that have gone out causing the issue with these water heaters. It appears that I have been one of the most unlucky ones having had this issue multiple times.

She assured me that this issue has been rectified and the new circuit boards are good to go.

We'll see...

I would still not put the replacement OEM board back in. Enough of them were bad right out of the box that I don't trust them. The Dinosaur board from Amazon worked for me, and has worked flawlessly for MANY others.

Rcruzan · 08-22-2018, 12:06 PM

I had the same problem on my 2017 jayco hot water heater . I went thru 2 control boards pretty quickly . After the second failure I added a electric probe to my tank . I have the electric set too about 5 degrees more then the gas portion. Now my gas heater doesn't have to maintain the temperature and only runs when hot water is used. No failures since . I also carry a spare board that I purchased from Amazon . I have been failure free for about a year . Good luck

Shelbyprest · 08-22-2018, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 199LIB

FYI

I just called and spoke with a representative from Jayco and they confirmed that there was/has been a bad batch of Atwood/Dometic circuit boards that have gone out causing the issue with these water heaters. It appears that I have been one of the most unlucky ones having had this issue multiple times.

She assured me that this issue has been rectified and the new circuit boards are good to go.

We'll see...

How did you go about getting the "fixed" board? Our brand new 2019 Seismic is doing the same thing. What worries me is it was built in May/June...

CHV_FRK · 08-22-2018, 01:18 PM

Ok... dumb question, but how are you filling and purging your water heater?

Before I turn anything on I fill the water tank then switch to city supply. I open the pressure relief until the tank fills to the relief and then I purge the kitchen sink on hot and cold. This fills the cold line and purges as much as you're going to get out of the top of the tank.

I think some people are heating with too little water and burning out items. Usually it's the electric heating element.

Camper_bob · 08-22-2018, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHV_FRK

Ok... dumb question, but how are you filling and purging your water heater?

Before I turn anything on I fill the water tank then switch to city supply. I open the pressure relief until the tank fills to the relief and then I purge the kitchen sink on hot and cold. This fills the cold line and purges as much as you're going to get out of the top of the tank.

I think some people are heating with too little water and burning out items. Usually it's the electric heating element.

No, I think most of these issues are/were caused by a batch of bad control boards from whoever supplies them to the WH manufacturers (the problem is evident in both Dometic and Atwood WHs from what I've read). If the element is burned out, that's a different issue and is most likely caused by running the heater with no water, but doing that would not cause the control board to fail.

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