Atwood water heater problem

[ikester1951]

Water heater , Atwood 10 gallon elec/propane, worked great last night. Now no heat, gas won't stay lit . Electric will not heat it up. I checked gfci. Found 2. Both are fine. No wasps nests,etc., in compartment. What is my next step? 2008 Winnebago 39Z.

[TonyMac]

Next step is to say "Harumph!" Mine did that some time ago, would not try to turn on at all, and it was a loose connection on one of the temperature sensors. Here's what you do:
1. Get a beer
2. Turn the water heater to Gas -- nothing happens.
3. Go out and wiggle the wires going into the temp sensors. There are four wires and two (I think identical) temp sensors, one says E.C.O and the other says TSAT. The sensors are under a foam patch.
4. While wiggling, if it goes "tic, tic, tic, FOOM!" it's the sensors' connections. Can't be fixed, new ones are cheap, comes with a new foam patch, replace both, but...
5. Unplug the water heater and quit using it. To much of this make and break contact will smoke your circuit board, as it did mine, which adds another $160 to the parts bill.

[TonyMac]

AtwoodWaterHeaterManual.pdf

The Attwood Manual, hope this works and hope this helps.

[KCFDCapt]

Those 4 wires near the foam patch are the problem many times. Unplug them one at a time, tighten the connector slightly with a pair of pliers, and reconnect them. It that does not cure the problem, it is time to get out the manual and start the electronic troubleshooting. You will need a simple VOM. If you do not know what a VOM is, ask your buddy who is handy around the house.

[TonyMac]

THe wire contains the female end of the connection, the blade male end is connected to the temp sensor by a rivet. THat rivet also an become loose, as it did in my case, resulting in a noisy connection, sometimes made, sometimes broken, sometimes oscillating quite rapidly. This noisy connection is what smokes them circuit board.

[ikester1951]

The problem was a bad relay behind the water heater. $12 part. Good news. Thanks for the suggestions.

[pattcook]

there is also a reset button in the back of the water heater. There is on my 03 Suncruiser anyway. Ask me how I know?